Mildred A. Ibey

Mildred Adela Sinerius was born on April 26, 1930 in Los Angeles, California to Elizabeth Berndt and Helmuth Sinerius. She passed away peacefully at her home on October 26, 2018 in Smithfield, Utah at the age of 88 after spending the last 10 years battling health issues related to White Matter Disease.
Millie’s parents were immigrants from Germany, and German was her first language. Her older brother, George Karl, passed away when he was one year old from seizures, leaving her to be raised as an only child. She grew up in Los Angeles and had a very close relationship with her parents. She was a devoted and loving daughter and cared for them especially in their later years until their passing at the age of 92 and 93.
Millie graduated from Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles, where she was involved in many school clubs. She met her high school sweetheart, Byron, in the 11th grade. They were married right out of high school on September 16, 1948 and have been married for 70 years.
Shortly after they were married, Millie joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and she and Byron were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on May 31, 1950. Millie has served in many leadership positions on both the stake and ward levels. She has always been a great example of service and compassion to her family and friends.
Millie and Byron were blessed with four wonderful children (2 boys and 2 girls): Russell Byron; Rodney Allyn; Shannon Eileen; and Mary Louise, who died at birth. They have 10 grandchildren (8 girls and 2 boys) and 16 great-grandchildren.
Millie was a stay-at-home mom while raising her children and was actively involved in their schools, serving as PTA president in 1959-60. Once her children started to “leave the nest” she decided to use her secretarial skills, joined the workforce in 1977, and was employed for 24 years as the coordinator of transportation for Westside Regional Center for the Developmentally Disabled, retiring at the age of 67.
She was very talented and enjoyed all kinds of crafts, ceramics, sewing, and quilting. She was a talented shopper too, as she could find a “sale” in almost any store.
Being an only child, friends were very important to her and she had lots of them. She loved them all and would find any excuse to host a party so she could be with them.
In 2001, after living in the same home in Torrance, California for 42 years, Millie and Byron moved to beautiful Cache Valley, settling in Smithfield, where they have spent the last 17 years living close to their daughter and her family.
Millie enjoyed camping, reading, playing games, gardening, singing, traveling, visiting with friends and family, and living in a great community filled with extended family and friends.
The family would like to thank neighbors, friends, and ward members for the love and support they have given to Millie over the past few years and especially to Dr. Firth’s office staff and Dr. Salisbury’s hospice care team, who so carefully, patiently, and loving cared for Millie over the past year. She loved all of her aides and nurses.
Millie is survived by her husband, Byron, of 70 years, her three children; Russell (Kathy) Ibey of Whittier, CA; Rodney (Lucille) Ibey of Sacramento, CA; and Shannon (Mark) Johnson of Petersboro, UT; nine grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her brother George Karl Sinerius; her daughter Mary Louise Ibey; her parents Helmuth Sinerius and Elizabeth Berndt Sinerius; and her grandson Jeffrey Mark Johnson.
A viewing will be held at Allen Mortuary: 420 East 1800 North, North Logan, UT, on Friday, November 2, 2018 from 6 to 8 p.m. A celebration of Millie’s life will be held at the 27th ward building: 79 East 200 South, Smithfield, UT, on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at 12 noon with a viewing from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Interment will be held at the Hyde Park Cemetery immediately following the celebration. A dinner for family and friends will be held at the Smithfield 27th ward building following the interment.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Aggies Elevated Program at Utah State University in memory of Millie and her grandson Jeffrey Johnson, who passed away last year unexpectedly at this time. He was attending USU and enrolled in the Aggies Elevated Program, which is an inclusive on-campus college experience for young adults with intellectual disabilities. Donations can be made at: usu.edu/mildredibey or mailed to USU in care of Lance Beckert, USU Foundation, 2800 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322, in memory of Mildred S. Ibey and Jeffrey M. Johnson.