Phyllis Moncur Linford

Phyllis Moncur Linford, 90, devoted mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully of natural causes in her home in North Logan on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010. She was surrounded by beloved family members.
Phyllis was born January 25, 1920 in Lovell, Wyoming, to Alphonso (Fon) Moncur and LaPriel Cutler Moncur. She was the oldest of ten children. At age five, Phyllis moved with her family to Brownsville, Texas where her father raised and sold crops and her mother taught school. Both parents were musicians and taught Phyllis and her siblings to sing and to play the piano and violin. She and her sisters learned to dance and later taught dancing lessons when the family moved back to Lovell. When Phyllis was 16, the family moved to Provo, Utah where she and her siblings attended school. The next year her parents and siblings moved back to Lovell but Phyllis stayed in Utah to continue her studies at BYU.
While a student at BYU, Phyllis met and fell in love with Jean Linford, a high school biology teacher who would later become her husband. They married New Years’ Day, 1942 in Logan, Utah and were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on June 8, 1942. World War II had started and Jean was called into military service. Phyllis and Jean went to La Crosse, Wisconsin in the summer of 1942 where Jean received basic training, after which Phyllis resumed her university studies at the University of Utah. She later returned to Wyoming to stay with her parents while Jean served as an army lab technician in Italy. Due to his military service, he did not see his first child for two years.
Phyllis and Jean eventually settled in North Logan, where Jean was on the Utah State University faculty for 28 years. Together they raised a family of six sons and three daughters; Phyllis was especially proud that five of her sons attained the rank of Eagle Scout, and that all her sons and one daughter served full time missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Phyllis was an intelligent and well-read woman who appreciated the value of education. When her family was sufficiently grown, she resumed her studies at USU, graduating in 1973 near the top of her class (Phi Beta Kappa) in Home Economics and Family Life and Library Science. Phyllis later worked at the USU Library and then at Deseret Book for over 20 years, where she was an outstanding employee. Customers sought her out because of her warmth and knowledge. Phyllis was active in the LDS church all her life. She served faithfully in the Primary, Relief Society and Young Women organizations and enjoyed serving in the ward and stake libraries alongside her daughter Lynne’.
Phyllis was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She was a fabulous cook and an expert in nutrition. Her children remember the fresh loaves of bread she had waiting for them as they returned home from school. Mother was gracious, self-effacing, and unpretentious. She was a woman without guile who never uttered a word of criticism or negativity. She loved her family unconditionally and wanted nothing more than to be surrounded by her loved ones. She was a gifted and patient teacher who had a knack for making each child and grandchild feel like they were the most important people in the world. She always saw and appreciated the beauty in life. All of us who were blessed to know and love her are better people because of her. We will sorely miss her beautiful smile, her gentle demeanor, and her radiant spirit. We love you, Mother!
She was preceded in death by her husband Jean Linford; her parents, four of her brothers, and two grandchildren.
She is survived by her children and their families: Loren Linford (Rose Ann) of Tremonton, UT; Douglas Linford (Vurvian) of Council, Idaho; Craig Linford (Tina) of Mesa, AZ; Scott Linford (Deanna) of Magna, UT; Lynne’ Linford of North Logan; Kirk Linford (Becky) of Chantilly, VA; Kim Linford (Kristy) of Ammon, ID; Lisa MacInnes (Kenneth) of Thousand Oaks , CA; and Laurie Cope (John) of Tokyo, Japan; and by 44 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren.
A viewing will be held Monday, Oct. 18, 2010, from 6 to 8 PM at the Allen Mortuary, 420 East 1800 North, North Logan, UT and on Tuesday Oct. 19, from 10:30 to 11:30 AM at the North Logan Chapel, 2750 North 800 East, North Logan, Utah. The funeral services will be held following the viewing starting at 12:00 PM (noon) at the same location.
Condolences and remembrances may be sent to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net