OBITS: The Spectrum 7 Aug 2005; St. George, Washington co., Utah

text-formatted by W. David Samuelsen for The USGenWeb Archives Project
***********************************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

http://www.usgwarchives.net/ut/utfiles.htm
***********************************************************************
Source: St. George The Spectrum http://www.thespectrum.com

Dave Austraw


James David Austraw, beloved patriarch to his family, passed away July 31,
2005, at home in Ivins. He was born on November 26, 1938 in Cleveland, Ohio to
James L. Austraw and Jean Roy Austraw.

As a young man David lived in Washington D.C., graduating from Wilson H.S.
where he was active in student government and choral groups. He was married to
Meredith Moore in 1962, was blessed with a daughter, Michelle. They were later
divorced. Attending Penn State on an R.O.T.C. scholarship, graduating in 1961.
Dave became an ensign in the US Navy, serving throughout the western Pacific,
including 2 tours in Viet Nam. He was the Officer-In-Charge of Mobile Inshore
Undersea Warfare Surveillance Unit, fulfilling his strong sense of duty to
country. Commander Austraw continued to serve in the Naval reserve until 1982,
then returning to active duty working for Chief of Naval Reserve in New
Orleans, transferring to the Pentagon until 1989 when he retired at the rank
of Captain. He has recently been serving as Recorder General for the Naval
Order of the United States.

In 1965 he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He met
Karen McMullin Lane in Long Beach. They were married and sealed in the Los
Angeles, CA temple on July 22, 1967, and he became the father to Karen's two
small daughters, Maile and Lani. They later were sealed together in the Salt
Lake temple in 1968. In 1969 Dave and Karen adopted a baby boy whom they named
Rowe.

He enjoyed visiting his children and grandchildren and attending the various
milestones in their lives. Everyone recalls that he was always available for a
good or important talk whether in person or on the phone. He had a reverence
for and felt strongly about the gospel of Jesus Christ and always strived to
live its principles. Along with his family, it was the most important thing in
his life. A dedicated servant of the Lord, he blessed the lives of those who
knew him, fulfilling many assignments in The Church, most recently serving as
the Director of the Family History in the Ivins Tri-Stake Family History
Center.

As an accomplished pianist and singer, he shared his joy of music with his
many friends in the Southern Utah Heritage Choir, traveling and performing
with them for 9 years. A friend said of the playing, "the music seemed to have
a soul all its own."

Dave is survived by his wife Karen, three daughters, 13 grandchildren and two
great grandchildren, sister Wynn Wats and niece Ashley Egerton.

Memorial services will be held Thursday, August 11, 1:00 p.m., Ivins Stake
Center, Ivins, Utah. Friends and family may call at the church beginning at
11:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers please send contributions to the Southern Utah
Heritage Choir, P.O. Box 3281, St. George, UT 84770 or
www.rolfepancreaticcancer.org.

As a retired Captain in the United States Navy, interment with military honors
will be at Arlington National Cemetery in October.

Originally published August 7, 2005

Thelma Bleak Barber

ST. GEORGE, UT - Thelma Bleak Barber passed away on Monday, August 1, 2005,
just 11 days after celebrating her 90th birthday. She was born July 21, 1915,
in Los Angeles, California, to Earl James and Stella Christian Bleak. She
moved to St. George, Utah, at the age of 2 when her father accepted a position
to teach music at Dixie College.

Music was a significant part of her life. As a young girl she loved to dance,
play in a band, and assist her parents in their musical activities. Thelma
graduated from Dixie High School and Dixie College, and then studied music at
USC and BYU graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Music (piano performance)
from BYU. She was an accomplished pianist and used her talents in various
capacities in church and community service. She also taught music at Dixie
College during the Second World War.

She met and fell in love with Ralston (Rawlie) Barber while working at the
Grand Canyon. They were married April 26, 1939, and their marriage was later
solemnized in the St. George Temple. They have two children, Patricia Barber
Esplin and LuWayne Barber. Thelma and Rawlie made their home in Pine Valley,
Utah, where she served as Relief Society President and they lived in St.
George during the winter months.

In 1954, they moved to Anchorage, Alaska, to homestead. While in Alaska, they
were involved in building the first Latter-Day Saint chapel and in sustaining
missionary work. Again, there were many opportunities for service in the
church.

They returned to St. George, in the fall of 1959. Thelma worked as a secretary
for Milne Truck Lines and Dixie College. She loved to work with students and
help them achieve their goals.

Thelma loved her Alice Louise Reynolds Club activities and her association
with close friends. Family and friends were the center of her life. She loved
to spend time with her grandchildren from painting rocks to marching through
the house or streets in a "newly" organized band.

She is survived by a daughter, Patricia (Michael) Esplin, Provo, Utah; a son,
R. LuWayne (Kristine) Barber, St. George, Utah; nine grandchildren, four
step-grandchildren, 18 great- grandchildren and 10 step-great-grandchildren;
four sister-in-laws and one brother-in-law. She was preceded in death by her
parents, her brother, Lloyd, her husband, Rawlie, and a daughter-in-law,
Debbie Watson Barber.

Funeral services will be held Monday, August 8, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. at Metcalf
Mortuary (288 W. St. George Blvd) with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to
services. Interment will be at the St. George City Cemetery under the
direction of Metcalf Mortuary (435) 673-4221. Condolences may be sent through
the Metcalf website at www.metcalfmortuary.com.

The family wishes to thank the many caregivers from Beehive Homes, Kolob
Rehabilitation and Care Center and Odyssey Hospice for their love and concern
over the past few years.

Originally published August 7, 2005

Alta Stout Beaudoin

Alta Stout Beaudoin of Garden Grove, was born in Hurricane, Utah on April 3,
1927. Alta passed away peacefully, amongst family on Friday, July 29, 2005.
Her family and friends are comforted by the thoughts of her rejoining the love
of her life, Ray, to whom she was married for 56 years until he passed away in
October of 2002.

Alta is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Guy and Thu Binh of Los
Angeles, Kim and Judy of Oregon, Don and Keri of Riverside, Lee and Tina of
Corona, as well as her daughter Simone of Westminster, plus ten grandchildren
and one great granddaughter.

A memorial service, and celebration of her life, was held for Alta at
KiwanisLand in Garden Grove on Wednesday, August 3rd. In lieu of flowers,
please consider a contribution to an Alta Beaudoin/ Bolsa-Grande High School
Scholarship Fund to be established. Make checks payable to Simone Beaudoin,
10051 Decima Drive, Westminster, CA 92683.

Originally published August 7, 2005

Grace B. Brown

ST. GEORGE - Vivienne Grace Bowns Brown died in St. George on August 2, 2005,
from natural causes, at the age of 84. Grace was born Castle Gate, Utah, March
6, 1921, the daughter of William James Bowns and Mette Marie Peterson Bowns.
She spent her early years in Castel Gate where she learned to play the piano
and started her life-long church music career by accompanying the Primary at
age 10. Her family moved to Santa Barbara, California, in 1936 and to
Glendale, California in 1937 where she graduated from Glendale High School.

After attending Glendale Community College for two years, Grace enrolled at
the LDS Hospital School of Nursing, from which she graduated in 1943 as a
Registered Nurse. She used her nursing training as an office nurse to a
pediatrician and as member of the nursing staff at several hospitals in
California and Utah. Her friends and relatives often called on her knowledge
and research skills for information about symptoms and medications.

Grace married Charles Manley Brown, the son of Hugh B. Brown and Zina Young
Card Brown, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on February 7, 1944 and moved with him
to Jackson Heights, New York, where he was copilot with American Airlines.
They moved to Glendale at the end of WWII so he could continue his college
education. They subsequently lived in Salt Lake City, Glendale, California,
Wiesbaden, Germany for two years in the 60's, and finally retired in St.
George in 1985.

Grace studied piano under several teachers, including a concert pianist in
Germany, and continued when she returned to the United States. She studied
organ at the University of Southern California and Brigham Young University.
She passed the tenth level of hymn certification and the highest level of
organ proficiency offered at Brigham Young University. She graduated from
Brigham Young University at the age of 57 and played the organ at her
graduation. She was a member of the American Guild of Organist (AGO) from
which she earned recognition as a Colleague. In 1995-96 she was the Dean of
the Southern Utah Chapter of the AGO, which organization she served in other
capacities for several years.

Grace was a church musician for more that seventy years, serving as organist,
chorister, and music chairman at both the ward and stake levels. She also gave
many free organ and piano lessons to aspiring church pianists and organists.
Her additional church service included Ward Relief Society President; Relief
Society teacher; Branch YWMIA president in Germany; and as a worker in the St.
George LDS Temple.

Since moving to St. George in 1985 Grace has presented many well-received
programs in the St. George Tabernacle, as well as similar programs at Church,
elsewhere in the community, and in her home. She served the community as a
Board Member of the Southwest Symphony, in which capacity she chaired the
Governor's Ball in 1989, and as a volunteer at the Dixie Care and Share.

Grace very ably assisted her grateful husband in his professional, church, and
community callings.

One son and one daughter survive her: Hugh Bowns Brown (Marilyn), Chester,
Montana, Vivienne Mary Brown Sullivan (Bruce), Sandy, Utah, 28 grandchildren
and 34 great-grandchildren. She also is survived by on brother, George Marion
Bowns, daughters-in-law Diann M. Brown of Moore, Oklahoma, and Sharon H.
Brown, of Zellwood, Florida, and son-in-law Forrest King (Marsha) of Vienna,
Virginia.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Zina Lucile Brown King, her son,
Charles M. Brown, Jr., her son William James Brown, and her four brothers,
James, William, Harold, and John Bowns.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to the IHC Hospice
professionals, especially Carolyn Duggins, RN, Helen Cardova, and Jan McKay,
as well as to Ronda Bartholomew and Shea Peterson, CNA's, for their devoted
care during her final months, and to the wonderful caregivers at Kolob Care
Center. Thanks also due to Marilyn Brown, daughter-in-law, for caring for
Grace during the month of June while Charles was recovering from surgery.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, August 9, 2005, at 11 a.m., at the
Bloomington Hills LDS 4th Ward Chapel, 750 E. Ft. Pierce Dr. Visitations will
be held Monday, August 8, from 6-8 p.m., at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 W. St.
George Blvd., and Tuesday, August 9, from 9:30-10:30 a.m., prior to services
at the chapel. Interment will be in the St. George City Cemetery under the
direction of Metcalf Mortuary 435-673-4221. Condolences may be sent to the
family through our website at www.metcalfmortuary.com.

Originally published August 7, 2005

Laurel Ann Webb Smith

ST. GEORGE - Laurel Ann Webb Smith, died August 5, 2005 in St. George, Utah.
She was born on January 17, 1923 in Cedar City, Utah to Edwin and Naomi
Perkins Webb. She married Venar Smith a Beaver boy in Parowan, Utah in 1942.

Laurel lived most of her married life in Salt Lake City, living for a short
time in Seattle and Galveston, Texas.

Laurel was a strong willed and independent woman who walked to the beat of her
own drum. She was very talented especially in the field of photography,
working for Homer Jones in Cedar City and Sun Photo in Salt Lake retiring in
1992.

Laurels family members were the recipients of her beautiful handy work,
embroidered pillowcases, table cloths and dish towels.

Laurel and Venar moved to LaVerkin in 2001 to enjoy the warm weather and their
retirement. They met and made many nice friends while living there.

After Venar passed away in 2004, Laurel pulled up stakes and moved to Rainbow
Ridge Estates in St. George, where she found out she was a pretty good
gardener, her roses where especially beautiful due to her tender care.

Laurel was preceded in death by her parents, husband Venar, brothers Ralph and
Owen, sisters Miriam and Edwina, brother-in-law Howard Elmer, brother-in-law
Ira DeMille, sister-in-law LaRene Webb.

Laurel is survived by her brothers Howard (Ila), Doug (LaRene) deceased, and
Gayle (Sharon) Webb, sister Barbara (Howard) Elmer, sister-in-law Ruth Webb.
Also a special foster grandson Ryan Briggs, and numerous nieces and nephews.

At Laurels request there will be no funeral services. Laurel dedicated her
body to the University of Utah Research Center.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Joseph Te and all his staff at Dixie Cancer
Center. The wonderful people of Hospice and Home Health Care. Arrangements
under the direction of Metcalf Mortuary 435-673-4221.

Originally published August 7, 2005