Dorothy Ann Grimes Allsop

Our beloved matriarch, Dorothy Ann Grimes Allsop, passed away from natural causes on September 16th, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born in Montpelier, Idaho on August 14th, 1933 to Amy Mary Nelson and Charles Eugene Grimes.

Dorothy graduated from Montpelier High School in 1951, and attended LDS Business College in Salt Lake City before marrying Harold Corbett Allsop on July 5th, 1952. They were blessed with four children: Brynne, Cory, Kimberly, and Kristen. They owned and operated the Downey Pharmacy in Downey, Idaho for more than 35 years.

As pillars of the community, Dorothy and Harry served in various capacities to help their tiny town thrive. She was a Pink Lady volunteer at the hospital, a swimming instructor at Downata Hot Springs, and a volunteer in her church, where she organized ward activities and served in the Primary and Relief Society. A devoted patriot, Dorothy belonged to the American Legion Auxiliary and instilled a love of country in her family. In an unofficial capacity, she was the social butterfly of the town, warmly greeting people in the drugstore, organizing quilting bees, and spontaneous lunches with the girls. She was particularly fond of going out for Mexican food.

A talented musician, Dorothy began playing the organ for her congregation at just nine years old. During the Christmas season, she organized neighborhood caroling parties, which magically snowballed, adding voices as the carolers progressed through the town. A gifted pianist, Dorothy accompanied many soloists, quartets and choirs, and sang in the madrigal choir, which provided music for many funerals and holiday concerts.

Dorothy was a natural leader and gatherer. College kids on Christmas break would come to her home for tacos, cokes, and card games. Once, at four o’ clock in the morning, she decided to retire, asking the last to leave to please turn out the lights. She gathered friends and neighbors for dutch-oven chicken dinners up Cherry Creek, or at her table for a bowl of her famous homemade chicken and noodles.

After 35 years of operating their drugstore, Dorothy and Harry briefly moved to Salt Lake City where Dorothy immersed herself in grandmothering and humanitarian work, sewing (and outsourcing the sewing of) hundreds of patchwork quilts to send to children all over the world. She and Harry then served in the Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where they taught English and ministered to the youth and missionaries in the region.

Following their mission, they built a home in Star Valley, Wyoming, where family gathered to make happy memories around the card table, in the mountains, on the river, on the golf cart, in the pool and in the yard. She and Harry spent twelve happy years there before his passing in 2009. With her heart tethered to this beloved place, Dorothy carried on another ten years, reveling in Wyoming’s beautiful and varied seasons. Through these years, Dorothy picked up her quilting again and continued to gather members of the Star Valley community to create a humanitarian quilting task force.

In the Sunset of her life Dorothy moved to Logan, and eventually back to Salt Lake to be near family. Her last years were spent at Sunrise Assisted Living Center, where she entered with courage and cheerfulness, and where she continued to quilt, read dozens of books, play scrabble and bridge, and make new friends.

Family and friends will remember her contagious laugh, big smile, sassiness, generous heart and welcoming arms. We will be eternally grateful for her exemplary life, her faith in God, love of country and devotion to family.

Dorothy is survived by her loving children, Brynne (David) Heaton, Cory (Annette) Allsop, Kimberly (David) Johnson, and Kristen (Brent) Bearnson, 15 grandchildren, 41 great grandchildren, and her sisters-in-law, Evelyn (James) Twiss, and Sheila Whitworth. She is preceded in death by her husband, Harold Allsop, parents, Charles and Amy Grimes, her brothers, Eugene (Gean Bruce) Grimes Jr, Robert Nelson (Florence Adams) Grimes, and her grandson, Joshua David Johnson.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 26th, at 10 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 5913 South Highland Dr. Holladay, Utah. A viewing will precede the service at 9 AM, and a graveside service will take place in Grace, Idaho, at 3 PM.

Those wishing to view the service via Zoom can click "Watch Services" or follow the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/ihz7AVvtGc6UUGE3eylBVtDRRD2_2xBnpcnbnKcNdRQcyAdjvMWF1o0m8butH7xg.vf0CTgedP_-xOBVj?startTime=1790437879000