Alberta Yvonne Jenkins, beloved Mother and Grandmother returned to her Father in Heaven on March 2, 2017 at 11pm in Draper, Utah. Yvonne was born to Sylvia C. Clapp and Vernon L. Chapman in Chico, California on July 22, 1927. They lived in Oakland, CA where she was baptized a member of the LDS Church. She moved with her family to Salt Lake City, Utah in her early teens. She graduated from West High School before meeting and marrying a handsome returned missionary, Lyle Reid Jenkins in the Salt Lake Temple. They made their home mostly in Star Valley (Freedom), Wyoming where she found herself a member of a very large extended family. They increased greatly with their own 10 sons, 2 daughters.
She was blessed with a beautiful singing voice, which she shared often, in church as well as at home and family gatherings. Always cheerful and loving, she spread sunshine wherever she went. She was a hard worker but never complained about her lot in life. She would do anything for anybody in need and her service started at home. She loved each one of her 12 children and was patient and kind. She loved the Gospel and served in many positions in the church.
In 1968, on her way to a Stake Meeting in Afton with some other Relief Society Sisters, she had an aneurism rupture in her head and almost took her life. After 2 weeks in the Afton hospital, brain surgery in Salt Lake City to relieve the hemorrhaging and 9 months of hospitalization and rehabilitation, she was released and returned to her family. But she suffered the rest of her life with infirmities of body and mind, making it impossible to care for her family or herself and causing early dementia and other mental and physical problems. But through it all she maintained her cheerfulness, sense of humor, and love for her family.
Complicated and uncontrollable circumstances left her divorced and needing care for most of her life. But Lyle and Yvonne never had their temple sealing canceled, loved each other deeply, and hoped to be together forever where these circumstances are removed and they are healed through the Atonement of our Savior.
As her health declined to a point where she couldn't live by herself or with her children, she went under the care of some wonderful Assisted Living, then Nursing, Facilities for the care of Dementia patients. Her daughters were almost always close by and lovingly oversaw her care. Her sons and grandchildren let her know of their love even when miles separated them. Even with all her setbacks, she outlived her husband all his siblings, and all her siblings except one. She was like the energizer bunny, or as her grandchildren called her, the terminator grandma. She just kept fighting for life.
At the age of 89, she was released from the challenges of this life and joined her family. She is surely dancing and singing and twirling through the heavens now. Though the pain of missing her is intense, we rejoice that she is finally free, whole in body, mind and spirit and undoubtedly happy. We know she will never stop watching over her children from above. She will be sorely missed, with her unfailing love for her family and the gospel, and her sense of humor and cheerfulness.
She was preceded in death by her eternal companion, Lyle, sons James and Brent, parents, 2 sisters Mary Kathleen (Tom) Ober and Darleen (Paul) Shelton and 3 brothers and spouses: Vernon Jess (Maizaildean Gosnell), Robert E., and Don H. (Violet) Chapman, brothers-in-law: Myron Althouse and Ivan Archibald, and daughter-in-law Janelle. She was also preceded in death by all of her husband's siblings and wives: Howard (Norma), Phylis (Gilbert) Haderlie, Byron (Verna), Olive (George) Kopaunik, Rex, Leon (Barbara), Dean (Elaine), Wilda (Derald) Gustaveson, and half-siblings Floyd, Leslie (Ruby), Claudia (Marcus) Pixton, Denzil (Hazel Lavern), and Baby Girl Jenkins.
She is survived by her sister Sylvia, sisters-in-law Theone and Maxine, 2 daughters: Rosanna (David) Hunter of Bluffdale, UT, Ruth (John) Findlay of Draper, UT, and 8 sons: Danny (Kathleen), Douglas, Paul (Sheila), Kent (Kaelin), and Dave (Susan) of Star Valley, Wyoming and Dick (Launa) of Utah, Jeffery (Brandy) of Arizona, and Michael (Denise) of Texas, 49 grandchildren and spouses, 78 great grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held at the Freedom, WY LDS Ward on Saturday, March 11th at 11am with a viewing prior from 10-10:45am and Friday from 6-8pm at Schwab Mortuary in Thayne, WY. Interment will be at the Freedom, WY Cemetery.
