Dolores Ann "Dee" Uebele Semon, 81, passed away peacefully on April 17, 2016, at her home in West Jordan, Utah. Dee was born on October 23, 1934, in Elmwood Park, Illinois, to Stanley Uebele and Valerie Jancharik. After graduating from Steinmetz High School, she received a Bachelor's of Music degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. It was while at university that she met her future husband, Don, where they were both involved in musical activities. After school, Dee went on to sing for many years in the Chicago Lyric Opera and in the Colorado Springs, CO Opera. She later attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she worked towards a Master's of Music degree.
Dee married Donald "Don" Lawrence Semon in Elmwood Park, IL, on August 29, 1959. Later that year, they moved to Colorado Springs, CO, where they raised three children. They were married 56 years.
Dee was a popular voice and piano teacher and continued to teach until her later years. She was very active in the Pikes Peak Music Teachers Association, the Colorado State Music Teachers Association, The Music Teachers National Association, the National Guild of Piano Teachers, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Her students received many accolades in competitions and auditions of all kinds on a local and national level. After moving to Southern California, she was involved with local, state and national music organizations. She was an adjudicator for music organizations nationwide. She and Don also prepared choirs to sing at the Denver, Colorado and San Diego, California LDS Temple dedications.
Dee and Don were very successful genealogists and served as clinicians, officers and consultants in many family history venues. She was an expert in eastern european research. It was because of their love of genealogy and the influence of friends and many students who were LDS that they were converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1972. Together they located and processed thousands of family member names and completed and published a historical book on her Uebele family line. They were in the final stages of a second book on the Semon family history. She also helped assemble genealogies of other family members, friends and associates. After Don retired, they served a family history mission for the LDS Church.
Dee is survived by her husband, Don, their children; Diana (Gregg) Vandergriff, Jim (Helen) Semon, and Kevin (Michelle) Semon, eight grandchildren: Sarah (Andrew) Sanford, Chrystina (Andrew) Rafferty, Jessica Vandergriff, Kira Vandergriff, Alex Semon, Lauren Semon, Emma Semon, Ethan Semon, and one expected great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the LDS ward building located at 6567 South Wakefield Way (6035 West), West Valley City, UT. A visitation will be held from 9:30-10:30 am prior to the services. Interment will be at Larkin Sunset Gardens in Sandy, UT. A private family viewing will be held Friday April 22, 3:00-5:00 pm at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 Dimple Dell Rd. (10600 S), Sandy, Utah.
In lieu of flowers, please consider live plants, cards or a donation to your charity of choice.
