KAY BABBEL IVINS (71) lived without regrets. She was a good repenter. Kay gracefully transcended mortal life on April 13, 2018 in the embrace of Jim, her husband of 49 years. She was lovingly surrounded by Jim and their 15 children and spouses, 29 grandchildren, her 3 sisters and many loved ones. She bravely endured a 7-year wrestle with a brain aneurysm and a 7-month struggle following brain surgery.
Kay was born in Twin Falls, Idaho on January 13, 1947 to Roy and Rhoda Welker Babbel. She loved her childhood in Twin Falls, where she created lifelong friendships and traditions. She relished her adventures with her parents, her 3 beautiful sisters, her 4 stalwart brothers, and dozens of Babbel and Welker cousins.
The Babbels knew they were the children of royalty. Hard work was a way of life on Buchanan Street, with delivering early-morning newspapers on the Honda 50, working beside her Dad at Babbel Cleaners, and selling men's underwear at JCPenney. Each Christmas, Grandpa Babbel dropped his children off to pray and search to find a "Christmas Family" for whom they could provide gifts and food. This became a continuing tradition for Kay's own family as well as her siblings.
The Babbels also knew how to play hard. They loved ice skating on the cooley, swimming in Dierkes Lake, camping in the Sawtooths, shore-hopping at Redfish Lake, and they enjoyed family reunions with aunts, uncles and cousins. Kay loved her summer work at Redfish Lodge and later as a Forest Ranger at the Visitor's Center. She shared her love for the Sawtooth mountains with Jim and they started an annual Kay & Jim tradition for their children and grandchildren at Redfish and the Babbel Family Cabin.
Her loving bond with all of her immediate and extended family and friends continued throughout Kay's life. She loved annual Sisters Reunions and yearly sibling vacations, including backpacking in the Sawtooths. Following her surgery, Kay & Jim enjoyed visiting Newport Beach with all of her siblings and their spouses. The highlight of this trip was a temple session with all 16 together at the Newport Temple.
While Jim is fond of singing "Home means Nevada," Kay was adamant that "Heaven means Idaho." In reality, for those who knew her, Heaven is wherever Kay is. Jim was a quick study and wasted no time making Kay his forever sweetheart. Jim and Kay first laid eyes on each other in Paris en route to a BYU Semester Abroad in Salzburg, Austria. This momentous event has been memorialized by the beautiful Musée d'Orsay.
After a romantic spring being together and travelling all over Europe, they fell in love and were married September 9, 1968 in the Salt Lake Temple. They enjoyed their honeymoon at Redfish and British Columbia where Jim served his mission. Kay was 6-months pregnant when they both graduated from BYU in May 1969. As a graduation present, Jim received a draft notice. Kay's prayers were answered when Jim received a job offer from Hughes Aircraft in California which fulfilled his military service for the Vietnam War.
They enjoyed working and playing in California with the Crofts, including Kay body-surfing just before Tanya was born in Hollywood. Jim was later transferred by Hughes to Ft. Benning, Georgia before returning to Utah for Jim to start Law School. They loved the "U" despite being die-hard Cougar fans. During law school, they joined 3 other couples in a monthly "Dinner Group" which began an eternal bond. After 42 years sharing life's joys and sorrows, Kay is now the fourth to join the "Dinner Group" on the other side of the veil.
Mom was blessed to live and serve in some of the best wards and stakes in the Church: Twin Falls 6th Ward, Douglas Ward near the "U," Bountiful 11th, Parleys 1st, and Mueller Park 8th. She provided ward and stake service in Primary, YW, Relief Society, and Scouts. Kay's service in the Bountiful Temple as an Ordinance Worker was especially tender and rewarding.
She raised her 8 kids on a corner where 3 other families had 8 kids, making 32 kids playing kick-the-can in her front yard. Her kids drove the neighbors crazy as they skied off her roof, rappelled off the chimney, lit bonfires in the garden, and played basketball in the driveway until 2 am. The Ivins Family has lived in the Mueller Park 8th Ward since 2001 where they have cultivated many new and abiding friendships. She loves to serve and, in turn, is loved by all whom she serves.
Mom's core focus was creating meaningful and memorable Family Traditions, including: hosting Sunday dinners, planning Family Home Evenings, and leading Saturday work parties. She taught us the importance of escaping for long weekends. Every year we visited Twin Falls for golfing and water-skiing on the Snake River, Lund for the 24th of July parade, Blanding for Easter Egg Hunts, Colorado for branding at Keith's Ranch, Hurricane for connecting with our roots in Zion, and Redfish for "End-of-the-Lake Huckleberry-Picking."
Kay followed her mother's footsteps and developed a love of travel. The Ivins Family and friends visited Church History sites across the US and Middle East. She visited with missionaries and students in Russia, Chile, France, Italy, and Australia. Mom did literacy work with Tiffany in the Himalayas, canoed through a Nepalese swamp, and touched the clouds around Mt. Everest on a Buddha Air flight. She was an expert doula who helped deliver babies from Salt Lake to South Africa and Logan to Switzerland.
Kay initiated meaningful traditions that now continue to the 4th generation, including: the annual Christmas Tree Hunt at Mink Creek; hot-potting in Russian John; swimming at Easleys; river-rafting the Salmon in Stanley; neighborhood caroling at Christmas; dressing us for Christmas Eve Nativities; singing along with the Utah Symphony at Handel's ‘Messiah;' skiing the tram at Snowbird; visiting family for Memorial Day; freezing fruit cocktail every Fall; hanging rope swings in pine trees; hosting sleepovers on the trampoline; serving hot chocolate chip cookies; relishing 4th of July fireworks, and braving grizzly bears in Montana with Peter.
Mom especially loved gardening in her own yard and in a church garden plot. She enticed her children with fresh vegetables starting with the unmatched taste of a homegrown tomato. A great highlight was her special assignment as a Temple Square Gardner where she was able to design and "throw" gardens herself. As an English Major from BYU, she loved reading great books and especially loved studying the scriptures. She was blessed with the gift of pure testimony and never doubted the reality and the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Mom magnified her testimony of the gospel by sending 6 of her children and 3 grandchildren on missions across the world to: Mexico, Switzerland, France, Nicaragua, Philippines, Chile, Italy, Slovakia, South Africa and Germany. Her missionary zeal culminated in a call to serve with her sweetheart in the Adriatic North Mission (ANM) which included Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Herzegovina, and Slovenia together with President Ed and Brooke Rowe. She loved these lands and boldly shared her testimony. She was a catalyst for inviting others to serve in the ANM, including: her brother Gary & Ann Babbel; her sister Candy & Brian Croft; and their dear Dinner Group friends Greg & Nancy Monson.
While preparing for their mission in 2011, doctors discovered Kay's aneurysm. The brain surgeon was hesitant to see Kay accept a call overseas. True to her life pattern of living life to the fullest, Mom courageously chose not to be held back by fear. She exercised her abiding faith and chose to "go and do." Kay and Jim served faithfully, nobly and healthily for 18 months together. Their mission work was enhanced by visits from friends and family from the USA, including 2 vans full of family members who enjoyed missionary and family history work in the ANM.
Mom spearheaded a wonderful summer together with her family with a theme of "REMEMBER" (Helaman 5:12). Fond final memories include: our annual Babbel Cabin trip, witnessing the Solar Eclipse in Totality, and a cross-country trip to Nauvoo with 6 grandkids.
Mom and Dad were prompted to celebrate their 50th Anniversary 18 months early. So, in April 2017, our whole family of 45 (including kids and grandkids) vacationed in Mexico City and on the Pacific Coast at Majahua Palms (except for Alec serving in Slovakia, Jarod serving in South Africa, Baby Seeley, and Baby Samuel in-utero).
Doctors continued to monitor Kay's brain until August 2017 when she prayerfully decided to undergo dreaded brain surgery to repair her aneurysm. Despite expert efforts that saved her life, her aneurysm ruptured even before the doctor touched it. Although we are grateful she lived, she encountered total loss of short-term memory. After a life of giving service, Mom experienced a new dynamic which allowed others to serve her.
Kay received outstanding care during the last seven months from her devoted husband, 17 children, 29 grandchildren, sisters, dear ward members, kind friends, and home-nurses Cyndie, Michelle and Kendalyn. Special thanks to Joe Mott, our Ministering Brother (formerly Home Teacher) and the entire IMC Staff, including Dr. Katie Thomas (our neurologist) and her neurological team, Stettler Shumway (our devoted nurse), and countless others who cared for Mom and for us through this difficult journey. These individuals have a deep understanding of Ministering and counseling as the Savior would.
Tasha moved home from Switzerland early with her four young kids in October to live with and help care for Mom and Dad. Geremy remained in Europe to finish up his work before moving to Bountiful just 9 days before Mom died. We are grateful for Tasha and Geremy for their love, service and sacrifice during this tender time.
Kay's core nature continued to teach eternal principles while others were ministering to her. We thank Our Heavenly Father for His many tender mercies as we were allowed the opportunity to work together with Mom though this struggle. Indeed, the hand of the Lord is manifest throughout Mom\s beautiful, full life. We are grateful we could join her in her sacred mortal journey.
Those carrying on Kay's legacy include: Jim Ivins (her husband of 49 years); her 8 children and their spouses: Tanya (Matt) Whitney; Jason (Robyn Kindred) Ivins; Michael (Betsy Gardiner) Ivins; Tiffany (Mitchell) Spence; Natasha (Geremy) Birchard; Jonathan (Lindsay Burton) Ivins; Peter Ivins; Christian (Amy Jensen) Ivins; and her siblings: Gary & Ann Babbel; Candy & Brian Croft; Fred & Soni Babbel; Connie & Lee Brundage; Bob & Michelle Babbel; Mary Ann & Darrell Back; Mike & Loretta Babbel; and Jim's siblings: Joyce Ivins; Colleen Scow; Ronald & Faylene Ivins; Keith & DeAnn Ivins; Beverly & Darwin Leavitt. Kay is preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Rhoda Babbel, her older brother David Babbel, Jim's parents, Had and Harriet Ivins, brothers-in-law Tony Ivins and Gardner Scow, and her sister-in-law Marilyn Ivins.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, April 21, 2018 at 11:00 AM at the Mueller Park 8th Ward, 1320 East 1975 South, Bountiful. Visitations at the same chapel on Friday, April 20 from 6:00-8:00 PM, and Saturday, April 21 from 9:30-10:30 AM.