Faithful, Kind, Strong
LaDawn Palmer Toone, wife, mother, grandmother and friend to all, passed away on June 1, 2018 in Bountiful, Utah after a brief illness. She was 85. Keith, her companion, friend and love of her life for over 66 years, died the same day one year previously, June 1, 2017.
LaDawn was born in Morgan, Utah into a family of dairy farmers. She loved the farm and especially loved being with her father. He doted on her and brought her along as a small child as he milked the cows. She loved to recount sitting on his lap as a toddler during meals as he helped her eat instead of being in a high chair. They were very close throughout their lives.
LaDawn attended schools in Morgan, Utah. She was an accomplished musician and taught piano at a very early age. She enjoyed playing and listening to Chopin and Rachmaninoff and would always go to see Van Cliburn when he came to solo with the Utah Symphony. She also loved playing the saxophone in her high school band. Her musical talent was a blessing to thousands of people throughout her life. She played the organ for many years in wards and branches around the world. She also instilled a love of classical music in all her children who grew up playing in bands and orchestras through high school and college.
She was popular with classmates and had beautiful red hair. As a senior in high school LaDawn met a handsome returned missionary, Keith Toone. Keith and Donnie loved to dance and go to movies together and soon fell in love. She waited for him for 18 months while he served in Korea and while on leave, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple, April 18, 1952.
They had four children who learned to work, sing, play, and serve the Lord. Vacations included backpacking trips in the Uintahs, "jeeping" in Moab, and trips to the beach in California.
LaDawn and Keith fulfilled a two-year mission to Cebu, in the Philippines where Keith was a counselor in the mission presidency and a second mission to the Philippines Temple. After returning Keith was called to serve as first counselor in the Salt Lake Temple presidency while LaDawn served as assistant matron. They loved the temple and spent countless hours giving service there.
LaDawn served in many callings in the church including stake YW president, choir director, ward and stake organist, and as gospel doctrine teacher, a calling she dearly loved.
LaDawn will be greatly missed by her children Roger (Coleen), David (Nancy), Scott (Nancy) and Teresa (Calvin) serving a mission in Berlin, Germany; brother Garth Palmer (Joyce), sister-in-law Evelyn Palmer, 19 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Keith, brothers Quenton and Scott Palmer, sister Benon Palmer White, and two angel great grand-daughters, Rebecca and Rachel Toone.
The family wishes to express sincere appreciation for the kind service offered by the staff at Legacy House Bountiful, Tender Care Hospice, Dr. Lisa Kuahara and nurse Nancy Swenson.
Graveside services will be at the Croydon Cemetery on Monday, June 18th at 10:00 a.m. As Grandma Donnie would have wanted, there will be a party at Toone Park in Croydon immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages a donation to the General Missionary Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
