Elsie Kay Graff Randle

Elsie Kay Graff Randle passed away at home in the early morning hours of April 14, 2026. Kay was born on July 22, 1935, the third of three daughters to Oliver Graff and Elsie Jane Homer, in Minersville, Utah. The family soon moved when Oliver was offered a teaching position in Salt Lake City. From the beginning, Kay thrived in Salt Lake. She was a talented singer and performer. She was a teenage cast member of one of Salt Lake’s first local television shows, and performed throughout her high school years as a member of the “Three Gals and a Guy” singing group. Kay's good looks and friendly personality caught the eye of many a young man at Granite High, and she was rarely found at home on Friday and Saturday nights.

She graduated from Granite High School in 1953 and started college at BYU paying $50 tuition per semester. Despite being only 40 miles away, Kay would get homesick and come home on the weekends. While home on the weekends, she started spending more and more time with Dick Randle. Dick was in the marching band at the University of Utah and Kay decided she could just as easily get a degree at the U, so she transferred schools to be closer to the trumpet player who had captured her heart. Kay and Dick were married in the Salt Lake Temple on November 15, 1955.

After 4 weeks of wedded bliss, Dick left to serve a mission in eastern Canada. Dick said he wouldn’t go unless he had Kay locked down tight! Kay graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in elementary education in 1958 and they moved to Cleveland where Dick attended dental school and Kay supported them by teaching elementary school in Shaker Heights. Kay and Dick enjoyed their time in Cleveland especially after meeting fellow students Mark and Marlena Lewis. They quickly became lifelong friends, and enjoyed many adventures over the years with their other buddies, the Holts and the Madisons.

Kay loved children and was happiest when she was surrounded by her students, and later her own children. Sadly, she lost her first child Joey after being struck by a drunk driver while 7 months pregnant. A year later, Cal was born in Cleveland, and Jeff was born in Gainesville, after they moved to northern Florida while Dick pursued more training. However, after his schooling, they missed home and family and decided to return to Utah where Dick opened a practice in Holladay. In quick succession Linda, Brian, and David joined the family. Eventually the family settled in the Olympus Cove neighborhood where Kay and Dick made a wonderful home to raise their family. They were helped in this endeavor by good friends in the East Millcreek 14th Ward where Kay served in many callings including Primary President and her favorite calling, Primary Chorister. Kay’s faith in God and in the atoning sacrifice of the Savior was simple and unwavering. She had the natural ability of strengthening the faith and lifting the spirits of those who were fortunate enough to be around her, and as a result, the Randle house was a gathering place for her 5 children and their friends. When Kay was around there was always a party, an activity or a game going on. Kay especially loved celebrating the holidays with her parents, sisters and their families. Kay and Dick loved to travel and visited Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and almost all of the 50 states. Another of Kay’s great loves was attending the theater. She spent many years at the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City with her best friend/niece Kathi Peterson, who was so helpful in caring for Kay in her last years.

When her own children were grown and out of the house, she returned to teaching and taught for many years at Hill View Elementary where she became the favorite teacher of a new generation of children.

Kay was thrilled when her children married and began families of their own. For years Kay had “Randle School” on a weekday morning for her grandchildren. This was her special way of serving her grandchildren by creating the environment for all of the cousins to become friends and create lifelong cherished memories, and by giving her daughter and daughters in-law a break. The children would leave smiling, well-fed and bursting with stories about what they learned from Grandma Kay that day.

Kay was a loving, kind, selfless person who truly emulated Christ-like love in all that she did. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will live on in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and 2 older sisters, Kay was preceded in death by her son Joseph Todd Randle, and her husband Richard Earl Randle. Kay is survived by her children: Cal (Shannon), Jeff (Cathie), Linda Marz (Ken), Brian (Angie), David (Lindsey). Her grandchildren: Chad (Bre), Collin, Hudson (Kaitlyn) Brooklyn Eccles (Matthew), William Randle; Mickey (Taylor Garrett), Callie, Bailey Moffit (Bennett), Grey Randle; Ashley Russell (Clayton), Nick (Katie), Tom (Natalie), Jackson (Kayla) Marz; Ben (Lili), Emily, Eliza Randle; Emerson, Henry, Oliver, Charlie Randle. Her great-grandchildren: Maizy, Lila Randle; Cade, Luke, William, Aliya Russell; Hudson, Redd, Parker Marz; Ziggy Marz.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday April 25th at 11:00 am at the Olympus Cove LDS Chapel, 4407 Fortuna Way. A viewing will be held at the Fortuna Chapel on Friday April 24th from 7:00-9:00 pm, and on Saturday from 9:30-10:30 am prior to the funeral. Interment: Larkin Sunset Lawn.

In lieu of flowers, Kay requested that those who wish to remember her make a donation to the Healing Hands for Haiti Foundation, www.healinghandsforhaiti.org.