Jacqueline Garber

Jacqueline Soulier Garber passed away peacefully at home on December 7, 2025, after a brief, courageous battle with lung cancer. She was surrounded by her family and loved ones.

Jacque was born on November 13, 1949, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Glen and Ardis (Poulson) Soulier. She grew up in Midvale, Utah, and graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1968. She went on to attend Brigham Young University, earning a degree in Elementary Education, and later a Master’s Degree from Utah State University. She dedicated 30 years of her life to teaching, beginning her career at Copperview Elementary teaching kindergarten and then retiring from Silver Mesa Elementary in 2010, where she taught first grade. She was known for her kindness, her math box activities, her creative art and writing projects, and her ability to make every child feel special.

If you know Jacque, you know she loved Zion National Park. When she was young, she lived in the Little Rock House, in the Grotto Picnic Area, while her dad worked as a ranger naturalist. In 1968 she returned to work there as a cabin maid at Zion Lodge. This is where she met the love of her life, Bill (Bear) Garber. She first caught the eye of Bear who was in charge of cooking breakfast for the staff. Every morning he staggered to the kitchen hoping he’d be able to snag a few more moments of sleep, but Jacque took breakfast seriously and never missed a morning. By the end of the summer of 1968, Bear had asked her on a date. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on May 28, 1970, and more than 55 years later, he still made her breakfast every morning.

Jacque loved spending time in her garden. She always planted daisies and loved planning her pots each spring with “fillers, thrillers, and spillers.” Her backyard garden was an oasis, and she enjoyed hosting summer barbeques, reunions, and block parties. Jacque loved colors and celebrating holidays. Her favorite holiday was St. Patrick’s day and she loved the color green. Jacque’s greatest joy came from spending time with her family, especially her children, grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She loved serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and especially loved her time as a service missionary at the Humanitarian Center where she was a host and coordinated tours and service projects with Bill.

Jacque is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Bill Garber; her children, Melissa, Melanie (Mark) Arents, Matt (Kiley), and Michelle (Nic) Van Dyken; her beloved grandchildren, Ashley (Nick), Adam (Katie), Hannah (Andre), Madelyn, Miles, Casey, and Lily; and her two great-grandchildren, Axton and Opal. She is also survived by her step-mother, Gayle Soulier, her brother, Scott (Jean) Soulier, and sister-in-law, Christy Breedlove. She was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws, Miles and Elizabeth Garber; her sister-in-law, Barbara; and brother-in-law, Randall.

Friends and family are invited to visit with the family on Thursday evening, from 5:00-7:00 PM, at Larkin Sunset Gardens at 1950 E. Dimple Dell Road, Sandy, Utah. Please be aware that there is a Free Live Nativity Open House at the Rose Shop that same evening from 6:00-9:00 PM which may impact parking. A funeral service will be held on Friday, December 12, at the Amaryllis ward at 949 E S 10600 S, Sandy, at 11:00 AM. A visitation will be held prior to the service, beginning at 10:00 AM. Please refer to the Larkin website for a Zoom link to view the funeral services.

The family would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for the exceptional care Mom received. Her doctors at Intermountain Health and the skilled nurses and professionals from IMC Hospice were compassionate, caring, and always willing to listen.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Humanitarian Fund, a Giving Machine in your area, or another charity of your choice. In Jacque’s honor spread kindness like wildflowers.