Mary passed away on January 6, 2023, at Rocky Mountain Care in Riverton after a lingering illness. She was born February 19, 1935, in Sleaford England to Jarvis and Letty Clifton. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Ted, and five brothers Ernest (Jean), Thomas (Connie), Geoffery (Joan), James, and Charles (Barbara).
Mary married Edward (Ted) Elson on April 12, 1958, in Sleaford England and they were later sealed in the London Temple. They immigrated to the United States in 1964 and became US citizens in 1970. They settled in the Bountiful UT area and raised two children, Matthew (Judi) and Daniel. She was the proud “Grandma Molly” of two grandsons, Ian and Cameron. Her husband Ted passed away April 13, 1998.
Mary worked in the elementary lunchroom when her children were school age, and then for the local State Farm Insurance agent. She finished her work career as an administrative assistant with the United States Department of Agriculture. After retiring, she moved to Riverton UT to be closer to her family.
Mary was active in the LDS church and served in many callings over the years including Primary, Relief Society, the Jordan River Temple, and Riverton Family History Library. She loved genealogy and spent a lot of time combing through vital records in search of relatives. She was a huge fan of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and accompanied them on tour twice.
She enjoyed watching Premier League Soccer and Team England in the World Cup. She never understood how Americans don’t love soccer as much as the British. She also enjoyed watching a good cricket test match.
Mary was well-known for her “Proper British Accent”, and just about everyone who met her would comment on it. She had several fascinating stories about growing up in England as a little girl during WWII, and enjoyed European history.
She had a great love for animals and rescued several stray cats and dogs over the years. She also never passed up a bargain on QVC.
The family would like to express their appreciation to the residents and staff of Riverway Assisted Living in South Jordan, and to the staff at Rocky Mountain Care in Riverton where Mary spent her final time with us.
A graveside service will be held at the Bountiful City Cemetery, 2224 South 200 West, Bountiful UT, Friday January 13, 2023, at 01:00 PM. She will be laid to rest next to Ted.
Condolences 💐 to your family
Sincere condolences for your loss of Molly .
She will be sadly missed I’m sure. My thoughts are with her family at this sad time.
Sorry for your loss.
We loved Molly, her quick wit, spunky personality, beautiful accent, and lovely testimony. She was a joy to talk to, loved to laugh, and always made us smile. I’m so glad we got to know her in our ward and neighborhood. Such a wonderful lady! She will be missed!
Something we always looked forward to was having Molly in our home! She had her own special way of being salty and sweet, with a constant touch of class. I would love seeing her beautiful scarves and latest QVC finds. Her appreciation for the music at church was always wonderful to see. Many times she would say, “Oh good - you’re playing,” always remembering how nervous it makes me. She made me want to try even harder. Rest well, Molly — you were and still are “brilliant!”