Shirley Jean Jessen Wagstaff

1936 ~ 2022

Shirley Jean Jessen Wagstaff, age 86, passed away on Tuesday, July 18, 2022, in West Jordan, Utah.

Shirley was born and raised in Price, Utah, and after her schooling at Carbon College, Shirley moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, to work as a nurse’s aide at LDS Hospital. After marrying Earl William Wagstaff, in 1966, Shirley & Earl lived in the Sugarhouse neighborhood of Salt Lake City. Shirley was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Wasatch Ward, where she especially enjoyed serving many years in the nursery. Shirley was a dedicated wife to her husband and a loving mother to her daughter Stacey Ann Wagstaff.

Shirley enjoyed many activities: caring for her family, babysitting small children, including her grand-nephew Joshua Gibbs. She spent time gardening, reading, dancing, traveling to visit family, and watching favorite shows late into the night with her daughter Stacey.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband Earl; mother Henrietta Hunter Jessen; father Henry Wesley Jessen; brothers Neldon Eugene Jessen & Howard (Georgeanna) Wesley Jessen; & sisters Thelma Pearl Jessen Phipps & Evelyn La Rue (Cecil) Jessen Bohn, & Leah May Jessen Saastamoinen.

Shirley is survived by her loving and devoted daughter Stacey, who provided full-time care for her mother in their home. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Robert Arthur Saastamoinen, & her nieces Holly (Dennis) Southwick, Heidi Saastam, Heather (Matthew) Gibbs, Hilary Hunter, & Hildja Saas. Her grand nephews and nieces Travis, Taylor, Trent (Chloe) & Tate Southwick; Joshua, Kelley, & Adam Gibbs; & Sebastian Saas. From her brother Howard’s family. nieces & nephews Paula (Skip) Andringa, Howard (Laurie) Jessen Jr., George Jessen, John (Jean) Jessen, Jennifer (Tommy) Jessen-Rohlfing, and Patsy (Roy) McWhorter. From Earl Wagstaff’s family, niece Linda (Dick) Leppard and nephew David (Shauna) Wagstaff.

Shirley Jean’s family would like to thank her neighbors, Wasatch Ward members, and health care providers who cared for Shirley in the final years and weeks of her life.

Memorial Services will be conducted at Shirley’s graveside on Friday, July 22, at 11:00 am, in the Larkin Sunset Lawn cemetery, 2350 East 1300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Recorded services can be viewed by clicking the watch service button above.