Laura Beth Savage Openshaw died peacefully on April 10, 2014 in the home of her daughter, Karen. She was born January 13, 1926 in Delta, Utah to Blanche Maxfield and James Willis Savage. After the death of her father when she was aged ten and the death of her mother when she was sixteen, she was raised by her aunt, Helen Maxfield.
She graduated from East High School and then from the nursing program at the University of Utah in 1947 as a Registered Nurse. Thereafter, she worked as a surgical nurse at LDS Hospital.
She married Byron J. Openshaw on April 28, 1948 in the Salt Lake Temple.
In 1968 she received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah. For twenty-nine years, beginning in 1964, she taught surgical nursing for the Brigham Young University College of Nursing. She worked with the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society and, as Head Nurse, assisted in establishing the Relief Medical Unit for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She pioneered the role of PTA President at Hartvigsen School in Granite School District and served as a member of an advisory board for special education for the Granite School District.
Beth was preceded in death by her husband, Byron, and a brother, Willis Gordon Savage. Beth is survived by her brother, Scott Savage (June), Phoenix, Arizona; six children, David (Linda), Dallas, Texas; Anne Bickmore (Larry), Plano, Texas; Carla Amis (David), Salt Lake City; John, Salt Lake City; Karen Danner (Ted), Draper, Utah and Scott (Sherrie), Draper, Utah; sixteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at the East Millcreek Stake Center, 3103 East Craig Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah, at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 19, 2014. Viewings will be held on Friday, April 18th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South) in Sandy and on Saturday one hour before the services at the church. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City. Online condolences welcomed at www.larkincares.com.
