Yolanda Maurer Fotheringham

1923 ~ 2021

Obituary Photo for Yolanda Maurer Fotheringham < >

Viewing:

Dec. 22, 2021
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Larkin Sunset Lawn (2350 E 1300 S)
  • Directions to Viewing
  • Service:

    Dec. 23, 2021
    11:30 AM
    Larkin Sunset Lawn (2350 E 1300 S)
  • Directions to Service
  • “Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies”

    Yolanda (Yolie) Maurer Fotheringham born August 19, 1923, and raised in the Canal Zone, Panama. Her father worked on the Panama Canal. From her mother and father, she learned Spanish and social graces. In 1944, she married Billie (Bill) F. Fotheringham, a returned Argentine missionary of the LDS church largely because of what he told her about eternal families.

    Yolie grew up with an inborn strong faith in her Heavenly Father and was the regular pianist at the local Baptist Church. When she married Bill, she became the pianist to the little Canal Zone branch and regularly had Bill’s old missionary companions over for Sunday dinner. She was baptized in 1948.

    They then transferred to Santiago, Chile with Eastman Kodak company and helped bring the missionaries to Chile. After five years they were transferred to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Yolie got to know other sisters in the church and learn about MIA and other church youth programs. With that background, Bill and Yolie were transferred to Madrid Spain. Bill helped the Church get established legally in Spain and Yolie with a few other LDS sisters helped teach and fellowship the first young generation of future Spanish church leadership.

    Bill often stated that without Yolie’s help he could not have achieved what they did either in his business career or his church service. Bill died in 2012.

    Life is tough and challenging. You can deal with it by either crying and complaining or laughing and hope. Yolie chose laughing and had the ability to share that laughter and hope with all those around her.

    Yolie had an implicit faith in and love for Jesus Christ and hope for the future. She was an excellent dancer, and a great hostess with a good sense of humor that made people laugh. She was a natural and engaging teacher who taught from the heart. She was an excellent listener and felt that every person has a story worth listening to. Despite discrimination, prejudice, and personal losses, she believed in keeping steady and pushing through with love and hope.

    Her daughter Lani Lee was her best friend and they travelled and learned to scuba dive when Yolie was 60. When Lanie died in 1998, it was a serious blow.

    Yolie’s last years were kept bright by the love, service, and friendship of her apartment neighbors, her visiting and home teachers from the ward, and the Polynesian and Latin American caregivers that helped her in her last years. The nurses and caregivers from Bristol were exceptional. For them, Yolie and her family will be eternally grateful.

    Survived by her son, Craig F. Fotheringham (Jane Koller), and her grandson, Daniel F. Fotheringham, and many nieces and nephews.

    Viewing at Larkin Sunset Lawn (2350 E 1300 S) on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. An additional viewing Thursday, December 23, 2021, from 10:00 to 11:15 AM with a funeral service to follow at 11:30 AM at Larkin Sunset Lawn.

    For those who wish to view the recording of the services may do so here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/0zwc-pbPL6BBMQYZul2VVOWjnPdUxQ3xygQ6svGpaxXtyGOSHEkC60OKCuOG9Lja.QgRfy-PBYcx12HgZ
    To download, click the download icon in the upper right-hand corner.

    Interment at Salt Lake City Cemetery.


    Guestbook/Condolences

    Dear Craig, Jane and Danny,
    It was such a pleasure to have known Yolie as a dear friend and neighbor for so many years. We could always make each other laugh, and I have wonderful memories of the time we spent together. I loved her dearly and think of you all as family. We will miss her!


    - Vee Kelsey-McKee and Ron McKee

    I had the great pleasure of serving as Yoli’s visiting teacher during the 1990s. She regaled me with tales of foreign adventures, extensive missionary work and just plain fun! Such a joy to share her enthusiasm and excitement for life. Such a gift to me… love to you, ann


    - Ann Orton