Larae Jeffs

LaRae Jeffs was the sociable one!

It is true she accomplished much in her 89 ½ years of living, yet her gift was the art of making and keeping friends – a rare commodity in today’s world.

LaRae was born at home in Center Creek, five miles east of Heber City, on Sept. 17, 1934 to Otis Sweat and Ora Holland. She was the oldest & only child for about nine years. Her childhood was spent sitting on haystacks, making up languages, jumping ditch banks, spending time with cousins, and helping her dad with the chores or her mom with the meals. She was a helping hand to both of them and became a big sister to Deryl, Von and Jolyn.

She loved living in a small town and started collecting friends in grade school. She kept them throughout her life. They chased together, going to class, ball games, dances, then graduating from Wasatch High where they formed a friend group officially referred to as “The Club” who got together every chance they could. She also attended BYU.

She fell head over heels for a hometown boy, William Hal Jeffs and they were married Jan 21, 1955 in the Salt Lake Temple. Hal soon left for service in the Army and LaRae followed him a few months later by boat to Germany where they lived for two years. Travel abroad put a bug in them for seeing new places and meeting more people. With a map in her hand, and Hal at the wheel they traveled for pleasure, for work, and visiting friends and family.

They moved often, in fact their track record was about every five years. New places meant new friends while retaining the old ones. “The Club” still made time to be in each other’s lives and when possible they got together once a month for decades.

LaRae & Hal had five children who added to their joy. Steven O, William H, Julie, Clark Alan, and Lewis Ray who followed their parents, from house to house and could travel with the best of them.

For LaRae, adventures meant always taking side roads and taking the time to stop at every brown information sign learning something new.

She organized numerous get-togethers and more parties than we can count. She wrote road shows, plays, taught etiquette night’s to teens, loved to dance, decorate, dry flowers, rock hound, read, write, give readings, make cards, play cards, quilt, paint, hunt, fish, camp, hike, boat, teach – school, early morning seminary, Relief Society, Young Women’s, Sunday School, Primary, music, sing in choirs, and go to garage sales.

A trip to the grocery store meant she might forget her list, but she would come out of the store having visited with at least two old friends and having made one or two new one's. She embodied some of the best qualities: visiting, making conversation, caring, loving, remembering, sharing, and making connections with people. She had a smile and a hello for everyone and maybe a story or two.

She had an immense passion for her family and the gospel, Her posterity grew from five children to include 23 grandchildren, 11 grandchildren in laws, 36 great grands, 3 great grand in laws, 3 great, great grandchildren and many neighbor’s who also claim her as a grandma.

Such a lady, such a full life! She passed away peacefully at home in her sleep on Sunday, March 17, 2024.

She is survived by her siblings, Von Sweat, and Jolyn Hall (Bob), her children, Steve (Nicole), Bill, Julie Owens (Ron), Clark (Lora), Lewis (Jill). Grandchildren, as mentioned, and so many friends.

An evening viewing will be held on March 22, 2024 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the Heber 15th Ward building at 715 East 600 South, Heber City, UT 84032. A morning viewing will be held on March 23, 2024 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM at Heber 15th Ward building at 715 East 600 South, Heber City, UT 84032, with a funeral service to follow at 11:15 AM.

To stream the services, please visit https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/99091/hash:E6D6F1683883D457