Wilma Von Simmons Maxfield

Wilma Von (Simmons) Maxfield passed away peacefully on March 25, 2021. She was born on March 31, 1935, in Charleston, Utah to Idona and Bill Simmons. She graduated from Wasatch High School. She married her sweetheart, Linden Charles Maxfield, on October 8, 1951, in Midvale, Utah, and on October 11, 1956, they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and eternity. After living in East Midvale for a few years, they moved to Charleston, Utah, where they have lived for the last 66 years. Together they raised 5 children, Dennis Charles, Gary Lynn, Bonnie Von, Cindy Lou, and Kathy Ann, and a foster son, Randall Dave. They took into their home and cared for several other children as well.

Wilma was always a hard worker. She was her father’s right hand man on the farm. She also helped take care of, not only the farm and animals, but all of her siblings, being the 3rd child out of 12 children in her family. She was quite the hand. She would milk cows, drive cows, help calf cows. She would help rake, bale, and haul the hay. She loved the horses and loved to ride, especially at Moon Lake where her family went every year. Wilma had amazing talents. She was always in the kitchen in the early fall canning. She would bottle about anything: fruit, meat, vegetables, you name it. And she always had an awesome garden. Wilma was an amazing seamstress. She made wedding dresses, mens suits, pajamas, baby blankets, baby blessing outfits, and even doll clothes. She enjoyed leatherwork. She made a few pairs of chaps for her sons, tooled her own saddle, and would help alongside her dad with his saddles. Wilma was an artist and enjoyed painting with oils and chalk and toll painting. She had books full of her work. She loved to make cards for people. You would always get a birthday card from Wilma. She never forgot. She also played softball and bowled on a league for years. She loved learning, and went to many different classes to expand her knowledge of her talents and gifts.

Wilma served in many church callings. She was a primary teacher, Relief Society President, Relief Society Chorister, Visiting Teacher, and Compassionate Srvice Leader. She enjoyed doing genealogy and had hers completed. Wilma and Linden served an LDS Mission from 1999 to 2000 in Nauvoo, Illinois. Linden was over the horse operation. Wilma served in several ways. She made outfits and clothing for the workers. She wove rugs, made soap, and would guide tours through many of the buildings. Her favorite tour was of the Lucy Mac Family Living Center. She loved showing people how things were done in the pioneer times. Wilma had a very strong testimony of the Gospel and shared it often. She was a great example of showing love to others with her acts of kindness, and her willingness to serve those around her. She was always there when you needed her.

Wilma is survived by her husband of 70 years, Linden Charles Maxfield, her 4 children, Gary Lynn (Merilee) Maxfield, Bonnie Von (Norman) Durtschi, Cindy Lou (Wayne) Richardson, and Kathy Ann (Kevin) Maxwell, 18 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and her sisters, Pauline Peterson, Sheral Taylor, Joyce Giles, and Jolene Cox.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Idona Neilson and Joseph William “Bill” Simmons, Dennis Charles Maxfield (son), LaRue Kreek (sister), Rhea Johnson (sister), Maurine Kendall (sister), Sheron “Bill” Simmons (brother), Karl Simmons (brother), Neil Simmons (brother), Craig Simmons (brother), Robert Keith Durtschi (grandson) and Ellie Mae Pullham (great-granddaughter).

For those unable to attend the services, Heber Valley Funeral Home is offering a livestreaming of the funeral service on Zoom using the following link: http://zoom.us/j/4356545458