A Great Woman Remembered: My Great Aunt Libbie

My Aunt Libbie passed away peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, March 10th. Even though she is technically my "Great" Aunt Libbie, we never thought of her in that way. She was always just Aunt Libbie. She was my Grandma's older sister and would have been 97 in June. She lived a very long and happy life.

Growing up, I have so many memories of going to her house and visiting her. Her nieces and nephews were everything to her because she didn't have children.

Here are some memories I have of her.

• Visiting her at her home in Odgen, we would always stay over at her home when we would attend General Conference as a family. We would always sleep in sleeping bags in the basement (which was another apartment). I vividly remember this plush white rug that we'd fight to get to sleep on because it was so soft. One year, our family held an Easter egg hunt there at her house and I remember running up and down her backyard looking for eggs. Another thing I remember about her Ogden home was that she loved cranberry juice and she would always serve it. It was new to us because I remember complaining how sour it was and asking if we could add sugar.
  
• When I was in high school and college we would visit her at her home in Logan. She loved to have us come and visit. In fact, she would always ask us to help to begin telling another story in order to get us to stay longer and longer.
  
• She absolutely loved the Utah Jazz and knew more about them than anyone I know.

Here's her Obituary; I wanted to put it here so I would always have it (courtesy of Nelson Funeral Home in Logan, Utah).

Elizabeth Darley, the oldest of six children, was born June 11, 1913, to George T. and Elizabeth Ann Darley. She received her early education at Wellsville and at South Cache High School in Hyrum, Utah. In 1935, she graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Food Science from Utah State University. In 1963 she received a Master’s Degree in Education from Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Colorado.

During the early part of her career she taught in Wellsville, Levan, and Nephi, Utah.
She then worked for the United States Department of Agriculture in the Farmers Home Administration in Sanpete and Box Elder Counties. She taught Home economics at the Burley High School in Burley, Idaho. The last 25 years of her career she worked for Utah State University as an Extension Home Economist in Tooele, Wasatch, and Weber Counties. She retired from Weber County in 1978.

Elizabeth has been an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints throughout her lifetime, starting when she was 15 years old as MIA Secretary. She held teaching and leadership positions in both the youth and adult organizations, including the LDS Relief Society.

Professionally, Elizabeth has held leadership positions in the Utah Home Agents Association and both Utah and Idaho Home Economics Association. She has been a member and officer of American Association of University Women.
Elizabeth has been a member of and held leadership positions in Daughters of Utah Pioneers in Ogden.

Her hobbies include handwork, gardening, reading, and minor restoration and refinishing of woodwork and furniture.

Elizabeth loved people. After her years of working with people from other cultures and different national backgrounds, both youth and adult, she loved them all. She believes that all people have the same emotions, the same ability to love, and she believes that we are all children of God.
After her retirement Elizabeth moved to Logan. She has been living at Pioneer Valley Lodge. She passed away peacefully on March 10th, 2010 in North Logan. She was such an example of love, organization, and service.

She is survived by a brother, George Woodrow Darley, Wellsville, Utah and a sister, Rebecca Darley Packer, Chubbuck, Idaho; and numerous nieces and nephews.