Jideen Gardner Sumner
July 10, 1931 — April 7, 2024
St. George, Utah
Jideen Gardner Sumner passed peacefully away on Sunday, April 7, 2024. She lived a life devoted to our Heavenly Father and her loving family. Jideen was born on July 10,1931 to James E. and Maudeen Gardner, in Price, Utah. She treasured her younger sister, Joyce, and felt her loss deeply when Joyce passed away last year. Not many months later, she endured the death of her son, Gary. Because of mom's great faith and strong testimony of the plan of salvation, she took the news of both deaths with grace and expressed gratitude for them and her knowledge that she would shortly be enfolded in their embrace again. We sorrow at our loss but rejoice as we picture the reunion she shared with her lifetime sweetheart, Ernest Raymond Sumner, whom she married on October 13, 1951. Their love was strong and endured the separation caused by the war in Korea. They were later sealed in the Logan Ut. temple. Jideen was always a hard worker. She earned her Bachelor Degree at the same time she was raising 4 young children. She began her teaching career in a second grade classroom and eventually became the librarian at Woodstock Elementary School where she taught children a love of books for 25 years. No one could read a story book with more gusto and enthusiasm than Mrs. Sumner! School children and grandchildren alike have enjoyed countless hours, literally, at the knee of Jideen.
She was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints her entire life and served in many callings. Her loving service included a mission with her eternal companion Ray, in an inner city ward in Salt Lake City. They loved that experience because there were so many opportunities to serve the people who felt their love and loved them back! Jideen is famous for her gardening skills and for her appreciation of uplifting stories, thoughts, poems and quotes. She generously shared them with family, friends, and even acquaintances who, in her case, were simply friends in the making. Jideen loved her home on Hannibal street, but was just as happy spending years in their cabin in Pine Mountain, their Park Model home in Winter Haven, the home they had built in Logan and finally, the loving community of Country Meadows in St. George. Her absence is already deeply felt!
Jideen was preceded in death by her husband Ray, sister Joyce Woodward, and her son Gary Sumner and son-in-law Gary Davidson. Surviving children are Renie (Randyl Williams), daughter-in-law Karen (Gary), Diane (Gary Davidson), Kent (Aleta), as well as 17 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
Funeral Services will be held Friday, April 12, 2024 at 11:00 at the Morningside Stake Center, 881 S River Rd, St.George, UT 84790. A viewing will begin at 9:00 where friends and family may pay their respects. Family prayer will follow. Interment will be in the Tonaquint Cemetery following services.Please view the service using the following information:
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