Joanne Pugmire

Joanne Thompson Pugmire, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, former seminary teacher and Denver temple matron, passed away 7 April 2022 after a valiant fight with lymphoma. She was born 29 Jan 1934 to Melvin Billings Thompson and Hazel Justesen Thompson in Salt Lake City, UT. She married Roger Lionel Pugmire in Salt Lake City, UT on 29 Aug 1957. He preceded her in death in June 2020.

She is survived by children Bonnie Jo Pugmire Wetherbee (Dan), Victor, CO; Steven Lionel Pugmire (Heidi), Charleston, UT; and Shawna Jane Pugmire, Colorado Springs, CO; ten granddaughters Kellie Hall (John),Tawnya Fackrell (Kyle), Megan Heng (John), Mindy Bassett (Austin), Lindsay Jacobs (Briant), Cassidy Varney (Nick), Joelle Chudleigh (Clayton), Hannah Pugmire, Kristen Witt, and Briana Pugmire; twelve great-grandchildren James Fackrell, William Fackrell, Asher Bassett, Hazel Fackrell, Lincoln Bassett, Ainsley Heng, Knightly Bassett, Kallen Jacobs, Joshua Heng, Avery Jacobs, Adelyn Heng, and James Chudleigh; a sister-in-law, Barbara Pugmire Lewis; fourteen beloved nieces and nephews, six step-grandchildren and sixteen step-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, a brother, and their spouses, a son-in-law, and a step-granddaughter.

Joanne grew up in Salt Lake City, graduated from East High School, attended Washington State University in Pullman and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah. She attended Brigham Young University for graduate school where she met her future husband, Roger.

She was grateful to be able to spend her life raising her family while moving from Salt Lake City, UT to Seattle, WA; Moscow, ID; Spokane, WA; Billings, MT; Littleton, CO; and retiring to St George, UT. She served her entire life in various volunteer capacities with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints including many years as an early-morning seminary teacher and serving as temple matron for the Denver Colorado Temple.

She loved painting, the arts and music, animals, nature, and continually learning new things through reading, and taking and teaching classes. She especially loved teaching others about the Savior. She loved her family fiercely. One of her favorite scriptures is 3 John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” She was fortunate to have traveled throughout Europe, Israel, Egypt, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Brazil, Hawaii, Alaska, and the continental United States. Her favorite trips were ones that involved family and the water.

She was known for her leadership, compassion, kindness, fairness, wisdom, reason, temperance, faithfulness and love of God, gospel knowledge, service, sense of humor and quick wit, good nature, and infectious love of fun and adventure. She made every person she encountered feel heard, included, and valued.

She is greatly loved and will be missed incredibly by all who knew her.

A private memorial service will be held for immediate family at the Larkin Sunset Lawn Memorial Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Other friends and family are welcome to attend the graveside services which will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 12:00pm at Larkin Sunset Lawn, 2350 E. 1300 S., Salt Lake City, Utah.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to any educational or philanthropic cause such as the humanitarian or educational fund at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.