Laura Mitchell

Our dear sweet mom, Laura Jean (Lambert) Mitchell went to heaven on January 16, 2018.  She was born on September 10, 1928 in Warden, Montana, the daughter of George S. & Clara Lambert. Laura Jean married Alan Dean Mitchell on June 28, 1945 in Columbus, Montana. Mom often joked that everyone who could fit in one car was at the ceremony. Ha, and we always thought dad was the one with the sense of humor! They resided in Manhattan, Montana for 45 years. It was there they built a home & raised 3 children, Clara Jean, Karen & son Rick. For 19 years they spent their winters in St. George, Utah traveling back and forth to Montana. They loved being in Montana in the summer time and sometimes mom said they would leave St. George early in the spring, only to be met by a Montana blizzard and she wondered “what were we thinking”?!! Their first years, they lived in a park model and made many friends and mom so loved her water aerobics group and all the activities! Nineteen years ago, they moved to Snow Haven Townhomes and were one of the first to live on the street. As she lived there, she saw many come and go & she loved every one of them. Laura Jean liked playing games of all sorts and she liked going to Mesquite, Nevada to play the pennies and eat at the casinos. She made friends there as well, she was kind to everyone. Some would call casinos “a den of iniquity”. Mom always said “she met the nicest people there”.

In 1951, Dean & Laura Jean joined the Mormon church while visiting her parents in Mesa, Arizona. Her mother was a member and mom said they felt they should just belong to a church.  Back in Manhattan, the closest Mormon Church was in Three Forks so they seldom attended. Mom loved the Lord Jesus and prayed for her family. She was a young wife and mom and she remembers the time when she asked Jesus into her heart and life, to stay with her always. He did just that and she loved Him right back. She said she didn’t need a church to feel His great love for her and her family!

Mom was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and our dad, Alan Dean Mitchell in 2004, her brother Richard Dell Lambert and her loving son, Richard Dean Mitchell in 2016. She is survived by her daughters, Clara Jean (Clarence) Vranish, & Karen Dyk, her sister Norma Robison (Bill), her 6 grandchildren, Julie Jensen, Eric Vranish, Alan Mitchell, Craig Dyk, Mike Vranish, & Brian Dyk. Also 12 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild and another due in April. Plus, numerous nieces & nephews. She loved them all. What a glorious day that will be when we all see Jesus.

We, her daughters, want to thank IHC & Dr. Stephen Clark, & Dr. Charles Tate and their awesome staff. She would say to her doctors at every appointment, “you are a good kid”! She would also let them know that she knew they had done everything possible. We also want to thank Intermountain Hospice as they were with us the last 8 days. Especially RN Brittani Vu. Also thanks to our friend Susan McGregor as she cared for mom. Thank you neighbors & friends near and far as you encouraged and prayed for us all. Mom loved social media and though she didn’t always respond, she knew you were there!

We will have a celebration of mom’s life on June 28th at Meadow View Cemetery in Manhattan, Montana with a gathering after.

We will update on Facebook or via email. Rather than memorials, mom’s wishes were “just do a random act of kindness for someone each day, your smile may make their day”!