Dawnelle LaRue Wilkins Perschon

Dawnelle LaRue Wilkins Perschon, 44, of Herriman, Utah, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 20, 2020, due to complications from heart surgery. She was born on May 3, 1976 in San Jose, California to Woody and Sharon Wilkins, the youngest of 6 children. When she was 3 years old, the family moved to Tucson, Arizona where she attended elementary school. When Dawnelle was 12, the family moved to Orem, Utah. Dawnelle was a joy and delight to everyone she met, and always had a smile on her face. She had an infectious laugh and loved all things from the 1980’s.

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After graduating from Orem High School in 1994, she went on to attend Utah Valley University and graduated with a degree in Psychology.

Dawnelle served a full time mission in the Georgia, Atlanta Mission from 1997 to 1998 and loved her mission experiences and made some lifelong friends.

She met her sweetheart Steve Perschon in August 2007 through an LDS dating site, and by the end of their first date, they were holding hands. They got engaged in December 2007 and were sealed for eternity in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Mt. Timpanogos Temple on June 21, 2008. One of Dawnelle’s greatest hopes and dreams was to become a wife and mother. She was blessed to be a step-mom to Berkeley and McKenna Perschon, and her dream came true when she and Steve welcomed their own two daughters into their family: Ainsley (a.k.a Boo-Boo LaRue), born in June 2010, and Hailey (a.k.a. Hailey-Bug), born in August 2013 . They were her world, and Dawnelle was theirs!

Dawnelle had a strong testimony of her Savior, Jesus Christ, and hope in His eternal plan. She loved her ward and loved serving in the gospel however she could.

Dawnelle was a two-time cancer survivor, having conquered Non Lymphoma Hodgkin’s as a teenager and breast cancer as an adult. Although she endured many health challenges in her life, she always tackled each new challenge with faith and a determination to overcome anything in her way. She approached life with a lot of humor and found ways to laugh at herself, while being goofy and silly with her unforgettable laugh. Even with her physical challenges, she always looked for ways to help others, by giving little gifts, calling a friend or loved one, or writing a sweet note. Dawnelle was a great friend to so many, and cherished her lifelong friendships with her childhood and teenage friends, whom she talked with just days before her passing.

She was a lover of music, especially her favorite Howard Jones, whose lyrics got her through many tough health issues. She attended his concerts too many times to keep a full count. She loved glow sticks, and celebrated almost every holiday with some kind of glow-stick theme with her girls. She loved holidays and making them a big deal for the girls. She also loved sharing her 1980s obsession, like Cabbage Patch kids, 80’s candies, 80’s movies, 80’s music--we think she would have been happy frozen in the 1980’s! She loved all things Disney, especially Winnie the Pooh, and was a huge fan of musicals and theatre, her favorite being Newsies.

She is survived by her husband Steve, and children: Berkeley, McKenna, Ainsley, and Hailey, as well as her mother, Sharon Wilkins, brother W.L. Wilkins, sister Michelle (Rob) Smoot, sister Beth (John) Bartholomew, and brother Phil (Debbie) Wilkins, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in her death by her father, Woody Wilkins and her sister, Jennifer. We’re sure Dawnelle is loving the hugs from Dad and Jennifer and catching up with them in heaven, as well as her sweet grandparents.

Many thanks go out to the medical staff at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray for their tender care of Dawnelle in her last days, and to the Olympus High School Community, who, as a whole, have put their loving arms of comfort around their high school principal, and have been such a blessing to Steve and the girls.

Due to COVID restrictions, there will be no public viewing. There will be a funeral for the family on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, at 11am in Herriman, Utah. All others are invited to watch the funeral services beginning at 11am through the YouTube link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KoLx_DrQHw&feature=youtu.be