Kathryn Carter Chase

Kathryn Carter Chase passed away on March 7 2023 of natural causes at her residence in South Jordan Utah. She was 87 years old. She was born on Easter Sunday, April 21, 1935 in Santaquin, Utah to Donald Mecham Carter and Emma Donna Fowkes. Kathryn was a woman encompassing three centuries of American West culture. She lost her mother and father to death early in her life (age 2 and 7 respectively) and was therefore reared on a farm just north of Mona Utah by her maternal grandparents Heber James and Ruby Downs Fowkes, whom she loved as parents. Her grandparents were children and young adults of the 19th century, thus Kathryn was taught by them the stories, work ethic and resourcefulness of 19th century pioneers, while being raised in the 20th century and living into the 21st century.

On the farm she was surrounded by a family consisting of her older brother John, and 10 aunts and uncles. Kathryn became especially close to her mother’s youngest sister Bessie and they remained close until Bessie’s death in 2013. Kathryn learned in her youth many homemaking skills due to the broad education of farm living, which she used the rest of her life.

Kathryn loved to host and have people attend home events (holidays, birthdays, etc.) spending many hours preparing food, decorations and home entertainment of songs, music and skits. To the last weeks of her life she was still busy making things with her hands, crocheting and sewing and creating decorations for her home even while residing in her assisted living center to the delight and wonderment of her friends and family. She loved cooking and preparing good healthy meals, spoiling her husband and children with the goodness of a daily family dinner, always cooking or baking something different each day throughout the month (excluding mac and cheese which she had an aversion to). She prided in making her famed cinnamon rolls which she gave to friends, family and neighbors.

In her youth she learned to play the piano which she loved doing for all her life, often being an organist/pianist in some capacity in the LDS wards and temples she attended; including the congregation at her assisted living home.

She was active in high school, being a cheerleader and a majorette in the band.

In 1952, still in high school, she married Irel “Lynn” Chase Jr. in the Manti, Utah temple. They had their first child (Kathy Lynne) in 1955 while living in Maine (during Lynn’s military service there), which was the beginning of nine children they had together, including a set of identical twin boys. From Maine, she moved with her husband and daughter to Utah where her husband was called on an LDS mission to the southern states, afterwhich finishing his college degree in Utah (four more children being born during this time, Donna Louise (while Lynn was on his mission); twins James Lynn and John Lee; and Jeffrey Laine).

After her husband’s graduation the family moved to Sunnyvale California for a short season (one child being born, Margaret Lisa) and then on to Colorado Springs where the couple reared their children for seven years. While in Colorado Springs she bore her seventh child, Ann Lorraine. She kept busy rearing her children, being an active school-mother, sewing clothes (yes, mothers did that in the 60s) and working part time as a waitress.

After seven years in Colorado, the family moved back to Utah where she had her last two children, Emily Lucinda and Phillip Lance. Their first home was in East Millcreek and in 1985 they moved to South Jordan. While living in Utah Kathryn received her training and certificate as a medical assistant and began a medical career working for Dr Keith Pearson until his retirement, and thereafter at the Bryner Clinic in Salt Lake City. She greatly enjoyed her work and did so for several years until her own retirement. She and her husband served a very rewarding LDS mission together in the Independence MO Mission, serving their time in the town of Hiawatha KS.

Kathryn never really slowed down, even to the last week of her life, always keeping herself busy making and decorating things, seldom watching television. She loved showing off and talking about her children, whom she cherished and greatly loved all her life. Her love and joy extended to her grandchildren, which she had in abundance, totalling 31, and which she threw fantastical themed parties for. Her family legacy at her death included 9 children, 31 grandchildren, 61 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband and her brother, whom she looked forward to reuniting with. She was also very excited to reunite with her parents, having been separated from them at such a young age.

As in this life, we’re sure she’ll throw a party on the other side. Thanks Mom, we love you, rest in peace.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at 11:00 AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1239 County Creek Drive, South Jordan, UT 84095. An evening viewing will be held at the same location Friday, March 10, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. Daytime viewing will begin prior to the services from 9:30 – 10:45 AM at the same location.

Interment will be next to her sweetheart, Irel, at Santaquin City Cemetery 100 East 300 South, Santaquin, UT 84655.