After valiantly struggling with health challenges for many years, Teddy Lou Kelson passed away peacefully at home with family and friends gathered around on January 19, 2022.
Teddy was born November 25, 1940 in Hollywood California to Shirley Hoopes Jensen and Gwen Thomson. The family lived in Los Angeles until 1943 before Shirley moved them to Boise, Idaho. There Shirley built a dental business. In 1945 a sister, Staccie was born.
Shirley died unexpectedly in 1951 which necessitated a move to Inglewood California. After 7 years living with Shirley’s mother, the little family moved to an apartment on their own. Teddy graduated from George Washington High School, Los Angeles where she was active in social clubs and student government. She was awarded a scholarship to Magic Mirror beauty school. Before full employment at Magic Mirror, Teddy made wood fiber flower corsages and went door to door selling them. Plus, asking several businesses to display the corsages for sale. Teddy was about 11. Then at 14 she found a job at Lerner’s Department store and managed it at 16. Mom said Teddy had to earn her own money for her many activities. This is where Teddy learned to shop and, shop she did. Teddy said if she ever needed anything she would always find it.
Teddy met Frank Kelson at age 11 when Frank was the Jr Home Teacher at 13. They were married in the Los Angeles, California temple in 1962. Their first home was in Lawndale, California where Todd was born. Frank moved his family to West Lake Village California where they were joined by 2 more sons, Wade and Shane.
The beach loving Teddy had to acclimate to Utah when they moved to Pepperwood, then Little Cottonwood Canyon. Another move to Draper Utah finally found them settled. Teddy was the major factor in the building of 4 homes from lumber to wall paper. Decorating was her forte.
Teddy was a lifelong active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in many varied callings. From Young Single Adults, a Temple Ordinance Worker, working within the Relief Society and her favorite, working with the Young Women.
Teddy has been described as classy, beautiful, and always fun. Her parties and decorating were legendary. Teddy was an Interior designer into her 70’s. When she could no longer decorate, she took up painting, going in her wheelchair until she was unable to hold a brush in her hand.
Teddy loved her family and would do what was needed. She had her annual Christmas Cookie decorating followed by a children’s nativity. Highlight was trying to gather her family for the 59 successive Christmas card picture.
She worked diligently to keep the family together. She was known to hunt down former friends and family. They could never get away with a phone call, there was always a visit. Teddy did not do Genealogy, she practiced Genealogy.
Teddy was preceded in death by two grandsons, Casey and Broc. She is survived by her beloved Frank, 3 sons Todd (Kelli), Wade (Carrie), Shane and her sister Staccie. Teddy has eleven grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
A viewing will be held Friday evening, January 28th from 6-8pm in the Corner Canyon Stake Center. 13366 South 1300 East, Draper, Utah.
Saturday January 29th, a short viewing will be held at 10am, followed by the services beginning at 11am in the Corner Canyon Stake Center Chapel. Interment will be at Larkin Sunset Garden Cemetery, 1950 E. Dimple Dell Rd. (10600 S.) Sandy.
Service Zoom Link: http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/view/9BF5
Code: 41755
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Laura Hannant Winegar
I knew Frank and Teddy when Frank was the bishop of my singles ward. She was always a gracious, funny, delightful, classy and spiritual woman.
One year our ward was doing a tree for the Salt Lake Festival of Trees, and Teddy was spearheading the design and decoration. She came up with a very rustic theme. Some of the balls on the trees were to be styrofoam balls covered in birdseed. We had an activity one night at the Kelson's home creating those decoration. Glue guns all 'round bags and bags of birdseed and box tops filled with the birdseed to roll the balls in once they were coated with glue. Afterward they were stored in their garage.
When we started decorating the tree at the Festival, Teddy produced the boxes holding the birdseed covered balls. She pulled the first one from the box and found the underside of the ball had no birdseed on it whatsoever. She pulled a second one and the same thing. All the balls were missing birdseed on the bottom half. Sitting out in the garage, they'd been too tempting for mice who slipped into the bottoms and nibbled all the birdseed off. After discovering the extent of the disaster, Teddy plugged in her glue gun, tossed about $30 at Frank, and asked him to to get more seed.
We repaired the damage and hung the balls. There was a bale of hay, and an old Flyer sled as part of the set. It came out right in the end. It was the most bid on tree at the Festival that year.