Alice Swindlehurst

1929 - 2015 Alice Lorraine Thomas Swindlehurst was born July 3, 1929 to Richard and Sarah Thomas in North Creek, Utah. She was eighth of ten children. She grew up in Northcreek and Beaver, attending Belknap Elementary and graduating from Beaver High School in 1947. She married her high school sweetheart, Leon Swindlehurst, July 1, 1948 in the St. George Temple. Alice was involved in community and church service her entire life. From Race Meet Queen to American Legion Auxiliary President, to Young Women's President, and seminary teacher, she enjoyed working side-by side with lifelong friends and particularly the youth. Alice was the founder and president of the first Red Hat chapter in Beaver. Music was always a part of Alice's life; she taught herself to play the piano and sang in multiple choirs. With her strong alto voice, she cherished her time as a member of a women's quartet, singing at many events around the county. Always a supportive wife and mother, Alice worked outside of the home much of her life. She worked for Lowe's Farm Equipment, while running the local State Liquor Store. She was smart and precise in all of her business dealings. Alice and Leon moved with their family to California in 1966. In California, she worked as a receptionist and business manager in a dental office and finished her work career as an eligibility worker in the Los Angeles County Welfare Department from which she retired after 20 years. Alice was a great person to be around. Whether you were six or sixty or ninety, children and adults alike loved to be in Alice's company for a casual visit, a delicious home cooked meal, a dance, a party, or for serious life advice. Alice died February 25, 2015 in Lancaster, California in the home of her son, Rod. Her children were at her side as she passed into the arms of her waiting sweetheart. She is preceded in death by the love of her life, Leon; her parents, Richard and Sarah; and step-mother, Euzell; eight sisters, Ruth, Audrey, Josephine, Virginia, Shirley, Margie, Helen and Nell; five brothers, Eldon, Doug, Jack, Neil and Dan, several nieces and nephews. (We know the math doesn't work if Alice was eighth of ten children. After her mother Sarah died, her father married Euzell Rhenstrom who had four children. No one, in either "birth" family, to the best of our knowledge, ever made the distinction between step brother or sister and blood brother or sister. They were all great friends and associated throughout their lives.) Alice is survived by her four children, Rod and Joni Swindlehurst, Ross and Nancy Swindlehurst, Lanette and Darrell Perkins, Ray and Lynn Swindlehurst; grandchildren Rex, Ashley, Jeremy, Kassie, Cameron, Katie, Kellie, Jeff, Dwayne, Deanna; great grandchildren Angela, Elijah, Caleb, Jessie Kate, Keegan, Sawyer, Victor and Ezekiel; sisters-in-law Barbara Rhenstrom (Neil), LaNae Thomas (Doug), Anna Mae Thomas (Dan) and numerous nieces and nephews who adored her. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 12:00 Noon at the Beaver Stake Center (1350 E 200 N, Beaver, UT). Viewings will be held Monday, March 2nd from 6-8:00 pm at Southern Utah Mortuary (195 N 200 W, Beaver, UT) and Tuesday, March 3rd from 10-11:30 am at the church. Interment will be in the Mountain View Cemetery under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary.