Deloris Myrtle Smith Nelson returned to the arms of a loving Heavenly Father on July 10th 2022. She is a beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother, and Friend. Her kind heart and infectious laugh made her a joy to be around.

While our grief is great, our sense of gratitude is even greater to Heavenly Father for blessing our lives with such a wonderful mother as Deloris.

Deloris was born June 23rd 1932 in Salt Lake City to Kenneth Howarth Smith and Myrtle Sarah Jorgensen.  She had a younger sister Beverly whom she adored.  Tragically her father Kenneth died when she was 3 years old. Her mother remarried William Johnson and they added 3 brothers to the family: Lamarr, Richard and Robert. Deloris loved her family and the fun they had together.

Deloris grew up in Spanish Fork on the East side. As a young girl, she loved adventures with many close friends and cousins. She graduated from Spanish Fork High School and seminary in 1950, where she was a member of the pep team and a cheerleader. After graduating from high school she attended Dixie College.

Deloris met Mark A. Nelson in high school and they began dating. The couple married on September 26th 1951, in the Salt Lake Temple. After they were married, the couple moved to Clovis, New Mexico, then Marysville, California during the levee break and flood. Next they moved to Spokane while Mark was serving in the Air Force. Their early marriage was filled with many challenges including the death of their infant daughter RuthAnn.

The couple moved back to Spanish Fork and built their home on 800 North.  The family was blessed to welcome five more children: Jolene, Kenneth, Diane, Keith, and Kurtis. Their home was filled with laughter and love. The family always had an abundance of pets including dogs, pigs, turkeys, a rat named “Charlie Brown” and even a pet alligator. The couple then moved to Covered Bridge where they built their dream home. Deloris loved the mountains and the wildlife. She loved watching the birds and squirrels that visited her feeders daily.

Deloris worked as a volunteer for Multiple Sclerosis for many years. She also worked for Utah and Salt Lake Counties as a microfilm specialist in the recorder’s office. Her professionalism and attention to detail made her one of the leading digitization specialists in Utah. She drove a van pool when she was working in Salt Lake and often said she drove over a million miles with no accidents. She loved the people she worked with, many became lunch buddies and lifelong friends.

Deloris was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She served in many callings throughout her life. One of her favorite callings was that of ward chorister. She loved music, singing, and playing the piano. Deloris was a member of the Daughter of the Utah Pioneers (DUP).  She enjoyed the close relationships with friends she had there.

In her life, Deloris had many hobbies; she loved handwork like embroidery, crocheting, and quilting. She designed and sewed more than 700 homemade “JoDi” dolls and bears for friends and loved ones. Her favorite hobby was that of reading. Her library was immense; she always had a few good books in her purse to read just in case. She was a member of the Kiwanis Club and participated in many community service activities. She was a member of Utahah Frontier Mountain Man Club. She loved shooting black powder rifles.

Mark and Deloris loved to travel. They retired early so they could see the world.  Some of their favorite trips were to New Zealand, Europe, Iceland, Alaska, Panama, and Hawaii. They took many trips and cruises with the Nelson family. She loved writing letters to loved ones and kept wonderful scrapbooks of the letters and photos documenting her adventures.

Deloris is survived by her children Jolene Nelson, Diane and Roger Jones, and Kurtis and RaeAnn Nelson all of Spanish Fork. She has 8 Grandchildren and 20 Great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, sister Beverly, brothers Robert and Lamarr, her husband Mark, daughter RuthAnn, sons Kenneth and Keith, and grandson Pete Jones.

The family would like to thank the Beehive House in Spanish Fork and Bonnie Valdez for the tender care they have given Deloris over the past few years.

A funeral service will be held on Monday, July 18, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. located at the Canyon Ward Building, 3477 East River Bottoms Road, Spanish Fork, Utah.  Family and friends may attend a visitation on Sunday, July 17, 2022 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. located at Walker Funeral Home, 187 South Main Street, Spanish Fork, Utah and again from 9:45-10:45 at the church prior to the services.

Livestream of Funeral Service