Trudella Diana Mull Walton

June 15, 1950 – May 20, 2024

Trudella Diana Mull Walton, “Trudy,” passed away suddenly on May 20, 2024, in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Trudy’s creative and compassionate soul came to Earth in Moscow, Idaho on June 15, 1950, thanks to the efforts of her parents, John and Gladys Mull. She was an artist. She appreciated beauty in everything and everyone around her. She grew up as the second of four siblings. Her older brother Gary served as her mentor. She loved him and wanted to be just like him, which made her something of a tomboy for many years. Danny and Pam, her younger brother and sister, helped keep Trudy on her toes as she developed tender nurturing skills as she tried to help mother them. She took her big sister role very seriously. These four siblings remained close all throughout their lives. Though the turns of life may have separated them by miles, their kinship and family bonds grew ever closer.

When she was young, her family moved to Redondo Beach, California. Trudy flourished along the sunny Southern California coast and it seemed throughout her life like the beach was a source of both vitality and inspiration for her.

Trudy’s beauty was renowned. As a teenager, her sun-kissed skin and penetratingly pure blue eyes caught the attention of a modeling agency, but her modeling career was cut short when she refused to participate in anything immodest. During these years, she had the opportunity to spurn the romantic advances of one of the Beach Boys, who was also from the same area. She even took a turn as a go-go dancer.

Trudy’s heart and soul were always close to God. She never knew a time in her life when she did not have faith. She always stood firm as a special witness of God, even when it was unpopular or brought on the scorn of others. When she was 16, two missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, taught and baptized her brother Gary. Trudy found the messages of the Restored Gospel answered many of the longing questions of her soul, and she, too, was baptized — along with the rest of the family. All her life, she strived to be valiant in her testimony of truth. She enjoyed many opportunities to serve others in Primary, Scouts, Young Womens, and Relief Society. As Relief Society President, she developed a special capacity to perceive and answer the needs of the suffering — skills that she retained throughout her life.

One of the missionaries who taught her family the Gospel was George “Chuck” Walton, who, after his mission, returned to Redondo Beach to court and marry Trudy. They had five children: Travis, Jason, Michael, Matthew, and Ashley. Trudy found great joy in being a wife and mother. She spent the subsequent years of her life in tireless service of her children and family. She felt her most important calling in life was that of Mother, and she passed up many other opportunities in life to fill that role.

Trudy did not like being far from her children. She volunteered countless hours to help in her children’s school classes. She was a paperboy route supervisor to Travis and Jason. She was the number one cheerleader for all her kids’ sports teams.

During their marriage Trudy and Chuck lived in many places: Provo, Utah; Monticello, Utah; Southern California; Plano, Texas. They finally settled in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Trudy was an artist to her core. She had incredible talents at drawing and painting and other forms of artistic expression. She had a special gift with painting portraits in that she was able to capture and express the light of her subjects’ souls in her artwork. She took particular joy in teaching others art and spent many years as a professional art teacher. She was famous for encouraging artistic talent in everyone. She believed everyone else was an artist, too, and endeavored to help others find and develop their hidden creative talents.

She loved reading. She read everything. And she passed her love of reading on to her children and grandchildren. During the later years of her life she worked as a library clerk in the Springville Public Library where she developed many special friendships and took joy in helping serve the patrons.

Trudy loved to serve others. She filled her life with finding meaningful ways to reach out and help others. Her kindness and concern were genuine. If you knew Trudy, then you knew a portion of the love of the Savior Jesus Christ.

Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 989 South Spanish Fork Parkway, Spanish Fork, UT 84660. There will be a viewing from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and the Memorial Service will follow at Noon. Trudy will then be interred at the Spanish Fork City Cemetery. The Memorial Service will be streamed at walkermemorials.com

Rather than sending flowers, the family invites you to make a donation in Trudy’s memory at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – aspf.org, Give Kids the World – gktw.org, or the American Heart Association – heart.org.

Services will be live-streamed.  To view, return to this memorial page on Saturday, June 8, 2024 shortly before 12:00 Noon, and click on the link below:

Trudy Walton Livestream Broadcast