Laraine Whitear

Laraine S Whitear was born June 23, 1948 in Paris, Idaho to Willard and Ada Stucki who are deceased. Laraine passed away in her home on June 15th 2010 after a courageous 5 year battle with melanoma cancer.

Laraine was the valedictorian of Fielding High School in Paris Idaho with a full scholarship to BYU and completing her Bachelors degree at Utah State University.

The BYU Israel study abroad program in 1967 was one of the most influential events in her life and she returned to share it with her husband Don and son Bevan (with wife Joni) again in 1985.

Laraine has always had a great love for knowledge and books and she inspired others to think and to learn. She earned her Master's Degree from The University of Utah, was a teacher of history and math, a school administrator, and the principal of Morgan Elementary School where she truly loved all the children she served each day.

She served a mission with her husband Don in Calgary, Canada with The First Nations People in 2000-01 and has served in various ward/stake callings including Stake RS Pres and currently as the Peterson Ward RS Pres.

Laraine loved to vacation with her children and fulfilled a lifelong dream of seeing Australia with her daughter Danette and good friend Jennifer Hobson.

Laraine married Kent Penrod Hackley. Their children (with spouses) are Danette , Chad (Natalie), Kendra (Brian Crittenden), and Colton (Toni Jo). Laraine then married Donald J Whitear on December 22, 1980 in the Salt Lake City Temple. She returned to her great- great grandfather Charles Shreeve Peterson's homestead of the Whitear Farm in Peterson Utah joining her children with Don's children Craig (Valerie), Ronnie (Christine), Bevan (Joni), Haven, VaDon (James Pace), and DaLynn (Gary Patterson). Don and Laraine then had a daughter together, named Chalaine (Paul Bugnet), making 11 children. Laraine has 46 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. Each summer she held "Camp Helaman", her greatest legacy for her family where she taught her grandchildren about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Heroes of the scriptures. Laraine has had the joy of having spent the last months of her life with her family, friends, and loved ones including her dear brothers and their wives, Ronald Woodruff & JoAnn, Richard Albert (deceased) & Kathleen, Mark Willard & Valerie, John Curtis & Jackie, Max Charles & Rita Stucki with all surrounding her in love and comfort, sharing childhood memories with loving teaching moments exchanged in her home.

We give special thanks to friends, neighbors and family for the hours of love and tender care for Laraine. We also thank the doctors and nurses of the Huntsman Cancer Center and Intermountain Hospice.

A viewing will be held at the Morgan North Stake Center in Enterprise on Thursday June 17th from 6-8 pm with a special invitation to all the students that Laraine has taught and loved throughout the years.

The Funeral will be held on Friday June 18th at 11:00am in the stake center with a viewing from 9-10:30am.

Compassionate Service will be rendered by the Peterson Ward Relief Society following the internment at Peterson Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers please send any donations in the name of Laraine Whitear to the Morgan Education Foundation P.O. Box 530 Morgan UT 84050 to benefit the students of Morgan Elementary School.