Orissa Rae Wright Baxter 1932-2018 Orissa Rae Wright Baxter passed away on December 20, 2018 from a combination of old age and complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. Rae was born to John Leslie Wright and Thola Orissa Miner on August 26,1932 in Provo, Utah. Rae lived in Hinckley, Utah for approximately 11 years and then moved with her family to Provo, where she graduated from Provo High School in 1950.
On June 4, 1953, Rae married Calvin J. Baxter in the Salt Lake Temple. After their marriage Rae and Cal moved to Marysville, California, where Cal served in the United States Air Force. Following their Air Force service Cal and Rae moved to Springville, where she has resided until her death.
Rae and Cal had three children: Jae Baxter (Christine), Douglas Baxter, and Holly Jolley (Glen). Whoever coined the phrase “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” had Rae in mind. Rae spent endless hours searching for treasures that she could get for a bargain.
Yard sales, Deseret Industries, and antique stores were her preferred places. And Rae was able to accumulate many treasures that have great value, both monetarily and sentimentally. Rae also found a lot of things that went back into the “trash to treasure bin” for someone else to find and treasure!
Rae and Cal over the years found a way to thrive together. It is remarkable how two people with different interests could find common ground. Rae would follow Cal and the family into the Uintahs on the yearly family camping trip, and Cal would venture with Rae and the family to places like old garbage dumps in Durango, Colorado to dig in the dump for discarded bottles that over the years had become antiques.
And then there were the yearly trips to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, which both Cal and Rae enjoyed. After Cal died in 2012, Rae’s health worsened and she was afflicted with Alzheimer’s to the point where she couldn’t remember even her closest friends and family. The family would like to thank the owners and staff of Canterbury Care Center in Springville, Trenda Parady, Jason and Emily Giatrias, and Justin and Jennifer Dockstader, for their loving care during Rae’s final years.
Rae is survived by her son Douglas and daughter Holly. She was preceded in death by her son Jae, her husband Cal, her parents, her sister Joan, and her brother Jack. Also surviving Rae were her brother Joel (Cindy) and her sisters Pat (Phil) and Jayne (Mike).
A gathering for family and friends will be held on Friday, December 21, 2018 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Wheeler Mortuary, located at 211 East 200 South in Springville, Utah. Rae’s funeral will be held on Saturday, December 22, 2018 beginning at 11:00 am at Wheeler Mortuary. Family and friends can meet one hour prior to the services to pay their respects.
Burial will be in the Springville Evergreen Cemetery. Condolences may be sent at www.
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