Our sweet Grandma Lori left this world on July 6th 2018 at her home in Layton, Utah, to be greeted with open arms by her many waiting loved ones on the other side. Sylvia Dolores (Lori) Harmon Scothern was born on October 31, 1930 in Logan, Utah. She was the second of four children born to Earl and Sylvia Olsen Harmon.
As a child, Lori’s father worked for the railroad, which required him to relocate many times. Lori attended 12 schools in 12 years. While it was difficult to make new friends every time her family moved, the experience made her resilient and adaptable to change – skills that she would lean on throughout her life.
The Harmon family finally settled in Brigham City, Utah, in the middle of Lori’s freshman year of high school. She graduated from Box Elder High School and LDS Seminary in May 1948. Shortly after graduation, she married and was sealed to her sweetheart, Wendell Leon Scothern, on July 9,, 1948 in the Logan, Utah Temple.
Wendell dancer and as a young couple, Lori and Wendell loved to dance to the big bands on the weekends. Lori and Wendell raised four children together. Gary Lee Scothern was born in 1949, followed by Roger Dee Scothern in 1951, Luann Scothern (Abrams) in 1954 and Merlynn Scothern (Stoddard) in 1956.
As a young family, they enjoyed camping and spent many weekends together in Yellowstone National Park. At the age of 19, with two small boys in tow, Lori was asked to reorganize the Primary of their LDS branch in Duboise, Idaho. This was the first of many callings that she held within the church, and while it seemed overwhelming at the time, she grew from the experience.
She would spend the rest of her life in service to her family, friends, neighbors, and anyone else who needed her. To Lori, it was second nature to spend her energy lifting the burdens of another person, even if her personal burdens were almost too much to bear. In 1954, the family relocated to Downey, Idaho, to be closer to family living in Brigham City, and later settled in Layton, Utah in 1960 where Lori spent the rest of her life.
While living in Layton, Lori worked several jobs over the years to help support the family, but spent most of her career as a lunchroom cook at Central Davis Junior High and later as a file clerk for Tanner Clinic, where she worked for 29 years before retiring in 2004. Lori raised her children in love and patience and taught those attributes by her example. She is the proud grandmother of 23 grandchildren, dozens of great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Even as her memory began to fade, Grandma Lori knew what was happening in the lives of each of her children and grandchildren. She spoke proudly of her family and loved so unconditionally that you would have thought that they were perfect. Her ability to forgive, support, serve and love unconditionally through all of the ups and downs in her life, are the legacy that Lori leaves.
She has been the ever-present lifeboat on stormy seas to generations of her posterity. You always knew, regardless of the pinch in which you found yourself that Grandma Lori would be there for you any way possible. Her open arms would hold you and sooth your ache.
Her listening ear and kind words would minimize the pain. Her caring heart and profound love healed many wounds. And, if you got out of line, her hands around a broomstick would remind you not to test her.
Lori Scothern is preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Silvia, her sweetheart, Wendell Scothern, her brothers, Earl Wendell Harmon and Alton Maynard (Mick) Harmon, two children, Roger Scothern and Merlynn Stoddard, daughter in-law, Colleen Scothern, grandchildren, Emily Scothern, Jason Stoddard, Trace Scothern, Cindy Stoddard, Josie Foster, and great grandson, Bayden Trussell. She is survived by her sister, Donna Mae Harmon Deakin, two sisters-in-law, both named Joyce Harmon, her daughter, Luann Abrams (Jeff), her son, Gary Scothern (Marylin), and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The family wishes to offer special thanks to Aubrey, Diane, Shanna and Lindsay from Independence Health Services, as well as all of the family and friends who gave so much of themselves over the last few weeks and days to make sure that Lori felt loved and supported through this difficult transition.
Your kindness and compassion are deeply appreciated. Funeral Services will be held Monday, July 16, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Layton Park Ward, 789 E. Wasatch Drive. Friends may visit family Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 N. Fairfield Road and Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.
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