Veralee Thurgood Redd

VeraLee Thurgood Redd passed peacefully away at home on August 11, 2019, surrounded by loved ones.  She was born July 11, 1930 in Twin Falls, Idaho, the first child of Vera May Barton and Lee Edward Thurgood.    She was the oldest of 7 children and grew up on a dairy farm in West Point, Utah where she was loved by her parents and learned how to work as a family team and make do with very little.
She graduated from Utah State University in Vocational Home Economics.  While there she met–and after much persistence on his part–married Mark Hunter Redd on May 3, 1951 in the Logan, Utah Temple.  They were an excellent match in many ways; she loved him with all her heart and has missed him dearly since his passing.  They had 64 wonderful, adventuresome years together, raised 5 children, and traveled all over the world.
Music was a big part of her life and she was excelled in helping others enjoy and appreciate it.  She was an accomplished pianist and sought-after accompanist.  She sang in the Tabernacle Choir for many years, with Mark as an avid fan, but her most beautiful singing was lullabies for her children and grandchildren.
She loved to nurture and mentor children.  She volunteered in 4-H and taught boys and girls how to cook and sew and served as an adult leader in the Boy Scouts of America for many years helping young boys develop skills and appreciate the great outdoors.  She had hundreds of beloved music students, continuing to teach right up until the week of her death.
Her faith in God was a defining part of who she was, and some of the high points of her life were in serving several missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, one as a young newlywed in post-WWII Germany while her husband served active duty in the US Army.  Her second mission was spent with her husband working together with the youth of the church in St. Petersburg, Russia.  She and Mark enjoyed working as service missionaries at the food cannery and the IMC Hospital in Murray, UT.  She loved attending the temple.
She was relatively fearless and greatly enjoyed time spent traveling with her husband, children, and grandchildren.  She loved seeing and understanding history, experiencing other cultures, and being with people.  She loved the water and logged more than 340 scuba dives all over the globe.
She was infinitely kind and patient, especially with her 5 children, and had a gift for making everyone feel loved and important.  The last several years of her life were spent in Mesa, Arizona where she made many new friends, seldom lost a Canasta card game, and was lovingly cared for by her daughter and son-in-law, Ruth and Mike Woodford and their children.
She is survived by children Bruce Lee (Wendy), Edward Hunter (Susan), Hans Thurgood (Lisa), Ruth Redd Woodford (Michael), and Alice Redd Casper (Camron).  She has 34 fabulous grandchildren and an ever-growing number (currently 52) of great-grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday August 15th at 11:00 am with a viewing from 9-10:30 at 5605 S. Vine Street, Murray, Utah.
A viewing will be held Wednesday August 14th from 6-8:00 pm at Memorial Murray Mortuary, 5850 S 900 E, Murray, Utah.
Service Information
Viewing August 14, 2019 at 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Memorial Murray Mortuary, 5850 South 900 East, Murray, Utah





Viewing August 15, 2019 at 9:00 - 10:30 AM
5605 South Vine Street, Murray, Utah





Funeral Service
August 15, 2019 at 11:00 AM
5605 South Vine Street, Murray, Utah