LaRae Crisp

Martha LaRae Jones Crisp, our dear mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and more, passed away peacefully on May 22, 2025 after a long life devoted to her family and faith. She had struggled with Parkinson’s disease and dementia in her later years but was always supported by her loving family and we are comforted that she can now progress.

LaRae was born on October 31, 1936 in Huntington, Utah, the daughter of Benjamin Que and Uenna Mable Marshall Jones. She was married to Harold Clair Simonsen on March 25, 1952. Together they had7 children: Lynn, Maralee, Jolene, Kerry, Lisa, Karla, and Jared. Just before the birth of their last child, LaRae lost this first husband on July 15, 1975 due to a fatal vehicle accident. LaRae carried on alone until she met “Bill” - Jens William Crisp, on June 14, 1980. LaRae had no more children but Bill was a caring husband and step father who helped raise the younger of LaRae’s children and who was adored by all. Bill passed away on September 5, 1988 due to a heart attack, again leaving LaRae to carry on, even during the subsequent passing of her daughter Karla due to the ravages of Cystic Fibrosis the following May of 1989. She also lost her oldest child Lynn in 2016. LaRae faced these setbacks with courage, poise, and a cheerful manner. LaRae had several jobs over the years. She worked as a telephone operator when she was younger, then she worked at the Manti Sewing plant as the lone provider for her family when it was needed. Later in life she switched to doing School Lunch in order to get on the same school district schedule as Bill, and then continued doing that after Bill passed until she retired. She worked hard at everything she did. LaRae was active in her community and church, actively contributing in Relief Society and other groups and projects. She worked and participated at the Manti Temple and visited several others on her travels. After she retired she spent two years on an LDS mission to Australia and loved experiencing that culture and meeting new people. She almost never requested anything for herself and was always helping others.

LaRae remained strong and cheerful in her commitment to her family throughout her life and her challenges. Her example and her love was a beacon and a comfort to many. She had a generally quiet nature but was always there to help and serve. She found many hours of joy through gardening and delighted everyone with her skills in cooking and canning. She loved to sew and was always willing to take on a challenging project to help others with something they needed. Through her example and dedication she passed on much knowledge and many useful skills. She will be dearly missed by all those who were fortunate to have known her. Her greatest days of joy were without question just filled with simply sharing time with her family. She didn’t seem to mind sharing a birthday with a holiday and we all loved getting together for Halloween parties on her birthday. Christmas in the wither with tubing and hot cocoa, summertime camping in our wonderful Utah mountains - all our wonderful memories will never die.

LaRae is preceded in death by her parents, Que and Uenna; siblings, Judy, Roger, Wilma; husbands, Clair and Bill; children, Karla Simonsen and Harold Lynn Simonsen (Luann).

LaRae is survived by her siblings: Dixie, Joy, Nan, DeRell, DeLon, Ron, Jan, LeWana, Connie, and her beloved children: Maralee Willardson (Roger), Jolene Childs (Donald), Kerry Simonsen (Karalee), Lisa Ta’ala (Benko), and Jared Simonsen (Sara), many grandchildren and great grandchildren; stepchildren: Bonnie Stevens, Susan Meng, Patty Flores (Frank) and Floyd Crisp (Kim).

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 11:00 am in the Manti 9th Ward Chapel, 295 South Main. There will be a viewing held prior to services from 9:30-10:30 am. Interment will follow in the Manti City Cemetery where her earthly body will be interred near her husbands and children. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com