Delma Rae (Woodbury) Baldridge Obituary (1931 - 2019)

Obituary for Delma R. Baldridge, written by herself Now that my time on earth has finished, let me summarize my life: I, Delma Rae Woodbury Baldridge, have always felt it an honor to be the daughter of Raymond and Wanda Woodbury, born to them on January 3, 1931, in View, Idaho. I shared my growing up years with brothers LaVarr and Lael, and sisters Shannon and Holly in Logan. Utah. While still a teenager I married my sweetheart, Kenneth Baldridge, after converting him to my church. We were blessed with six beautiful children, Connie, Steven, Karen, Janet, Trace and Douglas Baldridge. Each of our children married wonderful spouses and our posterity has grown to 28 grandchildren and 47 great-grandchildren. I give full credit to my dearest Ken for the rich and full life I have had. We lived in Modesto, California for 12 years; Temple View, New Zealand for 6 years; 2 in Provo, Utah; 25 years in Laie, Hawaii; and since 1993 in Pleasant, Grove, Utah. We have traveled extensively, both overseas and in the U.S. Because I have lived a long time and been active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have had the privilege of serving in nearly every position a woman can hold on both the ward and stake level, and I served a mission with my eternal companion in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. One of my two favorite hobbies was decorating wedding cakes. The largest was twelve tiers; the next was nine for an outdoor reception in Hawaii and a gust of wind blew it over before I even had a chance to photograph it. My other hobby was making over 150 quilts. I was president of the Hawaii Quilt Guild and served on the Utah Valley Quilt Guild board. I request that no one mourn for me, knowing I have enjoyed a long and delightful life; and I go to the other side with a deep conviction of the resurrection and a great deal of curiosity. My death was on Tuesday, October 22, 2019. A viewing will be held 9:00 - 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 2, 2019 in the Mt. Mahogany Ward Building, 1541 North 1300 West, Pleasant Grove followed by my funeral at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be in the Weston, Idaho cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Eulogy for Delma R. Baldridge, written by her son, Steve Baldridge: Delma Rae Woodbury Baldridge - 1931 - 2019 Our beloved wife, mother and grandmother has moved on to the next stage of her eternal progression. Delma Rae Woodbury Baldridge passed away on 22 October 2019 from heart failure and other causes incident to age. She was 88. Delma was born in View, Idaho, on January 3, 1931, to Raymond A Woodbury and Wanda Mary Dawson, the fourth of six children. As a descendent of Jeremiah Woodbury, she was a fifth-generation member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a legacy she was proud to pass on to her children. Her family moved to Logan, Utah soon after her birth and at some point began taking in boarders, mostly students at Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University). After World War II, one of the boarders was Kenneth W. Baldridge a newly-discharged sailor from California who had come to study Forestry at the university. In spite of a 4-1/2 year age difference, the two began dating and, after Ken joined the LDS Church were married in the Woodbury home on June 8, 1948 (later sealed in the Logan Temple). Ken changed his major to History, and the newlyweds left Logan and moved to Ken's home in Modesto, California, where he completed bachelor's and master's degrees at the College of the Pacific and started a 43-year-long teaching career. In Modesto they started their family: Connie (1949), Steven (1952), Karen (1953), and Janet (1955). In 1960, at Delma's urging, Ken accepted a teaching post at Church College of New Zealand, a high school in Temple View, New Zealand owned by the LDS Church. The family quickly fell in love with the country, especially the Maori people, and the six years they spent there were a formative experience with a lifelong impact. In 1965 they adopted two infant boys, Tracy and Douglas, to complete the family. Delma was key in Ken's decision to return to school for a PhD, so in 1966 they left New Zealand and moved to Provo, Utah where Ken started his doctoral program at BYU. After completing his classwork, he was hired at Church College of Hawaii (later BYU-Hawaii) so the family moved to Laie, Hawaii in 1968. It was here that Delma began to flourish, becoming heavily involved in church and community activities. She started a cake-decorating hobby and quickly became the default provider for wedding cakes around the college town of Laie. Delma became a serious quilter, mastering the intricate stitching of Hawaiian quilts and eventually serving as president of the local quilt guild. She was given numerous leadership positions on the ward and stake level of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and fulfilled them honorably. After 25 years in Hawaii, Ken retired from teaching as full professor and he and Delma accepted a mission call to the Canada Toronto (East) Mission. Following their mission, they moved to Pleasant Grove, Utah to be closer to family members living nearby. Delma continued to bless the family with wedding cakes and quilts, and she and Ken continued to travel, returning to New Zealand, California and Hawaii as occasion permitted. They have traveled much of the world, particularly in Asia, Europe, the South Pacific, and every USA state except Maine. She was closely involved in Ken's work to write a book on a history of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Utah, traveling around the state with him to provide support. Eventually health issues surfaced which allowed less travel, so a more sedentary life emerged. During this time, she was grateful to receive much assistance from First Choice Home Health and Hospice, as well as many ward members and all of her children. Delma was preceded in death by her parents and all of her siblings: Jesse, LaVarr, Lael, Shannon and Holly, and a son-in-law, Lucky Fonoimoana.