Alene Shurtz Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Services will be live streamed and can be viewed at the following link https://my.gather.app/remember/alene-shurtz Our beloved mother passed away peacefully on March 16, 2021, leaving a legacy of faith, love and service. Mary Alene Thompson was born on January 23, 1932, in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, to Joseph and Mary Elizabeth Terry Thompson. She was the fourth of their seven children. Blessed with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ since her childhood, Alene felt honored that she had the unique opportunity to be baptized at age 8 in the Cardston Alberta Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Out of necessity, she left school after Grade 11 to take a job, deeply disappointed that she couldn’t continue her education. After four years of working, she leaped at the chance to attend BYU. Her one year of study at the “Y” was a highlight of her life. On August 14, 1953, as she prepared to return to BYU, Alene attended a church dance. It was the very day that Royden Ray Shurtz arrived home from a mission in the British Isles. They recognized each other from high school and danced the night away together. They were inseparable thereafter, and she accepted his marriage proposal (again at the Cardston Temple) on October 12th. They were married in that same Temple on January 13, 1954, beginning a temple-focused, 67-year odyssey that would take them far from their wind-swept prairie home. In 1963, after the birth of her fourth child, Alene was thrilled when another of her life- long dreams came true — they moved their family to Provo, Utah. Although she was a valuable office worker, with four small children at home and expecting her fifth child in the spring, Alene decided to focus her efforts at home and on helping Royden in his work. Her support allowed Royden to develop his skills as a repair technician. Eventually their efforts matured into Royden, Inc., a family-owned heating and air conditioning business in Provo. In the ensuing decades, Alene grew as a wife, homemaker and mother; all the time serving faithfully in every conceivable church calling. Her native, cheery disposition endeared her to both family and friends. Most mornings, she arose early enough to dress and groom herself and prepare a multi-course breakfast for the family. Then she would awaken each child, singing a favorite song like, “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning.” (She had a great alto voice and sang in choirs consistently until she was in her mid-eighties.) When Alene was growing up, her mother’s cooking skills were always a major source of family income. Her mother, Mary, regularly contracted to feed construction crews three meals a day, catered community events, and took in boarders. Alene and her sisters spent time every day as Mary’s assistants. Besides cooking skills, they learned from a pro how to plan nutritious, delicious meals for large groups on a limited budget. These skills proved valuable throughout Alene’s long life. She planted huge gardens and worked alongside her children as they helped her harvest and preserve hundreds of quarts of vegetables and fruits every year. She demonstrated the “family work” approach to child rearing and was richly rewarded as her six children have always remained good friends. We used to jokingly call Mom the Energizer Bunny. It seemed nothing at all to her to arise early in the morning and make a dozen pies before starting her other projects. In this way, she was always prepared to host unexpected guests or arrange dinner parties on short notice. In 1989, Alene and Royden accepted a mission call to the Canary Islands, which became the next phase of their service-focused lives and took them to new and exotic locales. Over the next 18 years they would also serve together in the Swiss Temple, Mediterranean Area Office, Guatemala City Temple, Asunción Paraguay Temple, and the Merida Mexico Temple. Alene was an irrepressible proselytizer, and a magnet for the local ladies whom she taught how to sew and quilt. As they prepared to go to the Canary Islands, she discovered that she had a “good ear” for verbal Spanish and picked the language up well. With this additional language tool, she was able to help Spanish-speaking temple patrons throughout the world and after she returned to Provo. She and Royden would read to each other from the Spanish edition of the Book of Mormon for many years in order to maintain their language skills. She endeared herself to hundreds of missionaries, members, and investigators by hosting her trademark dinners. There was always plenty of good food for everyone, and nothing made her happier than a “good visit” over dinner. It seemed as though Alene’s first thought upon awakening each day, was, “Who can I help today?” Then she would begin a frantic search to find someone, anyone, that she could help before the sun went down. No one will ever know how many stews and soups she made for her neighbors in the 3-Fountains neighborhood in Provo. It is also impossible to estimate how many quilts she made, or supervised, that were donated to humanitarian aid efforts. Royden and Alene have found their greatest joy in their growing family. They are rightly proud that they and their posterity (including in-laws) now number 101 souls. Her devoted Royden, with whom she has been equally and lovingly yoked for 67 years, has attended to her faithfully in her decline. Having Alene as our mother and nurturer has been the formative blessing in each of our lives. As we wave a fond farewell to our mother, we are reminded of her reliance on “Thumper’s Rule” (If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!). We remember how she showed us that the way to be happy is to do something for someone else every day. And we are confident that she is enjoying the warm embrace of her Savior, whom she knew so well and served so devotedly. See you soon, Mom. Alene is survived by all six of her children and their (spouses): Royden Clark Shurtz (Janet Christoffersen), Marsha Rae Shurtz Green (Bruce), Joseph Kelly Shurtz (Christine Jarman), Tyler Addison Shurtz (Colleen McKnight), Carolyn Shurtz Tellez (Hyrum), and Barbara Alene Shurtz Ostergaard (Todd). She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph & Mary Thompson; five of her siblings, George Adelbert Thompson, Violet Lucille Thompson (Dudley), Evelyn Thompson (Bernier), John Gordon Thompson, and Joseph Donald Thompson; and her grandson, Richard Aaron Green. Funeral Services will be held Friday, March 19th, at 11:00 am, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Edgemont 9th Ward, 4300 North Canyon Road, Provo, Utah, where a Viewing will be held prior to the funeral service from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. Interment in the Provo City Cemetery. Funeral Directors: Utah Valley Mortuary.

Alene Shurtz

January 23, 1932 - March 16, 2021

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