Loretta Peden

February 26, 1933 - July 2, 2014

Loretta Mary Peden, 81, passed away peacefully July 2, 2014, in Pleasant Grove, Utah, after battling Alzheimer's for many years. Loretta was born on February 26, 1933, in Alamosa, Colorado. She was the oldest of two living children, for Frank Edward Peden and Elma Ebel (a son, Daniel Lee, died at birth). Her younger brother, Walter Lee, came almost four years later, and they were best of friends. Her family moved to Southern California when Loretta was nine years old. They eventually settled in Lynwood, California. In 1950, she married Delbert E. “Gene” Browne, and during their marriage they were blessed with two children, Philip Alan Browne and Constance “Coni” Danette Browne (Manwill). When Loretta and Gene's marriage ended, she moved to Minnesota and then Missouri. She married two more times, but these marriages also dissolved and she remained happily single ever since. Eventually, she moved to Utah and worked hard to buy and pay off her own home in West Valley City, Utah and later in Pilger, Nebraska. She was very proud of this accomplishment. She loved working in her yard doing landscape projects and gardening and had the most beautiful looking yard in her neighborhood. She also loved dogs and enjoyed their company throughout her life. She loved to share her talents, both musical and artistic. She was a talented musician sometimes composing her own pieces and often volunteered her time to play the piano, guitar and organ at ward activities, local nursing homes and work parties and even taught guitar lessons at the local community college. Loretta always loved the simple things in life and captured it well in her art. Her own home was adorned by her nature-inspired oil paintings that are now displayed lovingly in her children's, grandchildren's and friends homes. Her art is a reminder to them of the love that she has shared with so many. Loretta was a free spirit and had a passion for the outdoors, people and animals. While living in Utah, she spent several years as a volunteer docent at the Hogle Zoo, taking children and groups on tours, and using her artistic abilities to create a life-size replica of a California Condor to hang in one of their displays. In 1986, she fulfilled a lifelong dream and visited Zimbabwe. Some of her granchildren's favorite stories involved the adventures she had there, including a time when she was almost stampeded by an elephant while trying to keep a hippo from tipping over her canoe into crocodile infested waters. Loretta had a deep and abiding love and faith in her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and had several personal miracles in her life. Loretta was preceded in death by her brothers, parents and a granddaughter, Dawn Truman. She is survived by her two children and their spouses, Phil and Barb Browne of Pilger, Nebraska, and Coni and Lane Manwill of Pleasant Grove, Utah, seven grandchildren – Traci (Steven) Ollinger, Lemoore, CA; Michelle (Spencer) Tavares, Augusta, GA; Nichole (Troy) Cook, Spanish Fork, UT; Dannielle (Mike) Mugleston, St. George, UT; Robert (Daniele) Manwill, West Valley City, UT; Brandon Manwill and Karleigh Manwill both in Pleasant Grove, UT. She was also blessed with 13 great-grandchildren with one more on the way. We will always remember her for her easy laugh, quick wit, hard work ethic and loving nature. Graveside Services will be held Wednesday, October 29th, at 11:00 am,at Pleasant Grove City Cemetery, 600 North 100 West, Pleasant Grove, Utah. In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in Loretta Peden's name may be directed to: Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th fl., New York, NY 10001