Mavis Bastian

Mavis (Glenna Mavis Taylor Bastian) progressed from this earthly realm to the heavenly one, on 14 December 2023. While her frail body slept peacefully, she quietly and somewhat reluctantly moved on. She was surrounded by at least two dozen earthly family members and a myriad of heavenly immortals.

She was born in Salina, Utah on 17 June 1933, and spent her younger years in the Sevier County area, including Aurora and Vermillion. As a young girl, she moved around a bit with her family and spent a short while in Ruth, Nevada, which is no longer accessible, even with GPS. Most of her and Verl’s adult years were spent in California, Washington, and Providence, North Ogden, and Plain City, Utah, where they developed many, many lifelong friends. God bless those of you who helped take care of Mom, her yard, and moving her garbage to the street. As her body went downhill, many of you friends and grandchildren stepped up and helped carry her load.

She married Verl in the Manti Temple on 5 July 1952. He was serving in the Air Force at the time, came home for the weekend to get married, and departed for Japan two weeks later. They were always together and traveled the world side by side. She lived nearly 14 years alone, after he went to heaven, during the most difficult time of her life, and missed Dad dearly during those last few years. She did her best to manage her life and the house, in Plain City, after Dad’s passing.

Like everyone who has lived nearly a century, she was involved in many things and developed many talents during this mortal sojourn.

Mavis was a master seamstress, cook, and loved to serve others. Many people brought their clothes, wedding gowns, and blankets to Mom for repair. She canned everything from green beans, peaches, strawberries, to pears and carrots. She even made her own soap. (The children hated the soap, as it made the basement smell)

Whatever was needed to be done to care for her family, she did it. She made quilts, hooded bath towels for grandchildren, and crocheted many things for many people. She also donated home-made items to charity until her arthritis took over and she had to hang up her quilting. She taught her family to be hard workers through her own example. She trained hundreds of people in self-reliance and food storage and was featured in a couple newspaper articles.

In their later years, she and Dad became die-hard Utah Jazz fans. She loved putting puzzles together, cooking for family and friends, and lit right up whenever grandchildren and/or great-grandchildren popped in for a visit.

She loved to garden and encouraged/required us kids to learn the same skill. She was a singer, a chorister, and choir director forever. She even learned how to operate an iPhone and iPad, albeit somewhat begrudgingly, with significant nudging, encouragement, and even yelling.

Her faith, family, and friends were her treasures. She believed fervently in God, The Plan of Salvation, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She held many positions and callings throughout her life. Perhaps her favorite was working in the Temple with Dad. Even though she could not attend anymore, she made sure she departed this life with a current Temple Recommend; a couple months ago, she invited her Bishop and Stake President to her Abbington apartment to render her last interview.

We are who we evolve into at the end of our lives, and Mavis epitomized this axiom. She tried her best to effectuate the principles of the Savior’s Atonement in her public and private life. Through her actions, her beliefs, and her words, she perpetuated Jesus’ teachings wherever she went. She was a testament to eternal principles, doctrinal truisms, and earthly commandments. Like all of us, she had to abide by her covenants, develop charity, and learn to repent and forgive. The pathway to godhood is fractally identical for all mortals in every era.

As many of you know, Mom could be irritatingly spunky, yet she loved and adored her family.  She was incessantly stubborn, but ultimately forgiving. Though she was extraordinarily independent, she surrounded herself with friends.  Those who knew her best either wanted to spank her or love her.  Some of us must sadly say goodbye for now, while others are enthusiastically saying hello.

Those of us on this side of the veil are delighted and euphoric she has finally moved to a more serene, peaceful, and pain-free existence. We will miss you, will try to emulate you, and will carry on your legacy. We love you.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Verl J. Bastian, son Rick Bastian, grandchildren; Travis Bastian, and Desiree Bastian, great-granddaughter Shyla Sol Ward, parents Glen and Novella Taylor, and four siblings. 

Mavis is survived by Kayelynn Bastian (Rick’s Wife), Daniel K. Bastian (Debbie), Regina Kay Campbell (Jeff), Kenneth J. Bastian (Karen), Jerold Dee Bastian (Kelley), and Randall G. Bastian (Michelle), also a plethora of grandchildren (29) and a gaggle of great-grandchildren (60) some in heaven and some on earth.

In lieu of flowers: Please donate to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian or Missionary Funds.

Services will be live-streamed and may be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of Mavis’ obituary page at www.lindquistmortuary.com

Funeral services will be held Wednesday 20 December 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary, 727 N. 400 E., Bountiful, Utah.  Friends may visit with family on Wednesday from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the mortuary prior to the service at the mortuary.

Interment, Aurora Cemetery, 200 W. 250 N., Aurora, Utah.

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