Leah Clare (Palmer) White

Leah Clare Palmer White, age 75, of Springville, UT and Gilbert, AZ died Thursday, May 21, 2015 at Hospice of the Valley in Gilbert, AZ of natural causes.

She was born Dec 7, 1939 in Austin, TX to Edgar Lawson Palmer and Agnes Webb, the second of two children.

She married Lemuel Thomas Burnett on Aug 30, 1957 in Raymondville, TX and they had seven children. She and Lemuel divorced in 1982. She married Lynn Carlton White on Jan 2, 1987 in the Jordan River UT LDS temple.

Leah loved, served and supported her family. She attended every possible concert, ball game, baptism, wedding, rodeo, graduation, or other important event. She remembered and celebrated every birthday of her 100+ descendants. She made each person in her life feel very special and irreplaceable.

Leah worked hard. While raising seven children she maintained a very tidy home, planted and cared for a one-acre garden, bottled food for her family, raised animals for food, volunteered at schools,  fulfilled church callings, worked as an accountant, managed a theater, sewed her children’s clothes, and still had time to make each family member feel important. After her divorce in 1982, she worked full-time as comptroller of Thomas Jewelers, attended college full-time, taught Gospel Doctrine, and never missed a family home evening with the four children who were still at home. In 1985 she received a BS in accounting from Utah State University, and then began her 13 year career as an accountant for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in  Salt Lake City, UT.

Since her baptism in 1965, Leah was a very active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She and Lynn served three missions: Temple Square, Dallas TX, and Family History Library. Her gospel passion was family history – she’ll meet many happy ancestors whose history she has discovered.

Leah is survived by her husband Lynn, her seven children: Larry (Jill) Burnett of Mesa, AZ, Lisa (Steve) Pierson of Springville, UT, Leslie (Greg) Wilson of Rexburg, ID, Laura (Greg) Dye of Springville, UT, Lawson (Kelly) Burnett of Roy, UT, Loreen (Todd) Coons of Gilbert, AZ, and Lana (Aaron) Sorensen of Riverton, WY; Lynn’s four children: David (Shauna) White of Syracuse, UT, Gwen (Ed) Adams of Springville, UT, Gaylene (Joe) Steinbach of Lincoln, NE, Tracy (Tiffany) White of Frederick, MD;  44 grandchildren; and 29great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents Edgar and Agnes, her sister Alta Reeder, her granddaughter Amberly Sorensen, and her great-grandson Brody Pierson.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 11 a.m. in the Springville 9th Ward, 878 West Center, Springville, UT. Friends and family may visit Friday, May 29, 2015 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Wheeler Mortuary, 211 East 200 South, Springville, UT or Saturday at the church from 10-10:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Historic Springville City Cemetery located at 200 West 400 South, Springville, Utah.

When you think of Leah give someone a hug, buy a friend a flower, or do an anonymous good deed; Leah would if she could. She’ll be smiling from above.