Linda Cluff

Linda Weight Cluff, 86, of Springville, Utah, left this mortal life March 29, 2025. She was born July 12, 1938, in Springville, Utah to Willis Alfred and Mary Jane Hogan Weight. She married Jerry Crouth Cluff on August 15, 1957, in the Salt Lake Temple. He preceded her in death on January 11, 2021.

Linda attended Grant Elementary School through 5th grade. Her class was the first 6th grade class to attend Brookside Elementary School. Early in that year she contracted Rheumatic Fever and spent most of that year with a visiting home teacher as she was confined to bed rest. The following year, she went to live with her eldest brother Robert in Southern California. The hope was that the lower altitude and mild climate would help with her recovery. Both her parents joined her in Southern California a few months later and found work and housing in Pasadena, California. She attended 7th grade at John Marshall Junior High School. A year later her health improved, and they were able to return to their home in Springville. She finished 8th and 9th grade at Springville Junior High. While in 9th grade Linda had an operation on her hip in the hope of correcting a limp that resulted from a dislocated hip at birth. It was an experimental operation that required her to be in a body cast for 6 weeks from above the waist to her toes of the left foot. Unfortunately, the procedure did not work and led to a lifetime of orthopedic problems and pain. Given her high tolerance for pain and perseverance she still led an amazing and productive life. She attended Springville High School and excelled in Art and Music and Drama. She sang in the A Capella Choir and was Choir President her Senior year. Linda and some friends sang in a trio which later became a quartet in her Senior year. They performed in many assemblies and other programs in the community. As Linda was also very artistic and creative, she was asked to make posters to advertise various school activities. Because of her talent she was often on the decoration committees for school dances. In her Senior year at SHS she was the art editor on the yearbook staff. Her drawings were published in the 1956 school annual yearbook. After graduation she attended Brigham Young University for one year where she sang with the BYU A Cappella Choir. She took a choir conducting class and learned even more about music from her mentor and teacher, who was also a relative, Newell B. Weight.

Music, Sewing and Art (with an emphasis on lettering and calligraphy) were favorite pastimes. She took piano lessons, loved to sing and could harmonize at a young age. Her mother ensured that there were numerous opportunities to sing at family reunions and other events. Her gift for directing music was utilized her entire adult life. She was often called as music director in numerous church auxiliary organizations. She was Director and song arranger for the Musettes Ladies Chorus, being a member for 48 years. During that time, she also sang and arranged the music for the Madri-Gals Quartet. Singing and directing music brought her great joy and was a huge part of her life, of which she loved every minute. Her artistic talent made her highly sought after for painting storefronts, making posters for church, school activities and civic events. She loved holidays, especially Halloween. She was known as the local witch. For years the children in her neighborhood and those who attended Grant School were treated to a happy scare each year. They looked forward to it. She hosted a party at her home every Halloween for her children, grandchildren and neighborhood. Many who visited as children would return years later with their own children to visit the famous witch. She was a legend! Linda volunteered and served with the PTA organizations while her children were in school. Once her children were all in school, she worked at the elementary school teaching arts and crafts, adding duties as a teacher’s aide in reading and math at Grant Elementary in Springville and later Rees Elementary in Spanish Fork for a total of 23 years. Her service with the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers began in 2001 and continued for the next 24 years until her death. She served as chorister for Camp Mountain View and was on the Springville/Mapleton Company Pioneer Museum Board of Directors. In 2013 she entered an original song for a Pioneer song contest. The song she wrote titled “The Old Chorister” was about her Pioneer ancestor Fredrick Weight who settled in Utah as an early pioneer. It was published in a modern-day pioneer song collection by the International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Their Pioneer Songbook was recently updated, and her song was included in the new Pioneer Songbook used by all DUP camps. She was greatly honored to have been recognized. She was well known for marking quilts for Relief Society and was hired by many to mark their personal quilts. She became a talented cake decorator, making special birthday cakes and later wedding cakes.

Linda was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at the age of 8. She has always been faithful, and had a firm testimony, living the teachings of the Gospel. She graduated from Seminary as a High School Senior. Her extensive church service included service in the Primary and Relief Society organizations as chorister, pianist, and lesson instructor. She served as a counselor in the Springville Stake Primary Presidency as well as the Springville Stake Relief Society. She served a mission with her husband Jerry Cluff for 18 months from 2002 to 2004 in the Iowa Des Moines Mission.

At the age of 15, Linda was singing with her trio of friends for the program at a wedding reception. It was there that she met the love of her life, Jerry Cluff. They dated for a year and then got engaged. Jerry left to complete his military obligation while she finished High School and attended BYU. When he returned from his tour of duty in Japan, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple. 18 months later, expecting their first child, they purchased their home in Springville, where they remained and raised their family. Linda lived there until her death 66 years later.

Linda is survived by her six children, Jerrilyn (John) Gray of St. George, Utah; Natalie (Scott) Parry of Mapleton, Utah; Kaylene (Larry) Andrew of Mapleton, Utah; Darren (Kipper) Cluff of Highland, Utah; Marsha (Cris) Crismon of Clinton, Utah; David (Jessica) Cluff of Lehi, Utah; 26 grandchildren; 41 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; grandson, Steven Gabbitas; parents and her seven siblings.

Funeral services will be held April 4, 2025, at 11:00 am in the Springville Center Street Chapel located at 355 E Center Street, Springville, Utah. A viewing for friends and family will be held Thursday evening from 6 to 8 pm at Wheeler Mortuary located at 211 East 200 South in Springville, and on Friday just prior to the service from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Springville Evergreen Cemetery.

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