Vera Bartholomew Stokes Boswell

Our wonderful mother, sister, and grandmother passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning, April 18, 2012.



Vera Bartholomew Stokes Boswell of Springville, Utah was born December 31, 1923 in Fayette, Utah being the seventh child of 13 born to Floyd Bartholomew and Pearl Larsen. She was raised in Fayette and Springville in very humble circumstances. They were taught to have faith and to rely on the Lord.



The family moved to Springville while Vera was in grade school. Most of her schooling was obtained in Springville, where she graduated from Springville High School in 1939 as a proud Red Devil.



As a child she was taught the art of berry picking; picking strawberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, etc. The value of hard work had been instilled in her by her mother and she in turn taught her four children these same strong work ethics.



Vera was a senior in high school when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. She was allowed to leave school early her senior year of high school to work at the Remington Arms Plant in Salt Lake City. In 1943 she joined the military where she served in the U.S. Navy WAVES division. She served as a nurse in the Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. This is where she gained her love for nursing.



She married John W. Stokes and had four children with him. They were later divorced. She raised her four beautiful children as a single mother, giving them all that she could. She was employed at the Springville Medical Center as head nurse for 25 years in an effort to support her family.



She married Joseph L. Boswell in 1970 in the Manti LDS Temple and they enjoyed 35 happy years of marriage together.



Her hobbies included: square dancing, gardening, fishing, sewing, quilting, painting, writing poetry, cooking and canning. She quilted many quilts for the humanitarian services. She loved baking and delivering her home-made goods. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and her home was adorned with a trimmed tree in every room.



She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holding various callings. She was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She has a strong testimony of the gospel and is proud of her pioneer heritage. Of all these wonderful gifts and qualities the greatest ones were her example of hard work and charity.



Vera is survived by her children: John David (Margaret) Stokes of Crescent City, California; Kathleen (David) Palfreyman of Boise, Idaho; Richard (Ann) Stokes of Springville; Robert Stokes of Springville and Kathy Stokes of Eagle Mountain; Kent (Sandy) Boswell of Mapleton; and Jack (Kate) Boswell of Mapleton; 27 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; a sister, Miriam Mitchell of Springville, and 2 brothers, Owen (Jackie) Bartholomew of Tacoma, Washington and Dan (Lois) Bartholomew of Springville. She is preceded in death by her parents, 5 brothers and 4 sisters.



Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 23, 2012 at 11 a.m. in the LDS Chapel at 55 North Main in Springville. There will be a viewing held Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Wheeler Mortuary, 211 E. 200 S., Springville and Monday at the church from 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. prior to the services. Interment will be in the Springville Evergreen Cemetery.



The family would like to extend a special thanks to the Reid's Park Place in Springville where she resided for her last three years and received much loving care.



Condolences may be sent at www.wheelermortuary.com