Eda Marie Larsen Hafen, age 95, returned to her Heavenly Father on July 20, 2009, at the home of her daughter, Kaye Peterson. She loved to live and was blessed to live a long, happy and productive life. She will be missed by many who loved her laughter and pleasant smile.

Mom was born to Louis Lorenzo Larsen and Martha Birdella Anderson Larsen in Fairview , Utah , on October 2, 1913. She was the second of ten children. Though their home was small and without running water, she had a happy childhood on the farm in Fairview . When their home burned to the ground, the Larsen family moved to Idaho , where Eda enjoyed ice skating and sleigh rides in the snow.

At age 18, Eda started training to be a nurse in Logan at the Utah Agricultural College . She graduated and worked at hospitals in Idaho until the day Dr. Budge, Eda’s head doctor in training, received a call from Dr. D.A. McGregor, asking for a nurse to come down to the McGregor hospital in St. George. She came! In 1936, the population was only 2,000! Eda was asked to be a supervising nurse. She also took individual cases and helped with surgeries – $10 for a major and $5 for a minor!

Eda met H. Val Hafen and they were married February 16, 1940, in Salt Lake City . They were sealed in the St. George Temple June 19, 1940.

Eda’s life was well spent in service to others as a wonderful nurse. She cared for her own mother in her elderly years, Val’s mother, and took care of Val at home before he died in February 1984.

Eda sewed well, making hundreds of beautiful handmade items– from quilts and pillow cases to sweaters and Christmas tree ornaments, which she gave to her children and grandchildren. Always thrifty, she canned fruit and preserved figs and all kinds of produce.

Eda loved to travel and traveled to many places in the world. She loved to sing, still singing the hymns in church at 95 years! Eda enjoyed going to literary clubs, being with her many friends, and was honored to be chosen an Orchid Lady.

She loved to go to the rodeo. With Val a member of the St. George Lions, she never missed a rodeo in 52 years, except the year she had heart surgery!

Eda was active in her LDS ward. She wrote her own personal history with beautiful memories and detail. She had deep convictions about the four C’s, which she learned in her youth: Character, Charity, Chastity, and Courage.

Eda is survived by her children, H. Val (Marje), Steven (Ilene), and Kaye; step-daughter, Ramona Davies (daughters, Claudia (Cecil deceased) Gates, Helen ( Wayne deceased) Whitehead, Janice Whitehead and Wayne’s wife); 17 grandchildren and 59 great-grandchildren; and her baby sister, Aunt Joye.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Monday, July 27, 2009, at the St. George Main Street LDS Chapel, 166 S. Main. There will be a viewing at Spilsbury Mortuary from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Sunday evening, July 26, and Monday, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will take place in the St. George City Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank Aunt Kaye Peterson and all the loving helpers of Utah Hospice Specialists, who became like part of the family.

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