(1932 — September 7, 2014)
Joye Ann Dransfield passed away peacefully in her St. George home, surrounded by children and her husband of 61 years, on Sunday, September 7, 2014, after having been diagnosed with ovarian cancer only ten days prior. She is survived by husband Howard E. Dransfield and her six children (Mark, Holly, David, Nancy, Scott, and Eric) with their respective families.
Joye Ann will be lovingly remembered foremost as a devoted wife and mother. Her marriage to Howard fulfilled the very ideal of a true union: they planned and counselled together, led and taught their children together, and had a great deal of fun together. She was very close with each of her children and held a very meaningful role in each of their lives. She was also a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held many leadership callings, and served two full-time missions to South Africa with her husband. Many will always associate Joye Ann with a life of selfless service, not only rendered to family and congregation, but to those who were overlooked, friendless, in need of a compassionate touch.
She was born in Ogden, Utah, in 1932, to Milton Hegsted and Mary Eames Shurtleff, parents of Scandinavian, English, and colonial American descent with a pioneer heritage. Growing up in an outdoor setting she learned to love the outdoors and had a lifelong love for birds, wildlife, and the beauties of the natural world. She also had a passion for music and was an accomplished pianist. She passed much of her enthusiasm on to her children.
Joye Ann and Howard were married in 1953, and together they were fortunate to see much of the world together, as Howard, an executive with Mobil Oil Corporation, held management positions in various cities on the west and east coasts, including Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Besides this, Howard and Joye Ann traveled worldwide, and lived for a time in Wiesbaden, Germany. Among all these travels and residences, South Africa was probably the most precious to Joye Ann, as she fell in love with the people she served, as well as the natural world of Africa.
Funeral Services
- Funeral services will be on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 11 a.m., at the Green Valley Stake Center, 511 South Valley View, St. George, Utah.
- Viewings will be held on Friday, Sept. 12, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 South Bluff Street, St. George, Utah, and on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to services at the Stake Center.
- Interment will take place in the Tonaquint Cemetery.
Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, telephone 435-673-2454. Friends and family are invited to sign her guestbook at the Spilsbury Mortuary website.