(June 12, 1918—October 9, 2014)
Bette Lu Spilsbury, age 96, passed away on October 9, 2014, at her home in Hurricane, Utah.
She was born on June 12, 1918, in St. George, Utah, to George Harmon and Maude Miles Seegmiller. Bette grew up in St. George always appreciating her pioneer heritage. She was educated in the local schools and completed a Master’s Degree in Costume Design at Woodbury College in Los Angeles, California. She married LeGrande Spilsbury, February 14, 1940, in the St. George LDS Temple. She and LeGrande lived in Salt Lake City, Cedar City, Toquerville, and St. George where they began a life serving in the funeral business.
She was always involved in church, school, and community, Bette was a charter member of the St. George Alice Louise Reynolds and the Red Hills Reviewers book clubs. Both were active in the Kiwanis and Elks clubs. She participated in parades, church callings, dramatics, garden club shows, all kinds of crafts, doll-making, fund raisers, and sewing.
Bette loved learning and took all kinds of Dixie College and community classes. She excelled in all forms of art. Taking classes at Dixie College continuously for over 52 years and accumulating 494 credit hours, she took her last art class in 2012.
She and LeGrande served a mission to San Diego, California in 1979-80. She returned to be an ordinance worker in the St. George temple for 31 years until 2013. She was a wonderful woman who gave support and encouragement to all she could. She was always sharing her home with family and made everyone feel welcome.
She is survived by daughters, Rebecca Titine (James Wendell) Bayles of St. George, Utah, Victoria (Lamar) Ballard of Hurricane, Utah, Tanya Jo (Clark) Graff of Kolob Mountain and Beaver Dam, Arizona; a son, Edward A. (Vivian) Spilsbury of St. George, Utah; sister, Teddy Sue (Bart) Graff of St. George, Utah; thirty two grandchildren, ninety four great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. Bette was loved by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Maude Seegmiller; husband, LeGrande Spilsbury; sons, Steven Michael and Peter Jon; daughter, Susan Francis; siblings, Frances, Ruby and Jimmy.
Funeral Services
- Funeral services will be Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 11 a.m. in the Spilsbury Mortuary Chapel, 110 South Bluff St., St. George, Utah.
- A viewing will be held on Monday, Oct. 13 from 6-8 p.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary and on Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to services.
- Interment will be in the Spilsbury Family Cemetery on the Spilsbury Family Ranch, Kolob, Utah.
Family and friends are invited to sign her guest book at the Spilsbury Mortuary website.