Aug. 19, 1938 – July 5, 2021
Gladys Judene Dalebout Wixom passed away peacefully on July 5, 2021 at the age of 82. She was born Aug. 19, 1938 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Alma H. and Gladys Tripp Dalebout.
Aside from a brief period in Seattle, Washington, she spent her childhood living on Dearborn Street in Sugarhouse, south of Salt Lake City. She graduated from South High School and was soon introduced by her cousin to Hartt P. Wixom.
She attended Brigham Young University and joined Hartt on the staff of the student newspaper, The Daily Universe. They married in 1958, raised five daughters and two sons, and were foster parents to a student from the Navajo Indian Reservation.
Judene was passionate, loyal and enthusiastic in whatever she did. She loved family history, sewing, crocheting and was a talented artist and writer. She painted hundreds of ceramic figurines as keepsakes for her posterity. She was a devoted wife to Hartt, and looked forward to returning to be with him after his death in 2017.
Her seven children, 28 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren were her pride and joy. She was active all of her life in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and had many dear friends in Salt Lake City, Holladay, Provo and Ivins in Utah, as well as Cokeville, Wyoming. She served a mission with Hartt at church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
She co-authored the book The Cokeville Miracle with Hartt, an inspiring story about the 1986 elementary school bombing in Cokeville, Wyoming. When this story became a popular movie in 2015, she was thrilled to hear it had strengthened many people.
Judene spent several years volunteering at the Cottonwood Hospital Emergency Room, and later worked for BYUSA, Brigham Young University’s student organization. While there, she received the “Brigham Award” for her many years of service.
Judene is survived by her sister Nancy Pierson Irvine (Holladay, Utah); brother, Dennis Dalebout (Salt Lake City, Utah, and Florida); children, Wendi Taylor (Las Vegas, Nevada), Julie Del Vechio (San Diego, California), Wade Wixom (Hurricane, Utah), Peggy Proffit (Ivins, Utah), Cindy Dixon (Twin Falls, Idaho), Jenny Slack (West Haven, Utah) and Kamron Wixom (Saratoga Springs, Utah).
Services will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at the Center Street LDS chapel in Ivins, Utah. Family will be available for visitation from 6-8 pm, Friday, July 30 at the same location.
Arrangements are made under the direction of Serenity Funeral Home, 110 S. Bluff Street, St. George, Utah, 435-986-2085. Friends and family are invited to sign her online guest book at serenitystg.com.