Margaret Church Callister, age 100, passed away in Delta, February 14, 2015. She was the oldest resident in Delta, 1978 Utah Mother of the Year and exemplary member of the LDS Church.
Margaret was born March 30, 1914 in Panguitch, Utah to George Newman Church and Sarah Jane Shakespear Church. She was the second daughter in a family of 9 boys and 3 girls. She has one brother, Ned - 99, and one sister, Sarah Finlinson, still living. As a child, Margaret was a beautiful sparkly little brunette, who loved to sing early in her life and remembers singing while her father chorded on the piano.
Her family lived in Panguitch, St. George, Henrieville, Abraham, Oasis and Delta Utah. They moved to the Delta area just in time for her 9th birthday. When they lived in Abraham she rode to church and school in a horse-drawn buggy. Later they used a Model T Ford.
During her teenage years, Margaret sang with groups, duets and trios, and had leads in several operettas. Some of them were “Cinderella in Flowerland,” “The Pioneer Papoose”and “Rosalie”. She was in the Deseret Stake Singing Mothers and enjoyed singing duets with her sister Deona Black. Margaret loved spending time with her family and brothers and sisters. This often included trips to the Manti Temple.
Margaret Church and Joseph Lathel Callister were married April 9, 1931. Their first home in South Tract had two rooms. There was no running water or a bathroom. A few years later after Lathel’s father’s death, they moved across the field into his larger home. They raised their 16 children (9 boys, 7 girls) there. When her large family was at home she bottled 1,000 quarts of vegetables and fruits during the summer and baked nine loaves of bread twice a week. Electricity first came to their farm home in 1946 and an indoor bathroom in 1951, the same year their fourteenth and fifteenth children, Pamela and Patricia, were born. In 1986 Margaret’s husband had a serious accident on the farm, which left him unable to walk by himself. She cared for him at home until his death in 1992.
Her posterity, including in-laws, has reached 512. Her family counts 131 LDS missionaries including Margaret and her late husband J. Lathel Callister. All of her children attended college with eleven receiving bachelor degrees, seven master degrees and two doctorate degrees. Five sons served in the military.
When asked once what the secret to a successful family is she responded “I feel that love is a very necessary part of a family program. In our family it wasn’t just all work. We loved to play together.” Margaret always had a very positive attitude about life even during challenging times. She was kind to everyone, non-judgmental and enjoyed serving others.
She is preceded in death by her husband: J. Lathel; sons: Sheldon and Raymond; daughter-in-law: Carla (Kent); parents: George N & Sarah Church; sister: Deona Black; brothers: George, Grant, Jim, Wally, Ray, Melvin and Dwight Church.
Margaret is survived by her children: Maralyn (Fernard) Wood, Robert (Sandra), Chloeen (Mark) Bybee, Katherine (Martin - deceased) Wistisen, JoAnn (Doug) Miles, Neuman (Judy), Lyndon (Susan), Kent (Suzanne), Jerry (Susan), Von (Maureen), Neil (Julie), Pamela (James) Wheeler, Patricia (Darrell) Callison, Elizabeth (Tom) Zaleski; daughters-in-law: Dorothy (Sheldon), Jennie (Raymond); 81 grandchildren; 252 great grandchildren; 45 great-great grandchildren; brother: Ned Church; and sister: Sarah Finlinson.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 21, at 11:00 AM, at the Delta LDS Stake Center, 125 South White Sage Ave. Viewings will be Friday evening, 6:30-8:00 PM, at the Nickle Mortuary; and Saturday at the church, 9:30-10:40 AM, prior to the service. Burial will be at the Delta City Cemetery.