Velda May (Boothe) Pace, a loving wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma and great-great grandma, passed away on February 2, 2022, at the age of 92.
On September 18, 1929, Velda was born in Delta, Utah, to Calvin Harmon and Christina Marie Christiansen Boothe. She lived in Sugarville, Utah on the family farm with her 12 siblings. Mom always talked about how she didn’t like to be one of the youngest because by the time it was her turn to take a bath, the water wasn’t the cleanest.
At 13 years old, she moved from Sugarville to Delta. She lived in an apartment above Dr. Bird’s house. She worked for Dr. Bird to help with room and board and attended Delta High School. Mom loved high school. She was a cheerleader and participated on the track team. She had a lot of friends, and she kept those same friends throughout her life.
After graduation, mom moved to California and lived with her sister, Shirley, to work and maybe have some fun. After her adventures in California, she moved back to Delta and met her husband, Carl Marion Pace. Velda and Carl married on March 4, 1950. They were then sealed in the Manti LDS Temple on February 2, 1957. What a great anniversary gift for mom and dad to be together again in heaven on February 2, 2022.
Besides having six kids throughout the early years of their marriage, Velda worked as a nurse assistant, bookkeeper, and farmhand. Mom could do it all. She then started her teaching pathway as the Millard County Daycare Center Director for disabled youth for over nine years. This was a blessing for her and our family. Those kids always loved “Pace,” taking the time to ride their bikes and horses out to the farm during the summers. In fact, one of her students, Marion Jeffery, visited mom at the Legacy Assisted Living Center in South Ogden just a couple of years ago.
During that time, Mom also traveled weekly to Cedar City to attend college classes at night and during summer break. She graduated from Southern Utah State University in 1975. This degree allowed her to start teaching at the middle school until she retired. But after a year of retirement, and many phone calls from the principal asking her to come back, mom decided to work for a couple more years. She so enjoyed her time as a teacher. She loved the kids and the relationships she had with her co-workers. It meant so much to her.
Mom always said she had needed to discipline (with a fly swatter in hand) since dad had such a soft heart. You didn’t want to mess with mom. As a wife, mother, grandmother, or aunt, she loved each of us unconditionally. She was always there to help us when we needed it or give us advice whether we wanted to hear it or not. Mom loved her family and made each of them feel special in their own way.
Velda enjoyed sewing, quilting, cooking, canning, four-wheeling, watching NCIS and traveling the world with her family. She also had great faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served many callings over the years, such as the ward relief society president and stake young women’s president.
Velda was predeceased by her husband: Carl Marion Pace; her two sons: Steven Carl Pace and Jay Evan Pace; and two granddaughters: Carly Traue and Nerissa Pace. She is survived by her four daughters: Karen Bennett (Ted), Colleen Traue (Bill), Joan Dutson (Steve), Connie Cruz (Felix), 23 grandchildren, 45 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. She is also survived by her sister, Carolyn Lawrence.
Friends and family may pay their respects at a Graveside Service at the Delta Cemetery on Thursday, February 10 at 12:00 noon. Luncheon to follow at the Delta LDS Stake Center, 125 S. White Sage Ave, Delta. We will celebrate Velda’s life by inviting everyone to share their fond memories (a microphone will be available).
The family thanks the staff at Legacy House of Ogden and Inspiration Home Health and Hospice for taking such special care of our mom. They treated her like a Queen.