Althea Whittaker

Althea Margie Harlow Whittaker passed away 2 June 2021 in Provo, Utah of causes related to age.

She was born 4 February 1927 in Mt. Shasta, California to Homer Edward Harlow (1903-1966) and Beryl Helen Eiler (1907-1998).  She lived in Mt. Shasta with her grandmother Mary Elizabeth Eiler for the first twelve years of her life, as her parents traveled quite a lot working in the real estate business. Her parents divorced and her mother’s business partner took them to Alturas and Beiber, CA where they purchased a ranch and a hotel.  As a young girl she learned to play the piano and the clarinet.  She loved animals, especially cats.

She met her husband, Douglas John Whittaker (1921-2015), when he boarded at the family hotel while working for the Red River Lumber Co.  They were married 15 July 1943 in Reno, Nevada.  At the time of his death they had been married for 71 years.

Her husband’s time in the military and then his work in the lumber industry required her to move often, all in Northern California.  Their first real home was in New Beiber (1945-1949), then in Westwood (1949-1956), then Susanville (1956-1957), then Hilt (1957-1961), then Yreka (1961-1992).   She loved making a home for her husband and children and developed a great love for sewing.   Following his retirement, they moved to Provo, Utah in 1992, where she lived until her death.

She was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 1951 and was sealed to her husband in the Salt Lake Utah Temple in 1953.  Most of her closest and life-long friends grew out of her church activity and service.  She served in the Primary, Mutual and Relief Society, being called to be a leader in each organization.  She also supported her husband in his work and various church callings.

She is survived by four children:  David Jay (Linda) of Orem, UT, Cathy Gay DuBois of Tulsa, OK, Darren Jay (Jean) of Provo, UT, and Lezle Kay Aspelund of Provo, UT.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas John Whittaker (2015) and two daughters:  Karen Dawn (1944-45), and Lorrie Lynn (1956).  She has 13 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 8, 2021, at 11 a.m. in the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary Chapel located at 495 South State Street, Orem, Utah.

Interment will be in Eastlawn Memorial Hills. Condolences for family may be left on this page.

For those unable to attend in person, service can be watched at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/873653062670488/videos/310087623938405