Naida Hutchings

The world has truly lost an angel-a woman without guile. Naida Cram Hutchings, who dedicated her life to the service of all she met, left this earth June 20, 2014. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah November 21, 1921, the oldest of 3 children and spent her childhood in Detroit, Michigan before moving to Denver, Colorado later serving an LDS mission in the Northwestern States. This was the first of 5 full-time missions - the rest she served with her eternal companion, Donald Hutchings, who she met on her first mission. After having their first 2 children, Don and Naida accepted an "invitation" to serve a building mission for the Church in the Hawaiian Islands. After returning to the mainland and a few more kids later, they settled in Merced, California and there raised 8 children: Donnay, Mark (Mary Shelley), Butch (Debbie Anderson), Deedee (Bob) Granata, Jill (Dennis) Stubbs, Chuck (Terri Crockett), Dean (Debbie Hekking) and Elaine (Scott) Davies.

After having raised her family in California, she and Don retired to Victor, Montana for the "easy life." They soon tired of so much ease and served a mission in Baton Rouge, Lousiana. They gave up their beautiful acreage in Montana and headed off for another mission in Tampa, Florida. Shortly before entering the Missionary Training Center (as in 30 minutes before entering), they purchased a home in Provo, Utah and settled there after they completed their service in Florida. But they still had one more mission in them and, among many other callings, they served in the Provo mission office to conclude their formal missionary service.

As Naida passed through the veil she was greeted by her husband, Don; her granddaughter, Amy Glassett; her parents, Bryan & Reva Cram; her sister, Jean Cram Griner Hutchings; her in-laws, Ralph & Ethel Hutchings, Eldon Callister & Beth Hutchings Callister Bulkley, Bay & Marva Hutchings, Arden Hutchings, Pat Hutchings, Lynn Pendleton, Ron Griner, Arthur Bulkley and many others who had their existence enhanced by knowing her. Along with her children and their spouses, Naida has left behind 31 grandchildren, 53 great grandchildren, her brother, Bruce Cram, her in-laws, Gene & Jeanann Hutchings, Doris Hutchings and Mary Pendleton, and all her "add-on" children-all of whom now have a hole in their hearts.

Naida was referred to by many as "a Saint." Over the years of her life she brought many into her home and nurtured them: her own parents and her mother-in-law, widows, entire families, single young men trying to find their way in the world. All were loved and cared for as though they were her own. She had a gift for making everyone who stepped through her door feel as though they were loved. She endured numerous teen-ager parties-whether planned or spontaneous-including many a Sunday night TV & game-night with lots of waffles, cereal, sunflower seeds and stray kids.

Money was often short, but food was plentiful in Naida's house. She had an "open refrigerator" policy and didn't seem to mind all the dishes that were spawned from said policy. She made sure we had family breakfasts and family dinners almost every day. Those meals were built-in memory-makers as many occupants at the table were hungry friends coming from seminary headed to high school and returning again after school with more hungry friends. Her home was positioned optimally for the comings and goings of local Merced high schoolers.

Our never-ending love and appreciation goes out to our mother who dried our tears; cleaned our wounds; kept us fed-never letting our freezer be void of ice cream; forced us to practice piano; made sure we were at church every week; told Dad on us when we were bad; made certain Dad didn't punish us too much; welcomed both friends (mostly ours) and strangers into her home; sewed and/or mended our clothes and seemed to magically clean them at a moment's notice; held us until we slept; saved us from the monsters at night; taxied us to baseball, basketball, football, dance, singing, Arden Park Pool, school and church functions; camped with us; hiked with us; was always there for us; laughed with us and cried with us; and taught us how to love - unconditionally - all without once complaining.

A huge debt of gratitude is owed to her daughters, Donnay and Elaine, who learned to serve well from Naida and cared for her through her twilight years.

Please join us for a viewing to be held on the evening of Friday, June 27th from 6 - 8 at Sundberg-Olpin Funeral Home, 495 S. State St, Orem, UT. An additional viewing will be held the morning of Saturday, June 28th from 9:00 - 9:45 at the Grandview South Stake Center at 1122 N. Grand Ave., Provo, UT, and will be immediately followed by a funeral at 10:00.