Vicki Pauline Adams Westover

Vicki Pauline Adams Westover

March 14, 1950 - April 16, 2024

Written by her beloved sister and best friend, Heather Marrott

The gracious, loving soul of Vicki Pauline Adams Westover peacefully left this earth-bound life for a place called heaven on April 16, 2024. She was sweetly tucked into bed surrounded by many of her precious children as they sang a beautiful hymn to her, one last lullaby. She was truly immersed in the affection of her family and surrounded by some of her most favorite things; their voices in music, a view of the spring cherry tree blossoms outside her bedroom window, the aroma of flowers lovingly sent by friends and family, and being there at the base of the majestic Timpanogos mountain range, where she was born and raised.

Vicki was born on March 14, 1950 in Provo, Utah to John and Louise Adams. She spent her childhood learning to find the good, be respectful, work hard, create a little fun and share her sunshine in the theater of intense parental hardness and life on a twelve acre farm. She soon welcomed two little sisters, two years in a row. I came in 1951 and Jonene in 1953. Two years later a bouncing baby boy, Kyle, was born. He was the king of the roost and we toddled over him day and night. In like manner, two new little sisters were welcomed. Ellie in 1957 and Lori in 1959. Then a last little caboose, Todd, chugged along in 1964, just three years before Vicki went off to the BYU dorms for college. Vicki was a caring, responsible, fun-loving big sister.

Growing up in Orem, Utah, Vicki was smart, spoke her mind with confidence and a twinkle in her eyes that spread over her entire face. She was our family’s cow milker, lawn mower and bread baker, turning out twelve loaves every Saturday morning. She’d turn on the radio most times mom and dad left the house and could tear it up dancing around the kitchen. She’d swing our refrigerator door open and they would dance together just like for reals. She learned to sew, embroider, play the piano and organ, roller-skate like a derby queen and climb trees so high she’d touch the sky. When we picked cherries, she’d out-pick the immigrant workers with six and even seven lugs to weigh in at the end of the day. That’s an unbelievable 350 plus pounds! Dad bought us a Mustang and from that day on it was pedal to the metal and pretty much every ride with her was race car quality with all the squeals and thrills imaginable. In her secluded farm life, she planted seedlings that really bloomed in her senior year of high school. She served in student government on the Executive Council as Business Manager, on the Spirit Committee, in the Girls Athletic Association, sang in the Girls Concert Choir and she was voted The Friendliest Girl of her Senior Class! Not surprising to anyone who knows her. ;)

She was deadpan serious about living life to the fullest as she went off to Brigham Young University. A darling little fancy pants with plenty of passion and snap to her persuasions. She had the cutest drive inside her determined little self that overstepped all limitations and wow! She overflowed with enthusiasm. She wanted to stay in student government, so she ran for Freshman Class Secretary and served as Secretary to the Student Vice President of Sports Activities. She tried out for Miss Orem and the BYU Flag Twirler Team with her dazzling, unforgettable smile. She was selected into the most prestigious Women's Sorority at BYU, Chi Trielas and was their quarterback for the Annual Sorority Powder Puff Football playoffs. That girl could throw a football and place it right in the pocket. We lived together as roommates with complete and utter, unabashed, cheerful exuberance. She was the “wind beneath my wings.” We laughed and giggled more than anyone had a right to. We worked hard, played hard and lived life with our cups running over as sisters. She was beautiful, smart and the prettiest face of BYU working at the Information Desk in the Wilkinson Student Union Building. She spread her awesome sauce on everything she did and everywhere she went. Determined and delighted, she improved every shining moment. It was at that Information Desk where she met Bruce Westover, in May of 1970. He was smitten and with his notions of sweethearting her, they were married by February 6, 1971 in the Mesa Temple.

She was whisked off to Chicago, where Bruce was fully engaged in dental school at Northwestern University. Vicki worked part time jobs and tipped her toes into motherhood with her first precious baby boy, John, in 1972. Then a darling little girl, Leah, came in 1974, one month before they left Lakeshore Drive, Chicago with Bruce, now a Naval Officer. He graduated in May of 1974 and was assigned to the Great Lakes, Illinois Naval Base. Another sweet baby girl, Anna was born there, two months before they were assigned to the Subic Bay Naval base in the Philippines. They added one little Philippines-born baby, while stationed there for three years, adorable Filipina Julia. They returned to the States in 1978 with Bruce as a Lieutenant Commander and Vicki expecting new baby Joseph in her tummy. They moved to Yuma Arizona where three little baby boys were born like stairsteps two years apart. First Joseph, then Joshua, and Jared. Vicki was swinging on a trapeze catching and carrying these seven darling children to and from all of life’s activities, in and out of all their school and foundational family and spiritual learning. She was like a magical school bus mother scattering sunshine, living in the light of the Lord, thumping her foot every twice in a while, loving life and her children. It was here that Bruce retired from active duty and entered the Naval Reserves. From Yuma they moved to Peachtree City, Georgia in 1983 where she danced with the fireflies and experienced her first home birth with the arrival of handsome little baby Jacob boy. Georgia was a short stay because Vicki’s heart was too far away from family there. Bruce heartily agreed and they found a home in Cornville, Arizona in 1986. It was near Bruce’s dear parents and several of his wonderful siblings. Her heart came to be filled with love for them and from them. They spent treasured time together and grew close in friendship and love. This is where Vicki really grew roots and Bruce opened his first private dental practice. Vicki filled her home with the music of her soul and oh so much love.

Disaster fell a few months later when this amazing family of eight children lost their home to a fire, caused by faulty fireplace engineering. Miraculously, nothing but the house. They had each other. Vicki dusted them off and guided them to their faith and love for each other, their talents, passions, blessings and hope. They stepped boldly back into life realizing happiness is a lot more than just worldly possessions. They moved into a new home on Equestrian Way in Cornville where Vicki’s second home birth was blessed with beautiful little Rebekah, delivered by Bruce and assisted by Leah, Anna and Julia in 1988. Unbelievably, a second home fire took flame from a roaster oven’s crumpled cord. Once again their earthly links to things of the earth was broken. But it didn’t break them. Optimistically, Vicki went forward with her impossibly positive and joyfully bright personality that once again, righted itself. In the recovery process, she lived under less than desirable circumstances but did not yield to a beaten down spirit, though there was suffering. Vicki remained feisty and fierce, purposeful and faithful. She was here on a journey to improve herself and everyone around her, if possible, and she gave needed encouragement and love to her beloved family. She willingly gave the Savior all her trust, her prayers and humility and received His strength and peace of mind. She was a stalwart support for Bruce as she loved him and as he continued to practice dentistry in Cottonwood. Seven months later, Vicki gave birth to two gorgeous little twins girls, Sarah and Tarah in 1990. They slowly rebuilt their Equestrian Way home and in 1994 the excitement and joy of a twelfth child was born, their beautiful baby boy, Jordan.

This is when life began coming full circle with missions, marriages, backyard wedding receptions, grandbabies, Eagle Courts of Honor, college, graduations, and such joyful hustle and bustle blooming everywhere in their Garden of Eden picturesque backyard! Those days were always remembered with precious gratitude and thanksgiving by this beloved, dear, cherished mother and wife. Vicki sewed nearly every baptism dress for her daughters and granddaughters. She reached out and gathered numberless people to serve with a home-cooked meal, and delivered half a dozen kindnesses every week to someone somewhere that needed a bouquet of fresh flowers, a loaf of bread or a bowl of hot soup. She served in unnumbered and varied church callings that filled her heart with joy. One of her very favorites was working and playing the organ in the Mesa and Provo temples.

She loved doing April Fool’s pranks like lavishing Vaseline on inside bathroom doorknobs and making special brownies that made your urine turn blue. She was such the classy dame showing up with darling, fun, frilly dresses and beaded shoes “just to wear around the house” because that’s how adorable and endearing Vicki was. She was all about window shopping the fancy jewelry counters in Costco and forever would get so excited about a new toy or activity she’d found for her grandchildren. Her children loved how stinking cute she was. Both her children and grandchildren were constantly in wonder about the mystery of how she could make each one of them feel so very special.

Unfortunately, in 2001 a third house fire devastated their lives on a Sunday morning. They recovered everything that was really important and of eternal value. They again rebuilt this home that was so dear to the heart of Vicki and Bruce and every child they’d nurtured and given wings to fly there. They have so many sweet memories of laying on the trampoline watching a thousand stars that shined so bright in the sky of their small town Cornville, melting into the colors of so many sunsets, being lost on adventures of catching insects and reptiles, target shooting, go-cart riding, playing mini soccer and football games in the backyard, hiding and finding so many Easter eggs and baskets. It was their very own little Cornville oasis in the middle of the Arizona desert.

Vicki raised a whole gaggle of hooligans. Every one of her precious scallywags is a fun loving, outstanding, incredibly awesome individual. Times that by twelve. It’s remarkable. A large part of that is because everything Vicki undertook turned into glory just from the sheer energy, dedication, crazy delight and love she put into it. She pushed through her heartaches, turned life’s storms and tears into liquid sunshine and above all she cherished her marriage and her covenants with her sweetheart, Bruce. Her love for him grew as she served him tirelessly with her gentle, sweet care.

In May of 2018 Bruce and Vicki sold the dental practice in Cottonwood, Arizona. In May of 2019 they sold their amazing home that was so dearly loved and filled with treasured memories, the hardships and the absolute cherished joy of this dear woman’s heart. They moved to Orem, Utah and kept her green thumb and kept planting gardens, nourishing them and watching them flourish with delicious vegetables and glorious flowers each year and sharing the harvest with everyone. In January of 2023 they were called and served full-time in the Orem Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was her dream come true. She was so giddy and excited for her turn to finally experience the MTC and mission after sending ten of her twelve children to different parts of the world on their missions. Vicki always talked about the blessings and miracles she experienced not just on her mission but in her life. Ever since she was a child she trusted in her Savior and dedicated herself to Him. She was continuously spiritually guided, blessed and held in His loving arms.

Tragically, Vicki was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer on February 11, 2024, just three weeks after being honorably released from her mission. She blessed and tenderly cared for Bruce through his declining health and hers. His sweet love and concern for her was freely expressed and such a joy to witness. Right to the end she gave us a thing that we could have never imagined. She gave us more life than we thought we could know with her wonder and awe, her bright, talented, giving, happy spirit. She never stopped relearning things she already thought she knew. She’d make you laugh a lot. Sometimes she’d say, “Hey, What’s up Kemosabe?” and the next time around she’d say, “Wait! Who told you you could be Tonto. I’ve got this!”

Think of Vicki like the last big blast of fireworks in the 4th of July sky when it's filled with those distinctive amazing bursts of bright fiery lights that takes your breath away! Or imagine thousands of balloons of every color under the rainbow being let go all at once filling the sky with overwhelming excitement, anticipation and joy … that is Vicki! She is a songbird. She carried a song that will never be quieted or forgotten. It will always run deep in the river of our lives and our sweetest memories of her. Although cancer crushed her lungs and her loved ones hearts, it can never claim or diminish her spirit or her love. Vicki was, is, and ever will be filled with love and peace in her Savior, Jesus Christ; such a legacy to wrap her dear loved ones in for all eternity. We love her. She is already so very missed and so deeply loved. This dear, precious woman, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, friend and angel left us, homeward bound to the God she loved, one sweet month after her 74th birthday. I, for one, know everyone who was blessed and lucky enough to know our girl Vicki will never forget her and will bask in her glorious song, her rejoicing and the love she left for us until we meet again.

This precious woman loved and left behind her husband Bruce, and her twelve children, John (Jocelyn), Leah (Jason), Anna (Sid), Julia (Coltin), Joseph (Lisa), Joshua (Katie), Jared, Jacob (Rebekah), Rebekah, Sarah, Tarah (Bryn), Jordan (Jessica), 36 grandchildren, almost six great grandchildren, her siblings Heather (Dwayne), Jonene (Steve), (NaDine), Ellie (Dave), Lori (John), and Todd (Becky), along with many dear family members and amazing dear friends that she loved deeply throughout her life. She will be greeted by her parents, John and Louise Adams, her brother, Kyle Adams and a nephew, Kolby Marrott along with precious grandparents and relatives that love her dearly.

*A public viewing will be held at Sundberg Mortuary 495 S State St, Orem, UT 84058 on Friday, April 26, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on April 27, 2024, at 225 East 200 North Orem, UT. A livestream will also be available for those unable to make it in person.

*Vicki requested that this be a celebration of her life. Please wear bright spring colors. Also, in lieu of flowers, go take your family out for one of Vicki’s favorite treats; a rootbeer freeze.


Condolences for the family may be expressed on this page.


For those who will be unable to attend the services, they will be streamed starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, 2024 via Facebook Live at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/sundbergolpinfuneralhome/videos/776649451101826