Our loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt, Gayle Nance Burr, 77,
passed away unexpectedly in her sleep the morning of November 28, 2020. Gayle had been in Utah for Thanksgiving when her daughter, Sharon, was admitted to the ICU in Murray on Tuesday, November 24, 2020 with complications due to Covid-19. On the evening of November 28, 2020, Sharon slipped peacefully into the next life and was greeted in the arms of her loving mother.
Gayle was born May 24, 1943 in Murray, Utah, the oldest child of Alice Godfrey and Wesley Nance. She married Bryan Delos Burr on November 1, 1963 when they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity. After Bryan graduated from the University of Utah in 1967, they moved to Southern California and later to Lodi, California where they lived for 30 years and raised their eight children. In 2000, they moved to Utah, where they split their time between Bear Lake and Logan. In 2012, they moved to St. George, Utah. They had recently moved to Gilbert, Arizona and were building a new home. Wherever they lived, Gayle touched the lives of countless friends and neighbors with her genuine interest, unconditional love, and outgoing personality. Gayle was a talented pianist and sang with “The Joyful Sound” for 15 years while living in Lodi where she made lifelong friendships. Gayle was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served faithfully in several callings, including Relief Society President, Primary President, Advisor in Young Women, Seminary Teacher, and Temple Worker. Her favorite activity was helping others and bringing joy into their lives. She had a Christlike gift for making everyone she encountered feel special, important, and loved.
Gayle was a nurturer from birth. She spent her childhood caring for her two younger brothers, Jay and Paul. Their relationship grew into a cherished, close friendship in their adult years. As a wife, she was adoring and doting, and loved to see her husband happy. Bryan and Gayle traveled the world together. Although traveling was ultimately Bryan’s passion, Gayle just loved being with him and their friends, making memories together. Being a mother was Gayle’s life’s devotion. Gayle loved her children fiercely, and they loved her back. Every one of her eight children knew that their mother was their biggest fan. She created a strong, close relationship with each one of her children and truly spent her life in service to her family. Gayle’s nurturing only grew when she welcomed grandchildren and great-grandchildren into the family. Her greatest joy was having her family around her. She loved supporting each of them as they discovered their talents and abilities. She was there for every baptism, every graduation, and every wedding, while attending countless activities, games, and performances in between. She lit up when her children or grandchildren entered the room, showering them with hugs, praise, and love.
Gayle took time to connect with everyone in her life. She loved to talk and laugh and was genuinely interested in every person she met. One friend commented that she was “best friends with so many people.” When you were talking with Gayle, she had the ability to make you feel like nothing in her life was more important than being with you. We have also heard from countless people that she was their “second mom” and “an angel on earth.” Her compassion, service, love, and friendship knew no bounds. She loved and served everyone around her with a heart overflowing with love. Gayle is one of those people you don’t forget. Perhaps the biggest compliment about Gayle came from her niece: “When she tells you she loves you, you feel it in your soul.” Whether you called her Mom, Grandma, Friend, Cousin, or Aunt, we will all carry love for her until we meet again.
While Gayle enjoyed each one of her children, she had a unique connection with her youngest child, Sharon. Sharon was born on November 7, 1979 and completed the Burr clan. Sharon was a spunky, happy child, with a huge smile and dark curls. She was the joy of her siblings and especially her mother. Sharon loved Disney movies, family sitcoms, and listening to the “oldies.” She could often be found with headphones on. Sharon also enjoyed her many crushes on her kind Bishops over the years, especially Bishop Moyer. Sharon shared a special bond with her older sister, Suzi, and truly loved being the little sister as Suzi watched over and cared for Sharon throughout her lifetime. As Sharon grew older, the attachment with her mother intensified as they were rarely apart. Gayle was Sharon’s sun, moon, stars, and everything in between. While it is almost impossible to articulate the emptiness we feel at losing our sweet wife/mother and daughter/sister on the same day, we feel peace and comfort knowing they are together.
Gayle is survived by her adoring husband of 57 years, Bryan and her children, Jeffrey (Aimee) of Orem, Utah, Janet (Ben) Clegg of Hyde Park, Utah, Michael (Annie) of Cedar Hills, Utah, Bradley (Jennifer) of Lehi, Utah, Gregory (Emily) of Heber, Utah, John of Draper, Utah, and Suzi who lived with her parents, 30 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, her brothers, and countless nieces, nephews, and friends.
Viewing for Gayle and Sharon will be held on Thursday, December 3, 2020 from 6-8 pm and again on Friday, December 4 from 10-10:45 am, both held at Jenkins Soffe Mortuary (4760 S. State St. in Murray). Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 4, 2020 at 11:00 am at Jenkins Soffe Mortuary (4760 S. State St.). Masks and socially distancing are required. For those not attending the funeral, please visit www.jenkins-soffe.com to access the link to watch the funeral virtually. Interment will be in the Elysian Burial Gardens Cemetery (1075 East 4580 South, Millcreek, UT).
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