July 20, 1936-March 23, 2023
Effie Flinders Ottley, beloved wife, mother, grandma, sister, and friend, passed away on March 23, 2023, following a stroke at the age of 86. She passed at her home in St George, Utah, surrounded by her family. Effie was born July 20, 1936, in Clinton, Utah to Clarence and Zella Flinders. She married DeLoy Ottley on Sept. 16, 1955, in the Salt Lake City Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Effie was the first of eleven children born to Clarence and Zella Flinders. She attended primary schools in Davis County, Utah and graduated from Davis High school in 1954. That same year, she moved to Ogden to work for her uncle and to attend classes at Weber State College. During this time, she returned home to visit her parents. She went to church with them, and it was there that she met a young man that had just returned from military duty in Korea. A few months later, the two of them were married and would spend the next nearly 68 years together. They lived in several places including Clearfield and Layton and finally settled in St George, Utah, to live in a home that DeLoy and Effie had built to live in after both had retired from the Davis School District.
While employed by the Davis School District, Effie worked in the school lunch program and rose to become the head of the district’s school lunch program. She was an excellent cook both at work and at home. She enjoyed her work and was promoted to the position she held through hard work and dedication.
In addition to working for the School District, Effie also worked for the IRS and for the Seminary and Institute Program of the Church as a secretary at the Clearfield High School Seminary.
During her marriage to DeLoy, Effie gave birth to six children four sons and two daughters. She became the grandmother to 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. She loved her children and grandchildren and enjoyed having them visit. She was a kind and caring person. She loved special occasions and would send cards and gifts to everyone for their birthdays and every holiday. She learned to decorate cakes and would also make birthday cakes for everyone until the last few years when it became too difficult for her to do this.
Effie, with her husband, loved to attend the temple. When they had little children, they diligently set aside time to attend a couple of times each month. After moving to St George, they would attend weekly, sometimes more than once a week, until it became too difficult for her to attend due to mobility issues that she had.
Effie loved to travel in their motorhome. With her husband, they traveled all over the US and Canada, including several trips to Alaska to visit their daughter and her family.
She is survived by her husband DeLoy and their six children Ron (Cindy) of Providence, Utah; Allen (Leslie) of North Salt Lake, Utah; Linda Shriver (Dennis) of Orem, Utah; Kathy Robinson of Kirkland, Washington; Jay (Cathy) of Roy, Utah; and Dee of Burley, Idaho; brothers Leon (Brenda) of Grove City, Ohio; Ray (Sherry) of West Weber, Utah; Reed (Sharon) of Clinton, Utah; Milton (Adele) of West Point, Utah; Dale of Salt Lake City, Utah; Carl (Debra) of Bear River City, Utah; and sister Ann Williams (Lenny) of West Point, Utah; in addition to 14 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. Effie was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Clarence and George, one sister Thelma and one great-grandson, Maverick Shriver.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 8, at 1 p.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 259 North Mall Drive, St George, Utah. Interment was to be at the Elba Grandview Cemetery in Elba, Idaho, on March 30. Effie will be deeply missed by her friends and especially her husband and her family.
Arrangements are under the care of Pine View Mortuary, 435-986-4222. Visit the Pine View Mortuary website for full obituary and funeral service listing.