Dec. 1, 1941-Oct. 13, 2023
LaVerle Turnbow Hansen, age 81, passed away Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, leaving behind cherished memories and a legacy of love and faith.
LaVerle was born on Dec. 1, 1941, in Coalville, Utah, to Mary LaVerle Wagstaff and John Ivan Turnbow. She was the first of four children and eldest grandchild on the Wagstaff line. LaVerle was raised in Kamas, Utah. She enjoyed being a part of the band and choir at South Summit High School. After graduating, she attended the University of Utah for a semester.
On April 5, 1962, she and Nyle LeRoy Hansen were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple. In their early years together, they lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, followed by Ashton, Idaho, and then returned to SLC to raise their five children. LaVerle spent a few years living in Cottonwood, Arizona, while helping to build a travel agency. In 1995, Nyle and LaVerle moved to the St. George area, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
LaVerle was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She served faithfully in many callings, including Young Women’s organization, sports programs and ward historian. She enjoyed doing family history work and had a wealth of knowledge and information about both her and Nyle’s families.
She was involved in the community, serving as president of the Holiday Lady Lions Club and as a member of Utah Women of Travel. She and Nyle were in a bowling league in Salt Lake for many years. They enjoyed attending BYU football and basketball games with friends.
At age 11, she found her passion for travel with her first train ride to Idaho Falls. Her adventurous spirit took her to numerous places including Mexico, Israel, Greece, Peru and Singapore; she experienced different cultures and created lasting memories. It led to a career in the travel industry, as she worked alongside Nyle building their insurance agencies. She instilled this love for traveling in her descendants through many road trips across the United States, cruises on the oceans and flying (airplane or broomstick) throughout the world.
She was preceded in death by her husband Nyle Hansen, daughter Nyla Miller, son Steven Hansen, her parents and her brother Steven (Colleen) Turnbow. LaVerle is survived by her loving family, including her daughters Julie (Scott) Reiter, Leslie (Matthew) Taylor-Mecham, Amity John and her sisters Opal (Mike) Scott and Kathy (Terrell) Brooksby.
Her legacy continues through her grandchildren including Jeremy Cluff, Lany Hancock, Beau Christensen, Jessica Beatty, Aalira Taylor, Justin Taylor, Lynne Bankhead, Alyasia John and Samantha John, and numerous great-grandchildren, who were a source of great joy and pride in her life.
LaVerle is remembered as a wise, strong, independent woman with a love of travel and a giant heart.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Panorama Ward Chapel, 259 N Mall Drive, St. George, Utah. Visitation with friends and family will be held prior to the service from noon-12:45 p.m.
Since LaVerle did not like being cold, she told the family that they could not bury her during the winter, so her remains will be buried next to her husband at the Marion Cemetery sometime during the warmer part of 2024.
Family and friends are invited to share tributes online. Arrangements and memorial tree planting by Serenity Funeral Home of Southern Utah, 435-986-9100.