Ila June Farnes

Ila June Farnes, born Ila June Johnson on February 27, 1934 in Pleasant Grove, Utah passed away quietly in her sleep, the morning of April 29th in Chubbuck, Idaho among family and loved ones. She was the loving wife of and the eternal companion to Elden Elmo Farnes for nearly 63 years while in this life and joins him now forever in the next. Together they raised six children: Elman Scott Farnes, Connie June Farnes Yarger, John Elden Farnes, Karma Ann Farnes Johnson, James Calvin Farnes, and Mary Heather Farnes Gonzalez. She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Elden; by her daughter, Connie and Connie's late husband, Shane Yarger; by Scott's late wife, Cecelia Stratton Farnes, and by all her progenitors, siblings and their spouses, save one, Ralph Hinckley, 95, of Salt Lake, Utah.

She is also grandmother to 19 grandchildren and is preceded in death by one grandson, Jason Yarger. She is great-grandmother to 31 great-grandchildren and is preceded in death by one, Joshua Winters.

Ila June, as a child was "everyone's little sister" and loved by all. She was the daughter of the infamous, "Ma Johnson," who was wanted for harboring children and feeding them treats! Her stubbornness, tenacity, fierce loyalty, individualism and independence were character traits inherited from her mother.

She and her family were no strangers to loss and grief. She lost her father in 1937 to skin cancer at the tender age of three. Throughout life she didn't remember her Dad. She did remember her younger brother Edwin, however, who died in a drowning accident when she was ten. And also the tragedy of her older brother Marvin's death when she was 16. She describes her mother's grief "as so great, she nearly died herself that day." She had a fear of water, as you can imagine, and never learned to swim. This was ironic as she spent her life with Elden who was an avid lover of water sports. She often was force to face that primal fear.

Ila June attended Pleasant Grove Highschool, graduating in 1952. In 1954 she was introduced by her cousin to Elden, the love of her life, originally from Idaho Falls but then living in Salt Lake City. He worked as a welder in a factory in Salt Lake. He was a hard working man of many skills. He fixed cars and machinery, built houses and repaired boats. He could build anything out of steel. He enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, boating, and skiing. She would later find that he was a family man, a great provider who always worked hard and gave of himself to others. When he played, she and the kids went, too. They were married on May 2, 1955 in Lehi, Utah. They were later sealed together and to their living children, October 1966 in the Salt Lake City Temple. As Elden was a provider for her, she was a provider for him. She described her profession as "housewife". Her job was 24/7. Often a thankless job, she prepared breakfast every morning, packed the lunches for midday, and promptly presented the evening meal for family dinner every day. She did laundry, mended clothes, sewed new ones, mended wounds, and simply hugged away the tears. She was THE MOM. She contributed continuously to the good of the world in a quiet, calm but steady way. She was always there, no accolades or ceremonies. She was the queen in her little world.

She was active member of the LDS church her entire life. At Relief Society quilting events, she quilted more inches, or tied more ties, than anyone else. She fulfilled her callings, attended the temple, was sealed to her family. In later years, she lived with her children as she became elderly but remained devoted to her husband 'til his death. She's been widowed these last seven years. She was loved by all and will be missed as she joins her beloved mate for eternity on the other side. May God always be with them!

Final services will be held at the LDS Chubbuck 2nd Ward, 4775 Hawthorne Road, Saturday May 4, 2024, with viewing and family prayer at 10:00am, funeral service at 11:00am. Interment and graveside service will follow on Monday, May 6, 2024 at 1:00pm at the Pleasant Grove, Utah City Cemetery, 500 N 100 W.

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