Verdena Seamons Dunkley

Verdena Seamons Dunkley (86), passed away Friday, March 16th, in Pocatello, Idaho.  She was born in Logan, Utah to Gladys Halcyon Daines and Wilford Royce Seamons of Preston Idaho, June 2nd, 1931.  She married Dayle Walker Dunkley on May 1st, 1953 in the LDS Logan Temple.

She is survived by her sister Leatrice Buttars of Logan UT, her brothers Ronald DeVar (Betty) Seamons of Honeyville, UT; Blaine LaVere (Justine) Seamons of N Ogden, UT; a sister-in-law, Venna Harrison of Samamish WA;  her 8 children, daughters, Roxanne (Bruce) Petrell of St George, UT; Marchelle (Chad) Sellers of Pocatello, ID; Mirashon (Tom) Bonds of Coppell, TX; Tessa (Mitch) Mason, of Waikoloa, Hawaii; Nanette (Paul) Clark of Soledad, CA; Tonya Ryan of Glendora, CA; sons, Tanyon Dayle (Kari) Dunkley of Claremont, CA; and Joseph Dayle (Jennifer) Dunkley of Provo, UT; 26 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. in the Highland Pocatello Stake Center, 2140 Satterfield Dr, Pocatello, ID. Interment will take place at 3:30 that same day in the Whitney Cemetery, Whitney, ID.

There will be a viewing Friday March 23, 2018 from 6 to 8 pm at the Manning-Wheatley Funeral Chapel located at 510 N 12th Ave, Pocatello, Idaho.  Also a time to visit at the Whitney Chapel (close to the cemetery) is planned at 4 pm, March 24.

Verdena grew up in Preston with two younger brothers, four sisters and two brothers before her.  She learned to sing, dance, play the piano, worked with a dress maker, and always was cheerful, friendly and outgoing.  Activity in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a big part of her everyday life, including dance festivals.  Eventually she married her return missionary and high school sweetheart.  After eight sweet children were born, whom she adored, they moved to Glendora, CA in 1966.  Verdena previously worked at JC Penney which continued in California.  She especially enjoyed working for Aerojet, Employee Welfare and Recreation, and became a member of the Magic Kingdom club.  Some of her favorite times was often taking family and friends to Disneyland, who awarded Verdena with a Silver Pass and Key to the Magic Kingdom.  She also enjoyed working at Ellsworth Stationers and again gained many more close friends in a wide area.  Verdena served in Relief Society, teaching the children an example of service and love.  She and Dayle also served as officiators in the Los Angeles LDS Temple for 18 years.  They sang together at gatherings, as Verdena still had a beautiful Alto voice, and enjoyed full participation in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Music gave a wonderful tone and vibrancy to life.  Their most important work, Verdena would always say, was learning to help and love each of their dear children in any way they could and strengthen their desire to return to Heavenly Father, all of them.  She loved children, and would take any opportunity to tell you about her growing family, when they were born, their weight, their hair color, any event relative to the present discussion.  Verdena’s family was the center of their lives.  She could sew a matching set of pretty dresses from repurposed material and was persuasive to help each child enjoy music. Moving to Pocatello in 2008 gave them a new realm of friendships and opportunities to enjoy this brief mortal life.  Activity in the 5th and 12th wards and the many fun people there, gave Verdena much joy and purpose.  She appreciated the many friends who would visit with and watch out for her, often on her walks around the much extended neighborhood.  She loved to help and tried to share happiness every day.

Special thanks to the Highland 12th and 5th wards for their special friendship and care she so much enjoyed, and also the tender care at Ashley Manor these past 18 months.  If inclined, Verdena would appreciate donations to the LDS missionary or humanitarian fund, in lieu of beautiful flowers she also enjoyed.  Also see http://www.pocatellofuneral.com/listings