LaVeda Rhodes Harvey Demarest

October 25, 1915 ~ July 31, 2010
Surrounded by her six children, our precious mother returned to her heavenly home. She was born in Price UT, the daughter of Charles Edward Rhodes and Anna Pearl Atwood Rhodes.
LaVeda spent her first six years in Ferron, UT. She loved to tell stories of how she played, and walked to school, with her aunt Ethel and cousin Lavon. She had many wonderful memories, like being five years old when her parents took their children in a covered wagon from Ferron to Manti to be sealed in the LDS Temple.
LaVeda was one of the last few living people in San Juan County to have arrived in a covered wagon.
Her family homesteaded on Boulder Point, southeast of Monticello. She attended school in a one-room school house, approximately four miles from their home. Their only horse would carry two of the children part of the way where they would leave it for those walking behind them. They would all arrive at the school about the same time.
LaVeda met Tulley R. Harvey at a community dance and immediately told her best friend she was going to marry him. Their dating was done on horseback. They were married July 26, 1934 in the Manti LDS Temple. To this union, six children were born.
LaVeda was the glue that held our family together as she worked right alongside of Daddy in farming, ranching and as grocers. She was a Certified Nursing Assistant, and worked at the San Juan Hospital in Monticello.
LaVeda was a silent angel. She showed love and compassion with every person she ever met. She was the most loving, gracious and giving person. Friends and relatives frequently dropped in, as they were traveling through San Juan County, and the first thing she always said to them was; “Have you eaten and do you have a place to stay for the night?”
LaVeda was very talented; she cooked, baked, knitted, crocheted, and embroidered. She was an exceptional seamstress. She canned from her own garden and fruit trees. She always had homemade jam to send home with her loved ones.
Every one of LaVeda’s loved ones will cherish the memories of her wonderful cooking, especially the memory of her delicious homemade bread. She made beautiful handmade quilts working with even the smallest scraps of material. She never wasted anything.
LaVeda and Tulley had been married 56 years when Tulley passed away.
We are so grateful Linda Lewis introduced LaVeda to Harry A. Demarest. Three months later they were married, March 15, 1997. LaVeda was 81 and Harry 86. He blessed all our lives for the next three and a half years.
Harry joined the LDS Church. LaVeda acted as proxy when he was sealed to his first wife. They both felt God had brought them together for that purpose.
LaVeda held a variety of positions in the LDS Church until her precious body began to give out. The day she finally realized she could never return to be among her friends at church devastated her. She looked forward each Sunday to the Deacons bringing her the sacrament. She called them “Her Boys.”
LaVeda had an astute business mind and efficiently orchestrated her own finances right to the end.
LaVeda is preceded in death by her husbands Tulley R. Harvey and Harry A. Demarest, her parents, seven brothers, sister, half sister, two grandsons, granddaughter and great grandson. What a homecoming she must have had in heaven!
LaVeda is also survived by six children: Yvonna “Donna” Vigil (Jan); Nada Dyer (Albert); LaRae Black; Ronald T. Harvey (Bonnie); Margarette Argyle (Nolan); Dorothy Burns (Jack), half brother Alan S. Rhodes, stepdaughter Nancy Elliott (Gary); and sister in law Marcella Rhodes. She is also survived by 30 precious grandchildren, 82 great grandchildren and 60 great-great grandchildren. The numbers continue growing as there are at least four more babies soon to arrive.
Funeral services were held August 9, 2010 in Blanding, UT. Interment in the Blanding City Cemetery.

Card of thanks
The family of LaVeda Rhodes Harvey Demarest wishes to express their heartfelt thanks for all the many acts of kindness and love that was given to our mother.  A special thank you goes to Dr. Jones and Dr. Maughan for all the years of service they gave our mother.  We extend our sincere thanks to all the many nurses who cared for our mother.  We wish to thank the communities of both Monticello and Blanding for their wonderful acts of kindness.
Yvonna (Donna) Vigil (Jan), Nada Dyer (Albert), LaRae Black, Ron Harvey (Bonnie), Margarette Argyle (Nolan), Dorothy Burns (Jack), Nancy Elliott (Gary)