Maxcene Belnap Spotted Elk May 16, 1946 ~ January 30, 2024

Maxcene Belnap Spotted Elk Obituary
Maxcene Belnap Spotted Elk, age 77, of Kaysville, Utah, started her journey on the Milky Way to be with her ancestors at the next camp on Tuesday, January 30th, 2024. She was born and died in Ogden, Utah. She was a resident of Blanding, Utah for 34 years (1983-2017).
She is survived by her husband, Navitt Spotted Elk, whom she married in the Salt Lake City Temple in 1971; her siblings: Kenneth (Claudia) of Livingston, Montana, and Luwen (Autie) of Farr West. She is also survived by her six children: Eric (Desiree) of Layton; Lamar (Susana) of Taylorsville; Gwendolyn (Pete) of Layton; Sheldon (Tleena) of Denver, Colorado; Jared (Robin) of Layton; and Spencer (Michelle) of Blanding. She also leaves behind 27 grandchildren, who were all her favorites, and her beloved chihuahua, Coco. Finally, she leaves behind lots of beads, quilting material, sewing machines, and dozens of recycled sour cream tubs.
Maxcene was preceded in death by her parents Wendell and Lucille Belnap of Roy, Utah.
Our dear Mother and Grandmother grew up in a one-bedroom adobe house in Hooper, Utah, eating snap peas and tomatoes on the Belnap family farm. Her family later moved to Roy where she graduated from Weber High School in Ogden. Forever a lover of education, she continued her studies with an Associate’s from Weber State University and a bachelor’s in food science and nutrition at Brigham Young University (1971). She was the first person in her family to graduate from college.
She proudly served an LDS Church mission (1968-1969) to the Northern Indian Mission where she worked on the: Wind River Reservation; Rapid City, South Dakota; Leech Lake Reservation; and Fort Peck Indian Reservation.
Maxcene worked primarily as an office administrator at the Four Corners Care Center for over 25 years. However, she also worked as a librarian, loan officer, baker, college professor, dietary nutritionist, college and high school math tutor, crossing guard, seamstress, and medical coder.
Her real passions were sewing, beading, and creating art with her hands. She learned to sew from her mother, who taught her that “for every stitch she sewed on Sunday, she would have to pick out seven with her nose in Heaven.” She will not be doing much stitch-picking in Heaven. She created beautiful beadwork for her children’s powwow regalia and quilted blankets for people she loved. She would drop everything to patiently teach her children or grandchildren how to do any of this art.
She was an avid genealogist and developed an expertise in researching Indian families and ancestry. And she was a lover of cooking, baking, and eating delicious food.
Maxcene is our matriarch and took her last breath in a hospital room surrounded by ALL her descendants. We are grateful to all the medical professionals who helped with our mom and grandma.