Deloris Stokes
April 29, 1919 — January 10, 2016
TREMONTON – Deloris Leo Stokes, 96, of Bothwell, Utah, died peacefully, Jan. 10, 2016.
He was born April 29, 1919, in Bothwell, the son of James Leo and Mable Nina Anderson Stokes. He married Eleda Vee Smith Sept. 10, 1943, in the Logan LDS Temple. He was the oldest of 4 sons, Owen, Thayne and Jack.
He loved his family, his church, his ranch and his turkeys. He spoke of his years of service in the Southern States Mission with reverence and pride. He was a member of the Bothwell Ward his entire life and served as Bishop. He served as the Second Counselor in the South Bear River Stake Presidency for 17 ½ years.
From 1983 to 1986 he served as President of the North Carolina Raleigh Mission, where he and Sister Stokes loved and cherished their missionaries. Together, Deloris and Eleda Vee served as second counselor and assistant Matron in the Logan LDS Temple and as Directors of the Oakland Temple Visitors Center.
Deloris loved the Bear River Valley and enjoyed serving the community. He loved to fundraise for worthy projects such as bringing natural gas to Bothwell, Boy Scouts of America, three Bear River Valley Hospitals, Peterson Park, Utah State University College of Agriculture, Utah Turkey Show and the 4-H and FFA Turkey Processing Plant. He was an avid supporter of youth and enjoyed participating in the junior livestock auction of the Box Elder County Fair and the Utah Turkey Show auction. Deloris was easily identified in the community by his distinctive Stetson fedora, which he wore religiously.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife Eleda Vee.
He is survived by three daughters, Paula Vee (Don) Kerr, Woodland; Cameron (Stanley) Palmer, Providence; Gaye (Scott) Wheatley, Oakton, Va.; his three sons Dell Stokes, Los Angeles, Calif.; Reed Stokes, Bothwell; Spencer (Mary) Stokes, Ogden; 15 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and his brother Jack.
Our thanks to the caregivers of Our House Assisted Living and Intermountain Homecare & Hospice and our lifetime family friend Mavis Tolman Merrill.
Friends and family may visit Friday, Jan. 15, from 6-8 p.m., at Rogers & Taylor Funeral Home, located at 111 N. 100 E. A graveside service will be held Saturday, Jan. 16, at 11 a.m., at the Bothwell Valley View Cemetery.
For flowers to be enjoyed annually, donations may be made to the Deloris and Eleda Vee Smith Stokes Ornamental Grass & Iris Garden at the Utah State University Botanical Center. usu.edu/stokesirisgarden