12600 South 2200 West
Riverton, UT 84065 Utah 84065

JoAnn McPhie

January 19, 1938 - January 23, 2015


JoAnn McPhie passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on Friday, January 23, 2015 at 10:31 a.m. in her home with her daughter DeAnn and her son Edward at her side as she had requested. Born to George and Bertes Hatt in Bingham Canyon, January 19, 1938. One of ten children and a ten year career at Wal Mart her life was filled with family and friends that will cherish the memories she has left us with. JoAnn is survived by: Daughter, DeAnn Fairbourn (Kevin) and Son, Edward McPhie (Desiree) Siblings: Larry, Elaine, Edith and Suzy, her 10 grandchildren, Michael, Christopher, Jenifer, Coltin, Kyle, Aimee, Destinee, Jimmie, Krissy and Austin and also by her 8 great grandchildren, Michael, Alyvia, Tristan, Madison, Kayla, Jada and Little Zachary and Trey, who regrettably were not born in time to have met this wonderful woman.
I say regrettably, mostly in thought to the two little ones who are unable to experience the grandma that the rest of us were so very lucky to have enjoyed. I grieve deeply for my/our loss, but in reflection, find myself grieving even more for the loss that will be shared by that of my children and all of the other great grandchildren that help make up her legacy. You see, grandma was not the stereotypical type of grandma who baked cookies and cakes, made pot roasts and cooked up elaborate meals. She didn’t spend much time behind a sewing needle nor did she spend any time in a bingo hall.
She had a slightly different take on things. She had Domino’s pizza on speed dial and she knew right where the Oreo and Pepsi isles were in every store in the immediate area. We needed those cookies and Pepsi. How else were we going to stay up all night playing Nintendo when we were supposed to be in bed? She liked basketball, football and hockey. She especially liked the fights that routinely occurred during hockey games, and even more than that, she like that her grandson plays hockey. She was the one who snuck you out of bed and let you watch the scary movies you weren’t supposed to watch. She almost mastered the art of denial whenever we got caught. Grandma was like a mom, but with more frosting.
Grandma also had some hidden talents. For example, grandma was a fantastic makeup artist. If you’ve ever spent any time around grandma, you know that she could quickly put blush on anyone’s face. No one learned this better than the doctors who cared for her during her treatment. Any doctor who entered the room that grandma deemed “good-looking” did not leave the room wondering what she was thinking. She did not mince words or pull any punches. I can guarantee that nowhere in any of their extensive medical training were any of them properly prepared for grandma. No matter how terrible the news was that the doctors walked into the room with, we always walked out giggling at the blushing doctor, fumbling his medical chart scurrying down the hall trying to digest what just happened. I would give anything to be able to read the various doctors notes on her charts.
Although I grieve that the great grandkids will not be able to share in some of the same experiences with grandma that we did, she made sure that none of them would miss out by providing them with the next best and closest thing to herself that she could, their grandmother, my mother, and for that, I will be eternally grateful.
On behalf of grandma and our family, we would like to encourage people to support and donate to the Huntsman Cancer Institute, so that this amazing hospital may continue to provide the same nurturing, loving and invaluable care to others that they so diligently provided to grandma and our family. Our family would also like to express our gratitude to all the people who are Gentiva Hospice. We can never adequately thank them for the skill, compassion, love and tears the shared with our family and comfort that grandma found in their care.
Services will be held at Broomhead Funeral Home 12600 So. 2200 W. Riverton, UT on Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at 11:00 AM. There will be a viewing on Tuesday, January 27 from 6-8 as well as on Wednesday one hour prior to services.

JoAnn's Guestbook


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