Colleen Hale Workman

1926 - 2014

1926 ~ 2014
Colleen Hale Workman was born May 30, 1926 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She passed away Tuesday evening from complications of a brain aneurysm. She worked tirelessly serving others including her husband of 63 years. Whether in church callings, missionary service, or in the hundreds of back yard barbeques along Millcreek, she cooked, cared, coddled and caressed, cajoled and comforted us with authentic motherly touches. When she was called to be young women's president for the 6th time, the girls had no idea she was 75 years old, and she never acted her age. The girls adored her for her youthful spunk and spirit. Until her passing she was vibrant, active, and energetic beyond her 88 years. She had, it always seemed to us, a rare ability to connect with people at a deeply personal level. She knew friends and family and what they were doing, where they were going, what mattered to them, their loves, their losses, their dreams and disappointments. She always knew because she took the time to know. Her children remember her as kind and tender, more of a good friend than a disciplinarian, as much a partner as a parent, more like a kindred spirit, a kid, a kidder. Grandkids think of her as carefree and casual, sitting in the middle of the creek, barefooted, playing SkipBo and beating the summer heat. Her most prominent physical features included high cheekbones and perfect teeth, which created an overwhelming sense that she was always smiling. She loved to hear a good joke but was pathetic at telling them. She loved to laugh, sing duets with Sterling, play off-key piano songs and never, ever, seemed to show sadness, despair, discouragement. It can be said that if she forgot the punch line, forgot the lyrics or was ever off key, she was never off kilter. We all knew she loved God, and we all knew she loved us. There is a single word that people used over and over to describe her. It came from friends and neighbors, family, even, on occasion, strangers. It is sparkle. Her eyes sparkled and so too her countenance. And sparkle is related to light. And Colleen was the light of our lives. She radiated light; she embodied light; she let her light shine, she enlightened us and lightened our burdens. As we celebrate her life we'll always remember her smile, her upbeat personality, her unconditional love. And her sparkle.
Colleen leaves behind her loving eternal companion Sterling, six children (spouses), 24 grandchildren, and 35 great-grandchildren. We'll have a cookout in her honor and we'll be down at the stream with heavy hearts, good food, and our feet in the water. Children: Jill (Mark) Hurst; Jolene (Reed) Hurst; David (Eileen) Workman; Dennis (Sherri) Workman; Scott (Moana) Workman; Jeff (Julie) Workman.
Funeral services will be held at the Valley View 4th Ward Chapel, 2125 Evergreen Ave (3435 So.) Salt Lake City, Utah on Monday June 23rd, at noon. Viewing prior to services at 10:45-11:45 a.m. and the evening prior, Sunday June 22, 5-7 pm at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City. Interment in Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.
For tributes go to: dignitymemorial.com