Elaine Ann Johnson Bergeson

1938 ~ 2012
Elaine Ann Johnson Bergeson, a remarkable woman, passed away relatively peacefully at her home in Provo, Utah on Sunday January 15, 2012 from causes incident to multiple and lengthy serious physical ailments. She was born June 20, 1938 in Rock Springs, Wyoming to Ann and LeRoy Johnson. She grew up in Rawlins, Wyoming, along with her brother Kendall. She learned the virtues of hard work but also the value of having fun in the outdoors where she learned to fly fish. She earned close friends while in school and had good academic habits.
In her 18th year she enrolled at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in nursing. At the start of her first year in college her father passed away, which caused her to willingly shoulder the responsibility of being a major support to her widowed mother that lasted for many years until her mother's death. She was a devoted daughter without peer.
After her graduation she met and married Scott Bergeson on September 7, 1962 in the Logan, Utah Temple. She worked for several years as a Registered Nurse at the local hospital helping to support their family while Scott completed his graduate degree. Last September they celebrated 49 years of marriage.
On January 1, 1966 Elaine gave birth to her first child, a son, which was the start of six children born within an eleven year period. This began what was to be Elaine's defining life-time occupation, that of being a mother. Initially she was not sure about motherhood, but soon knew it was the best possible thing for her. She was more than equal to the challenge and simply thrived as she learned what she needed to know in raising babies and eventually teenagers, followed by becoming a Grandmother to 20 grandchildren. Recently she read an article where three investors split earnings of $400 million between themselves. She made it a point to sit down with some of her children and inform them that she would not trade the experience she has had as a mother for all of that money. She was dead serious.
Neighbors became friends and Elaine was more than willing to become the local "nurse." It was not unusual for Elaine to be called upon in the day or at night for advice and at times to give shots or other help. If she was a good mother, she was equally skilled at becoming a good friend to a diverse body of acquaintances. She naturally possessed the virtue of service. It was second nature for her to reach out and help others. She wanted no credit or recognition for the many kind and caring deeds that filled her life. Others responded to her genuine caring nature and returned her love.
Elaine was active in her church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and willingly accepted assignments that regularly came her way and did those tasks with dedication and energy. She expected her children to respond to calls of service as she set the example. She was equally adept at teaching young women, young children or adults. She could engage with gusto in a heated water fight at one of the activities. Proper decorum was balanced with enjoyment of foolishness and fun.
She loved music and was a good pianist having learned to play as a young girl so she could accompany her father who had a fine voice. She regularly played the piano in her home. She expected each of her six children to at least learn the piano well enough to play church hymns.
She was a devoted wife and experienced at moving her family as her husband's career caused moves to Wyoming and back to Provo, to Philadelphia and back to Provo, and to Chicago and, of course, back to Provo. She said that when she first came to BYU in Utah Valley she felt like she had found a piece of heaven and loved living there most of her life except for the short excursions to the places noted above.
Elaine liked fast cars and tested their capacity all the while miraculously avoiding speeding tickets. Even so, she was a very good driver who could manage traffic while juggling her children and assorted friends in the twelve-seat Ford Van. Innumerable trips were made to athletic, dance, or music events. She volunteered for school service as a parent and simply lived a life focused on doing what needed to be done to raise her children. She was never as happy as when she was surrounded by her children and as time went on by the resulting 20 grandchildren.
Her favorite vacation for the family was house-boating on Lake Powell. She went on that type of vacation for 24 straight years. No military commander could do better in organizing all of the "stuff" needed to make the vacation on the water a success. In her later years, illnesses made those adventures at Lake Powell impractical and she complained mightily in trying to get her children to reverse their caring resistance to such a venture.
Elaine was a fine, practical cook and expected to have a full sit-down meal every evening with spouse, children and assorted neighborhood friends at the table. It didn't seem to matter to her that unannounced guests appeared for food. It is to her credit that numerous friends of her children count Elaine as their "second" mother and regularly have returned to pay her visits when they became adults with their own families.
Elaine is survived by her husband Scott, and six children and spouses, Eric (Chandra); Todd (Heidi); Paula (Rod) Young; Jill (Thad) Barkdull; Amy (Mike) Ward; and Sean as well as brother Kendall (Amayda) Johnson. She has 20 living grandchildren with three deceased grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Viewing and reception will be on Friday January 20, 2012 at Berg Mortuary, 185 East Center St., Provo, UT from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The funeral service will be at the Edgemont 8th Ward chapel on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 12:00 noon. The chapel is located at 3050 N. Mojave Lane (3050 N. 1100 E) Provo, UT. Prior to the services guests may greet the family from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. at the chapel. Online condolences may be shared at www.bergmortuary.com. An alternative to flowers may be a donation made to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City in honor of Elaine.