Renee Gassman

Renee Ruth
Jones Gassman
1930 ~ 2012
Renee Ruth Jones Gassman, loving parent, teacher, and longtime resident of Orem, passed away January 8, 2012.
She was born September 4, 1930, in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, to John William and Ruth Monsen Jones. Her childhood was spent in Mt. Pleasant, where she attended school, graduating from North Sanpete High School. She then enrolled at Snow College in Ephraim, where she was active in music and theater and where she met and dated Byron Gassman.
Upon graduation from Snow, she attended Brigham Young University, completing a bachelor's degree in home economics education. She began her teaching career at Gunnison Valley High School and Tooele High School.
After several years of courtship, Renee and Byron were married September 3, 1955, in the Manti Temple. Shortly thereafter, they left for Chicago, where Byron enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Chicago. There she helped support her husband by frequently substitute teaching throughout Chicago's public schools. Later, she taught adult education sewing classes. While they were in Chicago, their first two children were born.
After Byron graduated with his PhD, they and their young family moved back to Utah, where Byron accepted a teaching position at BYU. They eventually settled in Orem and welcomed five additional children into their family.
Renee was happiest raising her children. She also loved to sew and spent many satisfying hours creating intricate sewing projects. Professionally, she taught part-time in the Clothing and Textiles Department at BYU for a few years and finished her career teaching home economics at Orem Junior High School.
All her life she was a dedicated worker in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many callings, including Relief Society president, stake Young Women secretary, and stake missionary. She was a strong believer in missionary work; she and Byron served an education mission to Ningbo, China, from 1997 to 1999. She also helped support four sons and two daughters on missions as well as five grandsons. In her later years, she and Byron served as ushers on Temple Square and as temple workers in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years and her seven children: Ruth (Chris) Boswell, Bruce (Pamela), Kent (Melinda), Deon (Jeffrey) Leavy, Jay (Tammy), Paul (Amy), and Heidi (Chris) Yates. She is also survived by 30 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 14, at 10 a.m. at the Sunset Heights 4th Ward, 500 South, 600 West, Orem. Friends may call Friday, January 13, from 6-8 p.m. at Sundberg Olpin Mortuary, 495 South State, Orem, and Saturday at 9 a.m. prior to the funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the LDS General Missionary Fund. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.SundbergOlpinMortuary.com.