Vanetta G. Wilson

Our dear sweet Vanetta, beloved wife, mother, sister, friend and business leader, passed away peacefully in her sleep from heart failure Thursday, November 28, 2013, in Rio Verde, Arizona.

Vanetta was born to Jay Preston Griggs and Joan Chesbro Griggs on August 7, 1963, the youngest of three children, affectionately called "the Griggs Kids." She was welcomed home by her family and their adopted "Grandma Wray." Vanetta married the love of her life, Kent L. Wilson, on April 24, 1995, in Phoenix.

Her greatest dream was to be a mother. Through divine intervention, soon after her own mother returned to heaven, and against all physical odds, an angel was sent to bless Kent and Vanetta named Paul Chesbro Wilson. Their family was now complete. Vanetta and Paul had a very close special mother/son bond that was nurtured with family activities, attending church, baseball, basketball, piano and prayer.

She loved to fish, trap shoot, garden, and most of all loved being with her family serving meals and playing games. She loved learning and studying the scriptures.

Vanetta taught her family and friends charity. She had a sunny, positive disposition and wore her many burdens lightly. Vanetta lived every day with compassion for others. The opportunity to serve was her greatest priority and joy.

Her Monday passion was serving at the Idaho Falls Area Humanitarian Center. Working there gave her a "high" for the week and connected her to so many community projects and people who loved service as much as she did.

She was active in family history and spent many hours in the LDS Temple. She was the CEO of Chesbro Music Co. and was passionate about carrying on the company legacy as the fourth generation of the family music business.

Vanetta was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and currently served as Relief Society President, and she was a faithful visiting teacher who loved to care for those in her church family.

She was invited to be a member of Rotary International after her mother's passing in 1999. She had served on the Board of Directors and was organizing a Rotary project to assist recent victims in the Philippines.

She was a very competitive golfer. Her stepfather, Dr. John Thomas, was so proud of her when she would play golf using the men's tees and proceed to beat the entire men's team. Her father, Jay, was a golf professional and taught Vanetta from a very young age. Vanetta also played tennis competitively, and even played family card games with great joy, laughter and fun.

Vanetta enjoyed travel, including trips to China to hunt, South Africa, Germany, Japan and trips to fish in Alaska. Recently she traveled with her family to Palmyra, New York, to visit historical sites and then to Cooperstown, New York, for Paul to participate in a baseball tournament. What joy Vanetta and Kent experienced when their only son had the first home run for his team.

Vanetta attended schools in Idaho Falls and graduated with high honors at age 16 from Skyline High School. She attended BYU, Cal Polytechnic University, and graduated in the top 2 percent of her class from Idaho State University with a bachelor's degree in business finance.

Our dear, sweet wife, mom, sister and friend has finished her turn on Earth, and her legacy of service and love will live on through her husband, son, family and business. She was a warm, gracious lady and will leave a hole in our hearts. We will miss your constant smile and the twinkle in your eyes. All of our love, forever, Vanetta.

Vanetta is survived by her husband, Kent L. Wilson; brother Scott Chesbro Griggs; sister, Tana Jane Stahn and husband Dan Stahn; stepsister, Dr. Kristine Thomas; her in-laws, Stanton and Carol Wilson; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Sean and Annette Tomlinson and Brett and Julie Wilson; and nieces, JennieLee (Ryan) Parkinson, Holly (Brock) Burkman, Blake Tomlinson and Laurel Tomlinson.

She was preceded in death by both parents.

A public viewing will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, December 6, at Wood Funeral Home, 273 N. Ridge Ave. The family will not be present. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 7, at the Idaho Falls South Stake Center, 2051 S. Emerson Ave. Please join the family at an open house from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday following services at the Jeanine and Kade Shelley residence, 5973 S. View Ave. in Idaho Falls, for a celebration of life. Private burial will take place in Idaho Falls.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Idaho Falls Humanitarian Center or Idaho Falls Rotary Club. We appreciate the overwhelming support and love that has been shown to the family.

Online condolences can be made at www.woodfuneralhome.com.

Family Tribute