Shirley Stratton

January 10, 1923 - November 5, 2014

Shirley Reber Stratton passed from this life on November 5, 2014 nearing the age of 92 due to heart failure after a life of family and service. She left this life with a full knowledge of who she is and where she is going and is now enjoying a glorious reunion with her loved ones who preceded her. Shirley was known for her energy and a joy for life until her heart just wore out. She always had a brilliant smile for everyone she met

Shirley was born in Santa Clara Ut on January 10, 1923 to Ernest & Jetta Gubler Reber. In 1925 they moved to Ivins 3 miles to the north where she was raised.

She graduated from St George high school where she was a popular and good student. While in high school she met a young boy from Kanab Utah who was attending Dixie College. Van Blaine Cutler Sr and Shirley were married in the St George Temple in 1941. To them were born two children Boni Lee & Van Blaine Jr. Shirley and Blaine lived in Pasadena Ca and St George Ut. On October 1, 1942 while flying his piper cub air plane over Ivins with a friend they crashed and both were killed. Two months later their second child Van Blaine Cutler Jr was born.

In mid-1945 Shirley met Elton Stratton of Hurricane Utah who had just returned from the war in Europe after serving for 4 years in the Army Air Corps. They were married in January 1946 and lived for a short time in Santa Clara Ut. After a few months Elton was offered a job at the Social Security and Employment office in Cedar City.

Their first home in Cedar was on 500 W and in 1952 they built a new home on 600 W in Cedar where they lived the remaining years of their lives.

Their family consisted of 7 children. In addition to Boni Lee Cutler Webster ( Deward, deceased) and Van Blaine Cutler (Judy) were born Shirley Dianne Stratton Gubler (Joe), Elton Roger Stratton (Penny), Monty Cornelius Stratton (Carla), Jo Lynn Stratton Holt (Kent), Michael Lane Stratton (Sheryl).They are blessed with 27 grandchildren, 51 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.

She is survived by her 7 children, grandchildren and three siblings Jack Reber, Ivins, Janice Oyler, Cedar and Sandra Miller. St George. She is preceded in death by her parents, brother Kendle and sister Kathleen Wilkins.

Elton died in 2007 at the age of 90 after working his entire career at the employment security and Job Service office retiring in 1977. Shirley worked as a librarian for several years at the Cedar City public Library after Elton Retired.

Shirley's life was filled with service to her family and her church. She was a loving and always up beat person, she was a wonderful cook and home maker, she could do anything including painting their house. She loved to garden and can the fruits of her labors. She loved to quilt and do genealogy and she was always the organizer of family events, she was very musical and from the early age of 10 years she led the music in church meetings, she directed the ward choir until her early 80's. She served in the Young Women's and the Relief Society serving as the Relief Society President at the age of 75. In their later lives Shirley and Elton served together in the St George Temple.

Shirley had an unwavering testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of the Saviors atonement that makes it possible for all of us to return to our Father in Heaven. After Elton's death in 2007 Shirley continued to live in their home in which she took great pride. She had the opportunity to travel much with family to Japan, Hawaii, Canada, Alaska, Europe, and Mexico and throughout the United States visiting family and on special US and Church history trips. Her life was always about her family and she realized how important they were to her and eternity.

She was a great daughter of our Father in Heaven, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to all who knew her. She has truly lived a wonderful life and now moves on to her next estate having fulfilled her second estate and earthly life with a great testimony of the plan of salvation. She will be missed for now by all but we know we will see her again before too long. Today we say "go and prepare a place for us for we will be with you again soon". We'll love you forever Dear Mother.

A viewing will be held Friday Nov 14, 6-8 PM at the So Utah Mortuary and 9:30-10:30 AM Saturday Nov 15 at the LDS church 500 W 400 N in Cedar City. The funeral will follow at 11:00PM.Flowers and condolences can be sent to the So Utah Mortuary, 300 West and 200 N, Cedar City Utah 84720