Beverly Dean Tanner

1921 - 2012

Beverly Dean Parkes Tanner was born Aug. 6, 1921, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She passed away Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012, near Logan, Utah. She was the second of four children born to Henry and Ivy Parkes.
Her life of over 91 years spanned "the worst of times and the best of times" - times of depression, times of prosperity, times of war, times of peace, and most of all, times of freedom. She had the freedom to choose her goals, her dreams and her passions, shaped by her circumstances.
She grew up in Los Angeles, Calif., and attended Bakersfield Junior College in Bakersfield, Calif. While there she met her future husband, Rex Tanner.
Before they finished school he received his orders to active duty with the Army Air Corps near Dallas, Texas. While he was preparing for overseas duty, they were married Sept. 13, 1942, and later sealed in the Mesa LDS Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
That union of over 60 years filled her first passion - to have a large family of 14 children whose names all begin with "M": Marion, Mike, Max, Marilyn, Marc, Morris, Milo, Melanie, Mel, Mace, Mont, Minta, Merle and Mathew.
After short residences in Dallas, Texas; Glendale, Calif.; Sparks, Nev.; and Carey, Idaho, they settled in Boise, Idaho, where they lived for the next 54 years. For the last nine years she lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn and Sam Jones, in Young Ward, Utah.
Her next passion grew out of the need to feed a big family - baking bread! She became a self-taught cook and baker using fresh whole milk and whole-grain wheat. She sought out machines that helped in the wheat-grinding and bread-making processes. She prepared and served great loaves of bread, rolls of every kind and peanut brittle!
Her interests and talents soon led to her next passion as a public speaker and teacher. She conducted product demonstrations and taught cooking classes. She was an early-morning Seminary teacher for 17 years, a substitute school teacher for 24 years, a motivational speaker, an entertainer and a missionary! She was well known for her enthusiasm and her ability to recite poetry!
When she reached the retirement age of 65 in 1986, she did not retire! From 65 to 84 she was a substitute school teacher and from 68 to 82 she made many guest appearances on national talk shows such as "Late Night with David Letterman," the "Wayne Brady Show" and the "Donny and Marie Show." From 70 to 71 she served with her husband as a missionary in the Germany Frankfurt Temple Mission. At 77 she published her book, "Making and Baking Memories With Bev Tanner." She was also recognized as the Gem of Idaho for her "vigor and vitality" at 77.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Willard Parkes of Fresno, Calif.; husband, Rex Tanner of Boise, Idaho; and four sons, Mel, Merle, Marc and Mace. She is survived by three daughters, Marilyn Jones (Sam) of Young Ward, Utah, Melanie Hutchinson (Keith) of Twin Falls, Idaho, and Minta Halling (Brian) of Twin Falls, Idaho; daughter-in-law, Diane Tanner of Boise, Idaho; and seven sons, Marion (Christie) of Washougal, Wash., Mike (Carleen) of Boise, Idaho, Max of Henderson, Nev., Morris (Christi) of Midway, Utah, Milo of Reno, Nev., Mont (Michelle) of Henderson, Nev., and Mathew (Jenny) of Monticello, Utah. She leaves a posterity of 14 children, 58 grandchildren and 113 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters, Kathryn Bradford of Orem, Utah, and Mary Lou Whipple of Laie, Hawaii.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Spring Creek Ward in Mt. Sterling (from Highway 89-91 go to 4800 W. 1450 South). A viewing will be held at 10 a.m. prior to services. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, in the Meridian, Idaho, Cemetery, 895 E. Franklin Road.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net.