Ellen Ranae Kinyon

Ellen Ranae Preston Kinyon, 90, of Mapleton Utah passed away peacefully on December 13th, 2025 in Spanish Fork, Utah. She was born to loving parents John and Vera (Snow) Preston in Sunnyside, Utah. She was the fourth of seven children.

Ellen was born on her favorite holiday, Easter, on April 21, 1935. As said by Ellen herself, she and her siblings got along very well, and they were a very close family. They spent many summer evenings playing games like Kick the Can and Run Sheepy Run. She and her sisters enjoyed singing together. They sang at weddings, banquets, funerals, on local radio and T.V. and won several talent shows and awards for their beautiful music.

While living in Sunnyside, Ellen met her high school sweetheart and future husband of 69 years, Louis Darrell Kinyon. They married at Ellen’s family home on April 10th, 1953, and later were sealed for all eternity in the Manti temple on their anniversary in 1964, and had four wonderful children.

There were many hobbies and passions for Ellen, including oil painting, crocheting, cross stitching, embroidery, and motorcycle riding with her sweetheart. Another passion of Ellen’s was camping at the family property in Argyle Canyon. While camping, she loved going on walks with her grandchildren to the cowboy cabin or the raspberry patch and playing games. She especially loved spending time with her family, getting together for holidays and any other time they could get together.

Many people were influenced by Ellen’s deep and heartfelt testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and dedication to family. She served in many capacities for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including as a young women’s leader, den mother, pianist, and organist. She especially loved her calling as a temple organist at the Provo and Payson temples. Ellen loved her Savior, and her example of steadfastness and spiritual strength is an inspiration to her family and many others.

Ellen is preceded in death by her husband Louis Darrell Kinyon, parents John and Vera Preston, her sisters Ruth Sandall, Betty Jean Preston, Sharron Guymon, and her brother Johnny Preston. She is survived by her two sisters Estella Hobbs and Faye Eller, her four children Darrell Kinyon, Doug Kinyon (Arlee), Terry Kinyon, and Kelly Haines (Bradford), 12 grandchildren, and 35 great grandchildren.

As a family, we would like to extend our greatest appreciation to Poppy’s Place and Legacy House for their loving and compassionate care for our mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 19th, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Mapleton White Church located at 31 W Maple Street, Mapleton, Utah.

A viewing for family and friends will be held the night before on Thursday, December 18th from 6-8 p.m. at Wheeler-Sundberg Funeral Home located at 82 West 400 North in Mapleton, and Friday just prior to the funeral service from 10-10:30 a.m. at the church.

Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.