Laurie Beck Russell

Laurie Beck Russell was born October 12th,1959 in American Fork, Utah to Larry and Joy Beck. She was the second of five daughters and grew up playing barbies with her sisters, camping with her grandparents, and finding spare change to go buy treats at the Pink Lady shop at the nearby hospital. She loved going to her grandma's house where her mom and aunts would sit and chat in the shade while all the kids played. Her family loved holidays and had many fun traditions, usually involving food, that she continued when she became a mother.
She attended American Fork High School where she participated in pep club and drill team. She graduated in 1977 and then attended Snow College, where she was a cheerleader. She met her husband Jonathan Russell in February 1983 and they both knew pretty instantaneously it was meant to be. They were married on September 8th,1983 in the Salt Lake Temple. They raised their four children in Murray, Utah and she loved watching them do the things they loved. She was their #1 supporter and did everything in her power to help them succeed. She spent many years working at The Gap in Fashion Place Mall and as a paraeducator at Liberty Elementary School. She loved her time working and cherished the friendships she made in those communities.
Laurie loved reading, shopping (for herself and for her grandkids), cooking with her daughter Jenna, watching Korean dramas, getting her morning exercise in, walking our dog Violet, riding bikes and playing cards or dominoes with her husband Jonathan, and most of all she loved spending time with her five grandkids - she couldn't get enough of them. We lovingly called her the queen of FOMO, because the gal loved to attend any and all soirées, she was a social butterfly and even started the neighborhood book club. She was always so excited to travel abroad with our family each year, a tradition started by her daughter and son-in-law, Emma and Isaac. Seeing new things and eating delicious food brought her so much happiness. This year she very joyfully exclaimed, "I am so excited to be here, I'm so lucky!" and the entire time, no matter how much walking or how hot it got, she was happy and grateful to be there.
She was diligent and determined in all that she did, especially when it came to fighting her cancer. Her son Dallin was her biggest ally in finding natural remedies to accompany her treatments at Huntsman, all of which she did with a smile, because she believed that with faith and dedication, miracles do happen. Her husband Jonathan was a dedicated caregiver, never complaining and always wanting to be by her side to support her every step of the way. He did whatever he could to make her happy and comfortable, and even as things got more difficult and the appointments more frequent over her last few months, all he wanted was to see her better, comfortable, and happy.
In her final days she often called herself "a goof" and what a goofy gal she was - she kept us laughing until the end. She was the strength that kept us all going after losing our baby brother, Collin. And somehow, after all the trials she was given, she managed to be the brightest light in every room. She radiated love, compassion, and acceptance for everyone she met. She was the definition of beauty and grace, and her example of never ending faith and trust in the Lord was what kept our family going during our hardest times.
It is difficult to comprehend that mere weeks before her health took such a sudden turn, she was up in the morning working out, traveling to St. George to watch her husband play basketball in the Senior Games, celebrating her 66th birthday and still pushing through her nightly walks. After being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in May of 2019 (only five months after losing her youngest son, Collin), we were told she had 5 years. We were blessed to keep her for nearly 7, and through it all, somehow she did it with a smile. It wasn't until the second half of this year that she developed a serious case of lymphedema, causing extreme discomfort and greatly decreasing her quality of life, leading us to later learn that her cancer had rapidly spread. She fought hard for many days, holding on until all of her children and her husband could be with her as she joined her many loved ones on the other side. We find great comfort knowing she is with her beloved Collin again.
Laurie is survived by her husband Jonathan Russell, her children Emma (Isaac) Westwood, Jenna Russell, and Dallin (Paula) Russell, her grandchildren Elliott, Ivy, Penny, Theo and Ruby Westwood, father Larry Beck, and her sisters Natalie (Kevin) Brooks, Christie (Blaine) Bateman, Tammie Larson, and Tiffanie (Jeff) Benson. She is preceded in death by her mother Joy Beck, son Collin Russell and nephew Brian Thaut.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday November 1, 2025 at 12pm at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse at 1102 S Center Street Midway, Utah 84049. A gathering of family & friends will be held from 10-11:30am prior to the funeral at the same location. Interment will follow at 3:30pm at the Murray City Cemetery 5490 S Vine St, Murray, UT 84107. Please join us to celebrate Laurie's life.
Laurie's family would like to thank her oncologist Dr. Theresa Werner, the many dedicated and loving caregivers at Huntsman Cancer Institute who cared for her throughout her cancer journey and especially those who took care of her in her final days in the Huntsman Intensive Care Unit.