Lori Thomson

1956 - 2025

Lori Whetman Thomson

July 21, 1956 – September 7, 2025

There are some people who live their lives in such a way that they leave no doubt about what matters most to them. For Lori, that was her family. It was her children. It was her grandchildren. It was every single person lucky enough to be loved by her.

Lori passed away after a very long and strenuous battle with sepsis and many other medical complications that followed. She was surrounded by family and friends that came to say their goodbyes and with her family by her bedside. She fought hard for eight long months and that fight continued until the moment she passed away.

As a notorious Ford family, we have a saying for those who have been put through difficult trials - they are "Built Ford Tough". It's a badge of honor, and if Lori hadn't already earned her "Built Ford Tough" emblem, she did it multiple times over during this battle. She fought to live for her family. She fought to stand again for her family. She fought to spend eight more precious months on this earth for her family. She was the pure definition of "Built Ford Tough".

Lori was born on July 21, 1956 in Tokyo, Japan, to Kent and Mary Whetman. She grew up in Sandy, Utah, surrounded by the love of her brothers - Mark, Roger, and Gary - and her sister, Leica. Her childhood was filled with memories of family, Mustangs, all things Ford and simple joys that would shape the way she approached life. From those early days, she carried with her a deep love for family and an appreciation for the simple things in life.

She graduated from Jordan High School in 1974 and went on to Utah State University - something she carried pride in throughout her life of being both a Beetdigger and an Aggie. But her greatest joy came when she married Bryan, her love of what would end up being 50 years, almost to the day. Together, they built a life in South Jordan, where their home became a gathering place for all. They built the home that every family wants. One of silly family traditions, memories that will be carried for lifetimes, but most importantly, a home of pure and unconditional love for anyone who walked through that unlocked front door.

As a mother, Lori was extraordinary. Her children (Jason, Jordan, Riley, and Lexie) didn't just know they were loved - they felt it every single day. Lori had a special bond with each of them. She had a way of making each feel like the most important person in the world. And when her children married, she embraced her new in-laws as if they had always been hers. Lori was a mother to all who walked through her door.

Then came her grandchildren, and Lori's heart had room for even more. Being a grandma wasn't just a role she filled; it was her greatest calling. Giving her the title of "Grandma" doesn't even feel like it's enough. Every moment with them was special. Every basketball or football game, every dance recital, every early morning snuggles in her bed, every hug and kiss she gave - she soaked it in, as if this was the role she had been waiting her whole life for. They were her world, and she was theirs. Every single one of them.

Lori had so many elements that made her who she was - her love of flowers and the way she could turn a Christmas tree into magic. Her sweet tooth that led her to have not-so-secret candy drawers in the house (plus an extra stash in her purse just in case), her love for Diet Coke and her bright red Mustang that matched the joy she had for life. She filled us all with color, with joy and with traditions that will live on long after her.

But what set Lori apart most was her selflessness. She was the kind of person who gave without thinking twice, who thought of others before herself in every single moment. Her love was quiet, but it was contagious - the kind of love that inspired everyone around her to love more deeply, to give more freely, to be better. To be more like her.

Lori was more than a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, or a friend. She was our family's center of gravity. She was our phone call at any hour of the day, she was a listening ear for all of life's curveballs and she was an example of unwavering faith that we all admired. She was our perfect example of what it means to live a full life that focuses on the only things that truly matter.

She is survived by her husband, Bryan; their children and their spouses, Jason (Jill), Jordan (Cherice), Riley (Kendra), Lexie (Alex), and her cherished 13 grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings Gary, Roger and Leica. She was preceded in death by her parents, Kent and Mary, her brother Mark, and her mother and father-in-law, LuRene and Paul Thomson.

Lori's passing leaves a huge hole in our hearts that will never be filled. But her unconditional and selfless love will live on in us forever. Every time we gather as a family, every time we see a bright red or pearly white Mustang on the road, every time we decorate a Christmas tree or smell the spring flowers - we'll think of her. And we'll be grateful that we were blessed to be loved by her.

Lori's celebration will be held on Monday, September 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the chapel located on 11420 South 700 West, Draper, UT 84020. A viewing will be held one hour before the celebration. Additionally, a viewing will be held on Sunday, September 14th, at Anderson & Goff Mortuary in Draper at 11859 South 700 East, Draper, UT 84020 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The dedication of the grave will be held at the South Jordan City Cemetery, 10630 South 1055 West, South Jordan, UT after the funeral services.