Sylvia Shirley Smith Whatcott

Sylvia Shirley Smith Whatcott was born March 31st, 1930 in Logan, Utah, and died September 1st, 2023, in Lindon, Utah. Her incredible life spanned a childhood working on their family farm for her father for $3 a day, and running across pastures to drop into the hole made for escaping lunging bulls, through years as Executive Assistant to Bob Huff, Vice President at Albertsons in Boise where she learned the world of corporate finance and developed deep friendships, always telling them they "saved her life", and ending at her daughter, Rae's, in American Fork, Utah.
In her 93 years of life, Shirley made friends wherever she went, whether it was taking food and help to German prisoners of war working on their land, as President of Girl's League in high school, at Brigham Young University, being President of the Women's Golf Association in Twin Falls, Idaho (in a day that women were only allowed to golf on Mondays!), in her various jobs throughout her life, or being just the coolest mom on the block and to her 4 daughters' friends. She was a true friend to all, devoting much of her life to helping others. She taught her girls to always give back, as we would get much more out of life than could ever be returned.
She loved her father and grandfather, both of whom taught her wise and prudent guidelines for living. Her father had great trust in Shirley as a hired hand - one time before she was even 10, having her drive a wagonload of logs for the home he was building across a stream while he guided the horses from the ground. She worked 5 days a week for him, and then for her mother on the weekend because her sisters were younger. She plowed with the tractor for spring planting, raked hay with the horse team, weeded, cleaned ditches with the tractor, pulled a cow who was caught in a raging thunderstorm from a river, from her horse...anything her father needed. She had a horse called SeaBiscuit, who was wild, and only Shirley could ride him. He was her closest friend, and would lay down in the field for her to brush and groom him. She rode him into Smithfield and tied him up to see the Saturday movies. She would ride home in the dark and never worried because he could see better than she. Her mother taught her, "Some people eat their money...we save ours." Her father paid her 5 cents for every squirrel or rat she killed in the dairy barn, using an iron rod she'd drop on rats after laying in wait, and a 22 rifle when squirrels popped their heads out of their holes in the field. She loved her Grandpa Jonathan, and he loved her. He had award-winning draft horses, and would take her with him on the wagon, teaching her many timeless truisms that guided her all her life. He would take Shirley to spend winters in California with his sister and husband and little girl her same age, and her life and education there left her with an indelible print of experiences never to be forgotten.
Shirley had 4 daughters - Nan, Rae, Dana and Lynne - while married to Darold Whatcott. She sold her war bonds and worked for the State Teacher Retirement and then the State Road Commission to put him through school. They moved many times, but she created a beautiful home wherever they went. She was an amazing cook, and neighbors and friends were all thrilled to eat at Shirley's. She started her life over when she moved out of her home in Twin Falls, first working for Fred Plankey Law, then moving to Boise to work at Albertson Headquarters. She saved every penny for 5 years, and bought a home on Strawberry Lane that was going up for auction, across from two city parks and the Boise River. It was a miracle, and she was finally home. She lived there until 2022, when she had turned 92 and needed more care. Her daughter, Rae, took her to her home in American Fork, Utah, where she lived till she died. Her 15 grandchildren thought she was magic, and she had a profound affect on all their lives. Grandma Shirley's home on Strawberry Square was not only beautiful, and had a pool, but there were trolls living under the boardwalks, and fabulous food waiting inside by the fire or on her gorgeous patio. Shirley was truly a star, and will not only be remembered down generations, but changed all who knew her for the better. Life around her was magic, and she was the girl who cannot be forgotten.