Anna Laura Morrey Gillies
Our loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Anna Laura Morrey Gillies, 89, passed away on Saturday, January 20, 2024, surrounded by her family in Brigham City, Utah, with incidents related to age.
Ann was born on August 20, 1934, in Joseph, Utah, the daughter of John Eldon and Vera Mortensen Morrey. Ann was raised in Joseph, Utah, and lived for a short while in Salt Lake City during World War II while her father worked at an arms plant making ammunition. They moved back to Joseph, where she started the 6th grade. Because of a teacher shortage, her mother was asked to be her teacher. She loved her days in Joseph and Salt Lake and told of many fun times in both places. She loved her brothers and would do anything for them. She shared a birthday with her youngest brother, Richard, and loved that they shared many celebrations together.
She attended Jr. High in Elsinore, Utah, and then graduated from South Sevier High School in 1952. She then attended BYU in Provo. There, she took a class in sewing and became a wonderful seamstress. She could sew and tailor anything. After one year at BYU, Ann moved back home and got a job in Richfield as a bookkeeper and secretary at a hardware company, Southern Supply. This was her favorite job. She worked there for over a year.
Ann married her sweetheart, Earl Arland Gillies, in the Manti Temple on June 25, 1954.
They moved to Manti, where her husband taught. They moved back to Utah State for Earl to continue his education, and while there, she worked at Utah State as a secretary. They moved to Idaho, where Earl taught at Malad High School. When her children were all in school, she took the job as the Malad Elementary Librarian and worked there until her retirement. She made many good friends, and those friendships have lasted through the years. She loved her neighborhood and the good neighbors she had. Many of them kept an eye on her and Earl.
She loved ice cream, and all of the grandkids knew they could grab an ice cream bar from the freezer whenever they visited. Her home was always open and welcoming for anyone who came. She was a kind and compassionate woman.
In 2019, Ann and Earl moved to Brigham City, Utah, to the Maple Springs Independent Living. Earl had Parkinson’s disease, and she took care of him and nursed him tirelessly until his death in the fall of 2019. Ann loved the friendships she made there and loved the activities she was able to participate in. Just last year, she decided to take up art classes at the center and painted many nice landscapes.
Ann was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, where she served in many callings, including Music Leader, Relief Society Teacher, and Relief Society President. She and her husband Earl served a Family History Mission in Salt Lake City from 1996 to 1998. She loved the mission and enjoyed living in Salt Lake City again. It was one of the highlights of her retirement. When they returned home, they were called to be the Stake Family History Directors and were responsible for putting together the center in the new Malad Stake Building. They both enjoyed their associations with those who worked with them. They later worked as Stake Family History Consultants in the Center.
Ann loved sewing, crocheting, knitting, handwork, gardening, keeping a spotless house, music, plays, and studying her scriptures. She loved being with her family and was famous for her homemade Christmas and birthday cards. She was talented on the computer and loved doing family history research. She was always up for a game, especially cards, and loved playing them with her family.
The family would like to thank Aegis Care Home Health and Hospice for loving care, especially her nurse Karl Wahl. A very special thanks to Brent and Lori Gillies for taking her to their home and caring for her until her passing.
She is survived by three children, David (Cheryl) Gillies; Kathy (Bob) Kent; Brent (Lori) Gillies; 17 grandchildren; 43 great-grandchildren and one on the way; two brothers, Russell (JaNell) Morrey and Richard (Cindy) Morrey.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Earl and one brother, John Rolph Morrey, and Sister-in-Law, Barbara Morrey.
In lieu of flowers please donate in Ann’s name to the Malad Elementary Library, 250 W. 400 N., Malad, ID 83252.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 11 am at Gillies Funeral Chapel, at 634 E. 200 S., Brigham City, Utah. A viewing will be held on Saturday, February 10, from 9:30 to 10:30 am at funeral chapel. Interment and a short graveside service will be held later that day at 3pm at the Malad City Cemetery, Malad City, Idaho.
Send condolences to www.gfc-utah.com