Grace Bateman Farnsworth, 93, passed away August 18, 2012 in Allen, Texas, at the home of her daughter, Marilyn Jenson. Grace was born on March 29, 1919, in Midvale, Utah, to Edward Allen and Orrel Emma Greenwood Bateman. She was the oldest of 8 children. She spent her early school years in Murray, Utah, and then moved with her family to Logan, Utah, where she attended Logan High. It was at the beginning of her senior year in Logan that she met a handsome new student named Dean Farnsworth. That day, she announced to her mother that she’d met the man she would marry. In the meantime, Grace graduated from Logan High, and then earned a BA in English literature from Utah State Agricultural College, now Utah State University.
On December 22, 1941, five years and hundreds of letters later, Grace and Dean did marry, in the Salt Lake Temple. For the next 12 years, they moved around the country as Dean served in the military and pursued his education. In 1953, Dean became a professor of English at Brigham Young University, and for the next fifty plus years, they made Orem, Utah their home base. They were eventually blessed with six children, three girls and three boys. Grace and Dean had a thirst for knowledge and a love of adventure, and over the years they took their family to live in Iran, England, Austria and France. Grace had a wonderful ability to make a happy home for her family anywhere. Grace had a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and served in many positions in the LDS church. From 1975 to 1978, she and Dean presided over the Teheran, Iran Mission. From 1987 to 1989, they served as President and Matron of the Missionary Training Center in Manila, the Philippines. Grace was a woman with many gifts. She used her formal English training several times throughout her life to teach English and writing. Shortly after World War II, she taught freshman English at the University of Utah to returning GIs. Later, when the family was living in Iran, she taught English to college students, and finally, during the last year of Dean’s teaching career, they both taught at BYU Hawaii. She also used her English skills to help her children become effective writers and communicators. Grace enjoyed literature, music, the visual arts and dance. She had an eye for beauty. For many years, from the time the first flowers appeared in spring until frost, she weekly provided a large bouquet to grace the podium of the ward she attended. She sewed lovely clothes for her three daughters. She was a talented pianist and a wonderful accompanist. But to her family, her greatest gift was her ability to make those around her feel loved and accepted. She used all her gifts to serve her husband and children, her church family and her community. She bore the burdens of old age with patience and good humor, and constantly expressed her gratitude to her care givers.
Grace is survived by her husband, Dean, her children Anne (Richard) Clement, Kent (Holly), David (Maryruth), Alison (David) Koralewski, Paul (Elizabeth) and Marilyn (Mark) Jenson, siblings Alice Nelson, Richard Bateman, Jean Hull, Janet (Max ) Manwaring and Kay Spjut. She is preceded in death by her sisters, Margaret Coombs and Virginia Cannon. Grace and Dean have 24 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. The family would like to express their gratitude to Grace’s daughters and their husbands, Alison and Dave Koralewski and Marilyn and Mark Jenson for caring for Grace and Dean in their homes during the last six years. Marilyn and her family have given them tender care for over four years, and attended Grace in her last difficult hours.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 25th in Allen, Texas. A graveside service will be held at the Orem City Cemetery on Saturday, September 1st at 11 am.