Carol Whatcott Rampton, age 89, passed away on December 21, 2022 following a protracted battle with the effects of dementia. Carol was born on December 28, 1932 in Provo, Utah to H. D. and Valera (Snow) Whatcott, and was the third of four and the last surviving of the Whatcott children (Calvin, Keith, Carol and Weston). She was a faithful lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She grew up in Provo, Utah attending local public schools where she excelled and later went on to attend BYU. This she did despite suffering a severe hearing loss from a childhood illness that greatly limited her ability to hear throughout her life. Though a challenge, this did not limit Carol from living an active full life and pursuing her dreams. Later she met and subsequently married George Oliver Rampton (preceding her in death on April 11, 2015) in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on May 2, 1952. The two had become acquainted when George, then a recently returned missionary for the LDS church, rented a lower-level room from the Whatcott family in Provo while attending BYU. George had a fondness for Carol and in time they began dating, eventually progressing to courtship and marriage. Once married, with George serving in the US Air Force, they had opportunities to live in a variety of locations including Texas, North Carolina, Hawaii, Wyoming, and eventually back in Utah. They lived, worked, and reared a family of five sons, initially in Syracuse, subsequently moving to St. George in 1969 to pursue employment with then, Dixie College (now Dixie State University). Accomplished at shorthand, typing, and transcription, Carol became the personal assistant to the Dixie College President, while George taught History and served as a Dean of the Arts and Sciences Department. Years later, Carol went on to work together with George as a team, until they retired from Dixie College with honor in 1995. She loved raising her family in St. George and regularly could be heard singing the old Dixie College fight song. Throughout her life, Carol served faithfully in a variety of church callings.
Although successful in many pursuits, Carol’s greatest joys, service, and devotion went into raising her five sons, encouraging them to excel in education, live a life of faith, and one devoted to serving others in missionary work and beyond. Carol and George’s love for their family was always evident, but their joys were multiplied when they became grandparents and subsequently great grandparents, with a deep love for each member of their family. Following retirement, together Carol and George accepted the call in 1995 to serve as a missionary couple for two years in Australia and New Zealand. There they found great joy, lifelong friendships, and success in serving.
Eventually George and Carol would relocate to Springville, Utah in their later years, and enjoyed traveling to visit their growing family spread across the country. Carol had many talents including cooking and baking. Family members always loved her delicious meals, and famous caramel corn, banana nut bread, chocolate chip cookies, among many others, which she would share with grandchildren as they traveled about. She was an excellent pianist and shared this gift with many. Her favorite song to play was “Meditation,” an arrangement of “Oh My Father,” played for George. This song was a favorite for them both since their early courtship days. And of course, Carol was a lifelong animal lover, especially of her cat Fluffy, who became a part of the Rampton household for many years.
Through it all, Carol was a loving, loyal, and devoted wife, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She regularly expressed her love for her family members through her words, in her writings, and through her actions. She had many friends. When you became her friend , you were a lifetime friend. She was a living example and known as a kind, compassionate, generous, and forgiving person.
Though career paths resulted in her family spreading like tree branches across the nation growing in different directions, yet the roots of her family remained as one. She was a big part of the “glue” that held it all together. With George’s passing in 2015, she missed her “sweety” tremendously. She is now able to be reunited with her love, her husband of over 62 years and eternal partner, and is free from the pain, limitations, and debilitating effects of her illness.
Carol was preceded in death by her parents (H.D. and Valera Whatcott), her three siblings (Calvin, Keith, and Weston Whatcott), her husband, George Rampton (2015), her son, Ron Rampton (2006); and she is survived by: two sisters-in-law, Marjorie Laird (Idaho) and Thelma Whatcott (Orem, UT); four sons and their wives, Jason and Valorie (Bradford) Rampton (Eagle River, AK, but now serving an LDS mission in Hawaii), Stephen Rampton (Springville, UT), Jerry and Shelley (Saxton) Rampton (Mapleton, UT), and Daryl and Tracy (Brubaker) Rampton (Cincinnati, OH); TWENTY-TWO GRANDCHILDREN, Jeremy (Tammy) Rampton, Colby (Tammy) Rampton, Ryan (Rebecca) Rampton, Shelby Rampton, and Skyler Rampton; Stephanie (David) Nielson, John (Kris) Rampton, and Angela Rampton (Max); Melanie (Josh) Wiser, Jeffrey (Sally) Rampton, Becky (Chad) Kotter, and Kristen (Shawn) Stoll ; Daniel (Shellee) Hyde, Rachel (Adam) Ellison, Shawn Rampton, Rikki Hyde, Chris (Stephanie) Rampton, and Andrea Rampton; Blake (Whitney) Rampton, Cherish (Marlin) Payne, Chad Rampton, and Orion Rampton; and FIFTY-FOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, Elora, Eli, Eve, Ezra, Dylan, Avonlea, Lily, Noelle, Finn, Cameron, Caroline, Peter, and Andrew; Ruth, Alice, Emma, Elijah, Addison, Scarlet, and Bentley; Aiden, Jude, Zeke, and Scarlett, Noah, Aria, Isaac, Malachi, Luke, Hailey, Jake, Taylor, Kevin, Alexa, Carter, Adelaide, and Lucy; Delilah, Adele, Khloee, Emmee, Tobbee, Brodee, Gia Mae, Jaxon, Rose, Jay, Bella, Ari, Everlee, and Callie; Ender, Rowan, and Lettie; and many nieces and nephews. All these she loved and touched deeply.
A Viewing will be held on January 6, 2023 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Walker Funeral Home located at 187 South Main Street, Spanish Fork, Utah 84660. Another Viewing will be held on January 7, 2023 from 8:30 – 9:45 AM with Funeral Services / Celebration of Life to follow at 10:00 AM, at the Springville 9th Ward LDS Church located at 878 West Center Street, Springville, Utah 84663.
The funeral service will be streamed live. Please return to this memorial page shortly before 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2023, and click on the link below.
1 Condolence for Carol Rampton
Condolence(1)
R & M Layton says
January 2, 2023 at 9:29 pmLoved Carol. We became friends while serving together as visting teaching companions . That was the beginning of our friendship, which continued after she moved to northern Utah, and up through the years since. Carol was a gentle spirit, indeed, and pleasant to be around. So in love with George–and patient with him! Haha! An excellent cook, gracious host, and humble servant. Truly a disciple of Christ. Our sincere thanks to her daughter-in-law, Shelley, who cared for Carol for many years with similar attributes. Her care for Carol was “straight from the heart.” Thank you, Shelley, for bringing Carol to SG to be with friends again. Our condolences to all of the Rampton family. Carol was proud of you and loved you.