Lenna Jean Mendenhall February 23, 1953 - October 15, 2022

Surrounded by her eternal family, our dear wife, mother, grandmother, beloved aunt and friend, Lenna Jean Mendenhall, peacefully passed into the arms of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, October 15, 2022, from complications associated with her courageous battle with lymphoma. Our hearts are broken; our loss brings great pain. We trust in the healing promise and reality of eternal families.

Lenna Jean Gull Mendenhall was born to Frank and Arlene (Johnson) Gull on February 23, 1953. Their only daughter, Lenna Jean enjoyed the ideal childhood her loving parents provided alongside her cherished siblings — George, Robert and Jay. Lenna revered and joyfully honored her young life in Palmyra, Utah. Throughout her life, she often recalled the purity found in the honesty, integrity and hard work she learned from her parents, and she remained consistent, devoted and true to these ideals her entire life.

Lenna enjoyed her schooling in Spanish Fork, first attending early grade school at the Lake Shore School, then at the old Thurber School on Main Street. She often shared her appreciation for her teachers and recalled important lessons learned and the opportunities given her as a student. In particular, Lenna recalled how special she felt to have earned the trust of a teacher who asked her and a classmate to walk film reels from their school to another school a considerable distance away. She honored the power of trust and taught her family the importance of what it meant to be trustworthy. Lenna enjoyed her secondary education, graduating from Spanish Fork High School, Class of 1971. She dearly loved her classmates and their families and often celebrated the polite humanity, kindness and genuine care they had for one another and their beloved community.

While in high school, Lenna met her sweetheart, John Mendenhall. They became the best of friends and dated throughout high school. Lenna supported John while he served a mission in Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were married for time and eternity in the Manti Temple on February 21, 1974. John and Lenna welcomed four children into their family — Annalee, Cory, Mike and Tyler. Their children and grandchildren are the love and joy of their lives. Lenna’s radiant, Christlike love and beauty was always at the center of Mendenhall family life, and all things joyously revolved around our beautiful Mom and Grandma. From simple, quiet moments at home, to family road trips or exotic travel with her best friend and husband, time spent with Mom was truly priceless. We lament Mom’s early passing because her physical absence, laughter, humor and love will leave a painful void during future family parties and vacations. We remain faithful in the Lord’s ability to repair broken hearts and make our loss whole.

Mom’s selfless service and genuine care for family and home were paramount in her daily life. Mom created beauty, order and love in literally everything she touched. Every meal, snack, treat or dessert she prepared tasted so good and always filled you with love. Mom had great joy and pride in adorning her home with beauty. She had such a keen intellect and artistic eye for home decor, and her home was always themed in style for every holiday. In all of Mom’s decor, most consistent was her desire to remind family and visitors of the reality of the Savior, Jesus Christ, eternal families, and God-given rights, freedoms and blessings.

Mom was gifted with a natural, Christ-centered, discerning instinct. Countless times she quietly guided her children, friends and other people’s children to protection and helped them navigate to safer, higher, more nobler ground. She deeply honored her maternal instinct and revered the Divine power she had as a mother to nurture, guide, protect and love unconditionally.

Lenna enjoyed her career in special education with Nebo School District. Her coworkers and the students they lovingly served were much more than friends — they were family and they knew it because of the core ideals of teamwork and unity central to their classroom. In her work with students, Lenna’s primary focus was on people and what they needed in order to be successful. She always valued people first and foremost. Then, and only then, would she look to protocol and procedure to bring accommodative measures to a reality. It disappointed her when this order of focus was challenged or compromised. In her work with students at Spanish Fork High School and Bridges, she was always so happy to help her students learn and gain skills to help them live beyond what they thought was possible. Lenna played a key role in placing students with challenges in the workplace throughout the community and helping them learn to value the benefits of hard work, compensation and independence. Dozens of her students remain employed today in their jobs which she and her colleagues helped them acquire while in their loving and skilled care at SFHS and Bridges.

Spanish Fork is Lenna’s beloved hometown. Her love and passion for this community is contagious, which she lovingly passed on to her children and grandchildren. She particularly enjoyed Fiesta Days and happily served with John on the Fiesta Days committee for several years. She spent her life in the service of others. Ever protective of God-given freedoms she always considered sacred, she had a very patriotic heart and loved and honored America. She always looked for the good in all people and their abilities to contribute well to society and build strong communities where they could succeed, thrive and enjoy the countless blessings of freedom.

Lenna was a faithful, devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She enjoyed serving in many callings in the Primary, Young Women, Ward Activities and Relief Society organizations. Perhaps one of her favorite opportunities of serving in the Church was her 17-year appointment as an ordinance worker alongside her eternal companion in the Provo and Payson, Utah Temples.

Lenna is survived by her husband, John F. Mendenhall; their children: Annalee (Andres) Gianfelice, Cory (Aprel Lowder) Mendenhall, Mike (Amber Geslison) Mendenhall, and Tyler (Amanda Jensen) Mendenhall; their 16 grandchildren: Daniel (Jenny Taylor), Erica (Danny Muñoz), Natalie, Jason, Kinsey, Leah, Nicholas, Miranda, Mallory, Nash, Monroe, Jagger, Lydia, J.T., Porter and Charly; her brothers: George (Lucy NeSmith) Gull, Robert (Janice Braithwaite) Gull and Jay (Jada Jackson) Gull, and many nieces and nephews who love her dearly. She is preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Arlene Gull, and her parents-in-law, Lynn and Betty Lou Mendenhall.

Memorial services for Lenna will include a viewing on Friday, October 21, 2022, 6:00–8:00 pm, at the Spanish Fork Canyon View Stake Center, 989 S. 2550 E., Spanish Fork. A second viewing will be held on Saturday, October 22, 9:00–10:30 am, followed by funeral services at 11:00 am, also at the stake center. Interment will be at Spanish Fork City Cemetery, 420 South 400 East, Spanish Fork, Utah 84660.

The Mendenhall family wishes to express deep gratitude to Dr. Brandt Esplin and all of the nurses and doctors who offered their best, most professional care for Mom and also genuinely loved her and helped her persevere illness.

Until we meet again, Lenna Jean — we love you and will always be grateful for your profound companionship, influence, love, example, friendship and faith.