Nelda Vilate Parry Larsen, 91, passed away peacefully on April 21, 2024, surrounded by loving family.
Born on February 6, 1933, in Manti, Utah, to Bernard H. and Ellareave Parry. Nelda was the fifth of six children.
Nelda spent a happy and mischievous childhood honing her skills of climbing trees, crawling out of windows onto the roof, and jumping out of closets to scare anyone who happened by. She relished surprising people right up to the end. A skilled fisherwoman, Nelda spent many hours in her parents’ boat, learning the fine art of hooking, gutting, and cooking a fish for lunch or dinner. Fishing was truly one of her happy places.
Nelda loved school, her teachers, and her friends. She was very involved in school activities and was especially proud of her lead role in the school play Ramona. Nelda expressed her natural talent and rhythm for dancing every weekend in town halls across Sanpete County, as she fox-trotted, waltzed, and sashayed her way around the dance floor to her heart’s content.
The epitome of creativity, Nelda never hesitated to try new creations with any medium—paint, flowers, fabric, paper, shells, glass, buttons, beads, foil and even vegetables.
It was Nelda’s love of life, dancing and creativity that led her to ask a cute, shy guy named Reed Larsen, to the high school Sadie Hawkins dance. Nelda presented him with a homemade corsage made out of vegetables! They danced the night away and kept on dancing for the next 66 years.
After graduating from Manti High School, Nelda and Reed married in the Manti Temple on May 23, 1952. A lovely bride and a loving mother, Nelda teamed up with Reed to love and nurture a family of four children. These four children would, over the years, learn that their mom, Nelda, was incredible and soon realized they were some of the luckiest kids on earth. Nelda took on the challenges of wife and mother with grace and an ever-present smile on her face, even when her kids dared her to drape a King snake around her neck! Hugs and compliments were never in short supply and if you felt the need to be rejuvenated, Nelda gladly filled your bucket. Nelda filled her home with comfort, warmth, and love. Often after bedtime, her children fell asleep to the sound of her playing the piano with melodies of her own.
Nelda enjoyed an innocent tease such as turning the water hose on Reed instead of the plants! And her quick wit could turn a simple phrase into a clever pun.
She loved playing games and delighted in a little friendly competition! It was rare if you could escape a visit without playing a game of Greed, 5 Crowns, Dominoes or Rook. Nelda enjoyed camping, often treating her family to homemade scones cooked on the camp stove, and the night usually ended with a game of Triopoly.
An avid rock collector and bird lover, Nelda would hold rocks and statues of birds in her lovely hands and admire their shape, texture, and beauty. Quite often she would ask if you could see a face in the rock or feel the round belly of the bird.
As her children grew up and moved away, Nelda and Reed took to hanging out with the Empty Nesters, riding ATVs up and down the mountains, traveling overseas, and going on a mission to Jacksonville, Florida for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Nelda gave of her time and talents freely. She was a good listener, a humanitarian and helper. She loved serving in her church with diligence and devotion. Nelda taught us all to slow down, look around and discover the wonders of life. She admired, respected, and loved all things beautiful. She tossed food scraps to the deer and cried when a bird’s nest fell. She could turn cut flowers into a lovely bouquet. She taught her grandchildren how to draw birds and make paper boxes. She could mow the lawn and whip up a mouth-watering dinner. She loved antiques and cranberry glass. And because she admired, respected, and loved her children and grandchildren and the world she lived in, everyone and everything became more beautiful because of Nelda’s touch.
Nelda is survived by her son and his wife; Paul and Pier Larsen, her three daughters and their husbands; Barbara and Rick Malmberg, Melinda and Mike Walters, and Ruth and Ken Hunter, her 20 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will begin Tuesday, April 30th at 11:00 am at the LDS Chapel, 220 S. Woodland Hills Dr., Woodland Hills. There will be visitation prior to the funeral from 9:30 am to 10:45 am.
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