Shirley Roberta Gourley, 91, died on September 17, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah of natural causes incident to age.
She was born to parents, Robert George Pace and Mildred Shirley Jones Pace, in Thistle, Utah on October 6, 1933. She was raised in Thistle, Utah, attending grade school and middle school there in the large red sandstone school building where everyone in Thistle attended school together. She then attended Spanish Fork High School where she met Robert Losee Gourley with whom she fell in love. They dated and were subsequently married in the Salt Lake Temple on May 17, 1950. They were married for over 56 years before her husband’s death in 2006.
Robert and Roberta made their first home in Spanish Fork, Utah. They then moved to Orem, Utah in 1957 where they raised their family. Eventually they moved back to Spanish Fork in 1999 after retiring.
Roberta attended Utah Technical College (now UVU) and obtained her licensed practical nursing degree (LPN). She then worked in Provo, Utah, for Dr. Bowen as his personal nurse and later left Dr. Bowen to work as an operating room nurse at Utah Valley Hospital (now Utah Valley Regional Medical Center). While at Utah Valley Hospital she eventually became the head of the Central Supply Department, responsible for the sterilization of all operating room instruments. In that position, she helped to design a new sterilization procedure for operating room instruments that was ultimately adopted by many medical organizations around the world. During that time, she presented papers on her work around the world.
She was the mother of three children, Robert Vaughn, Bruce LaMar and Teresa Michelle; the grandmother of 16; the great-grandmother of 27; and the great-great-grandmother of 1.
She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and remained active throughout her life, serving in various capacities and callings.
She was proceeded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister Colleen Keller, her brother David Pace, and numerous other relatives too many to mention.
She is survived by her three children, Robert Vaughn (Karol), Bruce LaMar (Tita) and Teresa Michelle, along with 16 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.
A viewing will be held on September 24, 2025, from 7 to 9 pm at the Walker Funeral Home in Spanish Fork, Utah. A graveside service will be held at the Spanish Fork City Cemetery on September 25, 2025, at 10 am, followed immediately by interment.
Condolences may be made on the Walker website, https://walkermemorials.com.
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