Vira Shumway Walker Allen
Vira Shumway Walker Allen, born June 3, 1922, died at the home of her daughter on February 24, 2022, a few months short of her 100th birthday.
She went peacefully, enveloped by the love and honor of her family: seven children, Pam (Dwight Angus), Eric (Kathy Walker), Owen (Janet Walker), Xanthe (Randy Farnworth), Nancy (Tom Farmer), Tim (Brenda Allen), and Mike (MaryJo Allen); 30 grandchildren; 59 great-grandchildren; and 17 great-great-grandchildren (three more on the way).
She was preceded in death by her first husband and high school sweetheart, Billy Walker; and her second husband, John J. Allen.
Born before electricity, indoor plumbing, and automobiles became common place, she remembers the first time she saw a car, owned a toothbrush, listened to a radio, watched a television, checked out a library book, talked on a telephone, saw an airplane, and used a computer. She had her own Facebook account. She was the first one in her family to graduate from high school.
During World War II, she worked at Consolidated Aircraft, putting together the access fuel doors for the B-24 Liberator, a heavy bomber used by every branch of the American military. However, her favorite job was working as a switch board operator in Moab, Utah, where she personally connected callers and kept track of where everyone was.
She lived in Moab and Blanding, Utah, during her early life, but also lived in New Mexico, California, Washington, Alaska, and North Idaho. In North Idaho, she lived on beautiful Lake Pend Oreille, but didn’t like to swim. However, she did not transfer her fear of the water to her children.
Until a few weeks ago, she kept busy with puzzles, reading, quilting, and crocheting beautiful edges on receiving blankets, she and her daughter Pam donated to the Utah County Home Visits program for new mothers. For Christmas presents, she gathered, husked, cracked, and picked the nutmeat out of walnuts, presenting her friends and family with a labor of love. She gathered not only nuts, but also berries, fruits, vegetables, children, friends, light, and peace.
Although a peaceful soul, her corrections could quickly stop an errant child, and her droll observations could provoke a burst of laughter. She faced the tragedies in her life with a deep and abiding faith in our Savior Jesus Christ. She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and returned to the presence of our Heavenly Father worthy to be crowned with honor and glory and eternal life.
Vira will be interred at the cemetery in Moab Utah next to Billy Walker on March 4, 2022, and a funeral service on March 5, 2022, in Vineyard, Utah. A memorial/birthday party will be held on her birthday, June 3, 2022, at 2 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 602 Stephens St., in Clark Fork.
