Irva Sudweeks

Irva Sudweeks
Kingston, Utah

Irva Maud Gleave Brindley Sudweeks, 105, a long-time resident of Kingston, passed away December 29, 2024 — our mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend.

Irva lived through two worldwide pandemics, a century apart. The first was the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-1920; the other was COVID-19.

Irva was born in the now-ghost town of Widtsoe, in Garfield County, Utah on January 24, 1919 to Robert Barrowman and Edith Maud Snyder Gleave. She was the 7th of 13 children.

She married Calvin Cantrell “Bob” Brindley on October 7, 1938. She and Bob had three children — Charley, Dude and Juana — and a farm before Bob unexpectedly died in 1946 at the age of 31. The following year, Irva married Rawldo Ward “Pete” Sudweeks, with whom she had one more child: Bill. Irva and Pete spent more than 55 years together. Pete died in 2003 at the age of 90.

As a child she lived in Burro Flat in the summer and Widtsoe in the winter, where she attended school. She was promoted from the 3rd grade to the 5th grade and at age 17, she moved to Kingston with her family where she attended Piute High School. As a youth she enjoyed fishing, hunting, baseball and dancing. Irva sorted potatoes for everyone in Antimony, Junction, Kingston and Circleville. She also wrapped meat for Lays. She was elected Piute County Clerk, a position she held for eight years, after which she accepted a position as the business director for the Piute County School District. She retired from that position in 1986 at the age of 66. After retiring, Irva continued to work on the farm irrigating, raising cattle and cutting hay. She served as the chairman of the County Republican Party and the president of the PTA. She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in callings for Primary, Sunday School, Relief Society and was the Young Women’s president for many years.

Irva is survived by her son, Bill (Joyce) Sudweeks, Kingston; daughters-in-law: Marcia Brindley Tobiason, Antimony; Linda Brindley Chipman, Enoch; son-in-law, Ron (Nancy) Englestead, Cedar City; 22 grandchildren, 93 great-grandchildren and 68 great-great-grandchildren.

Preceded in death by her parents; husbands: Bob Brindley and Pete Sudweeks; children: Charles Calvin Brindley, Jerald Gleave “Dude” Brindley, Juana Lou Brindley Englestead; brothers: LeVere, Otto (Varis), Marcus (Marguerite), Virgil (Melba), Charles, Merthell (Ella, Bea); Scott (Beth), and Jack (Marjorie, Betty Kae), baby, Buddy; sisters: Marva (Gerald) Allen, Bobbie (Garn) Barnson; baby LaRene; brothers-in-law: William Clinton (Leora) Sudweeks, Alton D (Olive) Sudweeks; sisters-in-law, Zelma (Austin) Anderson, Irene (Henri) Frederiksen, Myrtle (Elmer) Greenhalgh.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. in the Circleville 2nd Ward Chapel. Viewings at the church: Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. or Saturday morning from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Widtsoe Cemetery at 3:00 p.m.. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com 

We wish to thank all the doctors, nurses and staff at Cedar City Health and Rehab for making Mother’s time there pleasant and comfortable. And we thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Cedar City IHC Hospital for the loving care they gave Mother in her final days. She was a wonderful wife, mother and friend. She will be missed.

Live streaming can be found below Irva’s obituary