Mona Black

Mona Lundgreen Black

1925–2016

Our beloved mother and grandmother, Mona Lundgreen Black, age 90, passed away on March 12, 2016, in Mapleton, Utah. She was born July 24, 1925, in a little log house in Monroe, Utah, to Eli and Manilla Brown Lundgreen, the third of six children. Mona often joked that all of Utah celebrated her birthday with parades and fireworks every year. She graduated from South Sevier High School and attended BYU.

Mona met her future husband, Burns K Black, at a roller skating rink in Marysvale the summer before her senior year in high school. Being on a date with another girl didn’t deter Burns from making sure he had plenty of roller skating time with Mona or asking her on a date before the night was over. They were later married in the Manti Temple on January 5, 1944, and made their home in Antimony, Utah, where they raised eight children on the family farm and enjoyed 68 wonderful years together.

If only one word could be associated with Mona, that word would be "service". Her life personified service from the moment she awoke each day until the moment she lay down each night. She was grounded in the knowledge that happiness does not come through the accumulation of things but only through family and selfless service. Others’ needs always came first. While rearing her family, she sewed clothes for all of her children, including prom dresses and doll clothes. Mona was an exceptional cook and baker, making everything from scratch. As an avid gardener, her flowers were stunningly beautiful and her abundant vegetables filled rows of canning jars. And who can forget those plastic bread bags full of peas that her children enjoyed eating fresh from the garden? Her children’s birthday and Halloween parties were the hit of the town. In later years, she started the Rockin’ R Ranch’s annual Easter Egg Hunt for the enjoyment of her grandchildren and the town’s children—a tradition that has lasted well over 20 years.

Music was also an important part of Mona’s life. As a baby, she sang or hummed the music of songs before she could even talk. At the young age of four, she won 75 cents for first prize in a contest for singing "Utah Trail", a song she and Burns would later beautifully sing together on many occasions. She started playing the cello in grade school but wished it were a piccolo or violin when she had to "lug" it back and forth from school. In high school, she played cello in the orchestra and sang in a trio that performed in many programs and assemblies, including her high school graduation. As she raised her family, she not only sang beautiful alto harmony with Burns’ tenor voice, she taught and encouraged her children to sing and perform in a variety of activities.

Mona worked tirelessly by Burns’ side to build up the Rockin’ R Ranch and ensure its success. For many years, she cooked, cleaned rooms, assisted with day-to-day operations and helped guests feel at home. When she finally "retired", it took several people to do the jobs she had done by herself.

Mona was always an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in a variety of callings in Primary, Relief Society, Sunday School and Mutual. She especially loved the 12 years she and Burns served in the St. George Temple. Mona had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and willingly shared it with others, including many guests at the ranch. She lived the gospel with exactness.

Mona is survived by her children: Rod (Carol) Black, Washington, Utah; Greg (Cindy) Black, Provo; Connie (Dan) Finlayson, Payson; Shauna (Val) Christensen, Eagle River, Alaska; Camille (Garr) Ovard, Sandy; Creston (Becki) Black, Antimony; and Lance (Michelle) Black, Mapleton; foster son, Roger (Heidi) Clauson, Salina; son-in-law, Glen (Margaret) Weeks; 52 grandchildren; 95 great-grandchildren; brothers: Hartley and Burns Lundgreen; and sister, Janet Carlston. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter, Dianne Weeks; granddaughter, Annika Crump; great-grandchildren: Dorothy Spangler and Daniel Durham; and sisters: Dorothy Mauss, and Cleo Nay.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 19, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. in the Antimony Ward Chapel. Family and friends may call Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Magleby Mortuary, 50 South 100 West, Richfield, and at the Antimony Ward Chapel on Saturday from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Antimony Cemetery. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti