Rhea Blessing

Rhea Ipson Blessing, 97, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, was reunited with her husband on May 8, 2013 in Bountiful, Utah of natural causes. She had great interest in all of her family’s activities and accomplishments. She was generous and caring above measure to those she knew and loved. She enjoyed trips with her grandchildren. Rhea was born July 25, 1915 in Panguitch, Utah to Parley and Sarah Ann Church Ipson. She was the eldest of twelve children, and she had a great deal of responsibility while growing up. She graduated from Garfield County High School as valedictorian of her class and from LDS seminary. She worked as the chief operator of Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company in Panguitch.

She married Ernest Blessing, December 23, 1940 in Panguitch, Utah. They were later sealed in the Bountiful Temple. He passed away August 2000. She was an active member of the LDS Church and held many callings of service. She lived in California, New York, Oklahoma and mostly Utah, since Ernie was a Regional Mining Engineer Supervisor for the U.S. Geological Survey for 35 years. Rhea lived for 56 years in Salt Lake City where she had many friends.

Rhea was a talented and award-winning quilter and enjoyed all kinds of handwork. She especially enjoyed making quilts for all of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family, and friends. Rhea made hundreds of beautiful quilts that she hand-quilted, which is almost a lost art today. She had her sewing at the side of her chair to pick up whenever she had a spare minute. The past year and a half have been very challenging with the loss of her sight as she enjoyed reading and handwork so much.

She is survived by daughter Elizabeth (Paul) Reimann of Bountiful; and 4 grandchildren: Kathryn (Douglas) Atkinson of Samaria, Idaho, Kristin (Sean) Roylance of Elk Ridge, Utah, Kim Reimann of Woods Cross, and Kent (Rebecca) Reimann of Clearfield; 13 great-grandchildren: Logan, Dallin and J.D. Atkinson; Jeffrey, Ally, Justin, Savannah, Brooklyn and Claire Roylance; Elizaphine, Noralai, Garevan and Ariavah Reimann.

Her surviving siblings are Ruth Cannon of Provo; Hyrum Ipson of Monroe; Lena Wilson of Pleasant Grove; and sister-in-law Donna Ipson of Bountiful; and many loved nieces and nephews and their families. Preceded in death by her parents, husband, eight brothers and sisters, and five in-laws.

The family would like to thank the staff and volunteers of the Inn at Barton Creek and South Davis Hospice for their care of Rhea the past year and a half.

You may pay your respects from 9:45 - 10:45 on Friday, May 10, 2013 at Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, with services following at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Panguitch, Utah Cemetery on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. Online guest book at www.russonmortuary.com.