Betty Kay Purkey Mitchell passed away peacefully in her sleep with her daughter, La Veta and son-in-law, Larry, at her side on November 15, 2023, at the young age of 95. She is an angel in heaven smiling down on all of us. Betty was born in Meeker, Colorado on March 27, 1928, to John F. Purkey and Josephine M. Hawkins. She was the oldest of nine children. She helped raise and care for her younger siblings, Jim, Harry, Helen, Bryce, Beverly, Janet, Sandy and Patsy.
She loved her family and growing up in a small town. She helped her mom in the house doing chores, feeding the younger kids and getting them to school and home again. She mentioned that they had a horse that they would pile on and ride to school. She enjoyed helping her father at the store and going with him to sale barns and to shop for the family.
Mom married Basil “Luge” Lugenbeel. They had three children, Peggy Jo, John Michael and La Veta Bea. They moved a few times and settled in Bountiful, Utah. They later divorced. We stayed in Bountiful. Mom worked at a greenhouse in Bountiful and at IML Trucking as the mail girl and switchboard operator. She had many good friends in Bountiful.
Mom married William P. Mitchell and they moved to Payson, Utah where they had a dairy farm. Dad had four children Lee, Tom, Sandy and Sherry that mom took under her wing to help raise. Dad had a job driving truck so together she and the kids took care of the dairy and the farm. Mom had a green thumb and loved flowers. She loved spring and all of the beautiful flowers, especially lilacs. She and dad moved to Altonah, Utah, and together raised cattle. Mom enjoyed living in the country, going camping with family and friends. They wintered in Arizona and enjoyed friends there, shopping and going to Mexico. They went on several trips with a camping group.
Mom is survived by her daughters, La Veta ( Larry) Pennock, Rock Springs, Wyoming; Sandy Mitchell, St. George, Utah; Sherry (Ray) Hutchings, Mapleton, Utah; son, Tom Mitchell, Payson, Utah; grandchildren John (Laurie) Lugenbeel, Highland, Utah; Matt (Vicky) Jensen; Cammie (Ryan) Doyle, both of West Jordan; Samuel Hutchings, Spanish Fork, Utah; Chad Hutchings, Michelle (Ethan) Holloman, Katie Hutchings, all of Mapleton, Utah; Perry Mitchell, Jacob (Jennie) Mitchell, American Fork; Lucas Mitchell; several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by Bill Mitchell, Luge Lugenbeel, Peggy Lugenbeel, John Lugenbeel, Lee Mitchell; her brothers and several sisters.
Graveside service will be on June 9, 2024, at 12:00 noon at the Strawberry Cemetery in Duchesne, Utah.