Betty Nixon Kimball

Betty Nixon Kimball, age 89, returned home to her Heavenly Father on April 23rd, 2012. She passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her family. Betty surprised everyone, including her doctors, by living almost two years after she was diagnosed with leukemia and was told she had three months to live. Everyone who knows Betty knows her motto was "nobody tells me what to do". The strong will and determination Betty demonstrated in her battle against leukemia is characteristic of how she lived her entire life. Betty was born January 26th, 1923 in Holden, Utah to Ira and Elza Hunter Nixon. She was the eldest daughter of their five children. Betty's father passed away when she was seven years old. She then took on the responsibility of caring for her younger siblings, which contributed to the work ethic she demonstrated throughout her life. Betty graduated from Millard High School and later married James Gardner Kimball on March 27th, 1942 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their marriage was solemnized in the LDS Salt Lake Temple on March 11th, 1971. Betty and Gardner were stationed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota while Gardener served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. They spent many of their married years in Kanosh, Utah running a farming and cattle ranching operation. The Kimballs moved to Orem, Utah in 1970 where Betty worked for many years at ZCMI and Nu Skin International. Betty enjoyed making needlepoint, reading, and collecting clocks. She also enjoyed going on outings with her family to Chuck-A-Rama and Red Lobster. Betty is preceded in death by her parents, husband Gardner Kimball, and siblings Paul Nixon, Geraldine Rogers, and Sterling Nixon. Betty is survived by her sister Rae Hunter, Columbus, OH and her four children and their spouses: Ira G. Kimball, Las Vegas, NV; Nancy Petersen, Westminster, CO; Kathryn (Mick) White, Longmont, CO; and Sarah (Alan) Thurgood, Providence, UT. She is also survived by her 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank the Orem LDS 2nd ward for all the love and support they have provided Betty throughout the years. A viewing will be held April 27th between 9:45 and 10:45am at the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 S. State St., Orem. Funeral services will be held April 27th at 11:00am also at the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary. Burial will be at the Kanosh City Cemetery in Kanosh, Utah. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.sundbergolpinmortuary.com