Alison Whitton Reeder, August 7, 1923 - June 29 2018

Alison Badelier Whitton Reeder

August 7, 1926 – June 29, 2018

Alison at about age 20, working towards a nursing certificate, Perth, Western Australia, approximately 1944.

Farmington, Utah – Alison Badelier Whitton Reeder passes away on June 29, 2018, at the age of 91 due to the effects of age and a recently discovered illness.

Alison was born in Perth, Western Australia on August 7, 1926, to John Whitton and Annie Elizabeth Badelier Whitton. Alison talked with joy of her early childhood in Glen Forest, W.A., where her family lived at the edge of the Great Australian Bush, allowing her the freedom to roam the hills and forest at will. As a teenager living in Claremont near the beaches of Perth, Alison loved to swim in the Indian Ocean, once escaping a shark alert by scrambling onto a buoy where she waited all afternoon for the “all-clear.” At Perth Modern School, Alison was a member of the Women’s Basketball Team, described as “dependable, a good dodger and a very good jumper,” critical skill given her five-foot frame.

As WWII was winding down, Alison met a sailor, Grant Reeder, who was deployed as an Electrician’s Mate on the USS Blower, stationed at the U.S. Submarine Base in Freemantle, W.A.  Grant sought out and attended the local LDS Branch in Perth and the Whitton’s, known for reaching out and befriending all, invited Grant to their home for Sunday dinners. Decades later, Alison recounted the first time she saw Grant, she knew she would marry him. Their first kiss occurred on V-J Day, when Japan surrendered, ending WWII. The streets of Perth were crowded with celebration and Grant, along with the other sailors, were randomly kissing all the pretty girls in the streets. Grant only realized afterwards that he had kissed Alison, “A Kiss to Build a Dream On,” as Alison loved to sing. He then spent the rest of the celebration with Alison.

After the war, Alison and her family immigrated to “Zion.” She described playing in Utah snow for the first time as a pure delight, but she was never comfortable driving on slick roads. She did however love driving through puddles of slush; the bigger the better. Alison worked as a seamstress in Ogden, Utah while Grant served his LDS mission. They were married in the LDS Logan Temple on December 29, 1948 and lived for a short time at the family farm in Corrine in a small, one room building, with no running water and an outhouse across the street. It was in Corrine where Alison’s kindly mother-in-law (Ada Madsen Reeder) taught her to bake bread in a coal fired over. She baked bread and rolls the rest of her life to the delight of all those lucky enough to partake.

Alison created a refuge of peace for her family in every home, first in Logan then Salt Lake City. By the time Grant completed his education they had three boys, living in a small, two-room apartment at the U. of U.’s Stadium Village. Boy’s 4 and 5 were born while living in Garland, Utah, Grant delivering the fifth boy late on New Year’s Eve due to an absent, new-years-celebrating doctor.  In Bountiful, Utah they welcomed boy number 6, then finally a girl (wahoo for Alison!) and then another boy.

Alison was unwavering in her faith, always a reminded progeny of what mattered most to her throughout her life. In her quiet, unquestioning way, she could answer a searching voice with love and concern without criticism or condescension. Alison served many calling in her LDS wards, her example of service was without equal, especially helping with the age and infirmed without prompting. In her mid-60’s she was called to serve as a private aid to President Ezra T. and Flore Benson. She initially refused the calling, being overwhelmed with their positions, but when reminded of why she was called, she accepted and then served them with a gentle love and respect through the end of their lives. In their late-70s Alison and Grant served a full time LDS mission in Cochabamba Bolivia.

Alison is preceded in death by her husband Grant, her son Mark (Linda Lloyd), her parents, her sisters Grace, Jean, Margot, Mary and brother Ian. She is survived by her sisters Helen and Eluned, children Brian, Stuart, Russell (Holly), Bruce (Christine), Owen (Kara), Suzanne Hill (Gary) and Joel (Andrea), 33 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren (including a chubby, great-grandson born eight hours after Alison left us) and many loving nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 5^th, 2018, at 11:00 a.m., in the Farmington, Fairway Ward, 980 North Shepard Church Drive, Farmington, Utah. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Interment at Bountiful City Cemetery.     

The Whittons in Perth Australia, 28 Reserve Street in the Claremont neighborhood to be exact, about 1944. (l-r) John Whitton (my Grandpa), Auntie Elunid, Annie Elizabeth Badelier Whitton (my Grandma), Alison Badelier Whitton (my Mom), Auntie Coco visiting from Sydney, and Auntie Jean (Jean suffered a bout of polio at the age of four which left her back hunched at the shoulder and about 4 foot 5 inches as an adult. Growing up we (me and brothers) loved to compare our heights to hers and one by one we victoriously outgrew her. I feel terrible now but she always took it in stride with a smile on her face and always had a quick turn-back to the affect of "height, looks and don't equate to intelligence." I was always too stupid to get it.    

Alison, Grant, Brian (l) and Stuart (r), about 1953. 

The Reeders at their Garland, Utah, home, about 1955. (b, l-r) Alison, Russell (age 1 or 2), Grant,
(f, l-r) Brian (age 5 or 6), Stuart (age 3 or 4).

Reeders, Grant, Alison and siblings, 1993.

Reeders, the whole family 1993.

About 1963. (l-r) Owen, Stuart, Mark, Alison, Bruce, Grant, Russell, Brian. 

Alison and Grant, newlyweds, about 1949.

Grant in the Navy in Australia, about the time he met my Mom. 1944.

The crew on the deck of the USS Blower. Not sure which one is Grant. He might be the guy on the front row right leg on left knee??  

Grant in Fiji during WWII.

Grant (second from right) in the submarine, USS Blower.

Grant (far left) in Sydney Harbor, New South Wales, Australia. 

Mark Reeder at about age 17, approximately 1978.

The Reeders, at least the one's still living at home in about 1978, Bountiful, Utah), (l-r) Owen, Grant, Mark, Joel, Alison, Suzanne.

Alison age 85, in front of her childhood home at 28 Reserve Street, Claremont, Perth, Western Australia, October 2007.  

Cape Leeuwin, Augusta, Western Australia.

Cavorting with the locals at Busselton Pier.

Walking the Bussleton Jetty, at 1,841 meters (6,042 feet, or 1.1+ mile) is claimed to be the longest wooden structure in the southern hemisphere. Not sure keeps such records, but it was damn long, and my 85 year old Mom walked the whole thing, just to humor me. She didn't complain until late that night, saying I was walking her to near death. I feel so bad now that she's gone. Sorry Mom!