Viola Leavitt Kesler

Viola Leavitt Kesler, age 96, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Feb 17, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born October 21, 1918 in St George, Utah to Clifton Rowell Leavitt and Mary Ann Barlow. On September 10, 1944 she married Marion Ray Kesler in Los Angeles, California. They were later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. Marion sent red roses to his sweetheart almost daily during their years together. They recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. She spent her early years in southern Utah and Delta where she graduated from Delta High School. She later graduated from BYU and taught school in Mexico. During WWII she worked in an airplane assembly line. After the war, she and Marion returned to Salt Lake City where she lived her remaining years. She belonged to a LDS Church study group for 55 years as well as a family home evening group. She and Marion served in the Jordan River Temple for many years. She had a very large social network and spent hours talking to family and friends. Her many confidants would telephone Vi, or Grandma or Sister Kesler for advice or just a friendly chat. She wrote poetry, spent hours collecting stories from ancestors and compiled a book about her grandmother Elethier. She is survived by her husband Marion; sister Betty (Clayton) Jeffery; children Linda Caywood and Dr. Kenneth (Marchelle) Kesler; grandchildren Amy Caywood, Erin (Jamie) Askar, Tonya (Ryan) Walker, Anthony Tug Caywood, MacKenzie Kesler; and 7 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents; and siblings Rowell, Paul, Arnold, Ann, and Carl. Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 21, 2015, 12:00 Noon at the Taylorsville 15th Ward, 1457 West Atherton Dr. (4300 South) where viewings will be held Friday, February 20, 2015, 6-8 p.m. and Saturday, 11-11:45 a.m. Interment, Redwood Memorial Estates. Arrangements under the direction of McDougal Funeral Home.