Aleen Sanderson Hunter's Obituary
Aleen Sanderson Hunter was born February 23, 1925 in Fairview, Sanpete County, Utah, the third child and first daughter of George Iven and Scerinda Rasmussen Sanderson. She returned to her heavenly home on March 23, 2024, having kept the faith.
Aleen was raised in Fairview, Indianola and Draper, Utah, and was taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ in her home. A dutiful daughter, she learned to work hard and take advantage of opportunities to learn. Aleen was the first girl in her family to attend college, attending BYU where she learned homemaking skills and became a talented seamstress. She was a life-long BYU fan. Playing the piano brought her great joy and she loved using her talents to accompany the singing in church.
Aleen was introduced to Don LeRoy Hunter by his brother and sister-in-law. Don was impressed with all of her many skills and talents and quickly realized she would make a wonderful wife and mother. They married in the Salt Lake Temple on October 28, 1949 and settled in Orem and later American Fork, UT, where they became the parents of four children, JoAnn, Craig S., Steven D. and Neal L. Hunter.
Don’s work with Utah Power and Light took them to Kemmerer, Wyoming, where they finished raising their family. Friday night picnics in Ham’s Fork and counting animals at dusk were favorite Family Home Evenings. Aleen loved nature and enjoyed feeding the birds that would come to her yard. Don and Aleen lived in Kemmerer 16 years, working hard and serving in the Church in various capacities. Transferring back to Utah in the Salt Lake Valley in 1978, they lived in West Valley City, where both Don and Aleen served in the church, in their neighborhood and in their family. Aleen enjoyed being a wife, mother and grandmother and would make a roast dinner every Saturday night for years, providing a gathering place for her children, their spouses and her grandchildren.
Aleen served faithfully in many capacities in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Among other callings, she served as a teacher in Primary, Sunday School and Relief Society, as Young Women’s President, Ward and Stake Relief Society President, ward organist and as an ordinance worker in the Jordan River Temple with her husband. Her greatest joy was as a homemaker, but she also enjoyed teaching piano lessons and teaching Seminary in Kemmerer, WY.
Having loved music throughout her life but being unable to afford many piano lessons as a young woman, she wanted to make sure her grandchildren had the opportunity to learn the instrument. She paid for most of her 14 grandchildren to take piano lessons; this was her gift of love to them.
After Don’s death in 1998, Aleen continued to serve in her ward in many capacities. Aleen did special projects for her family, some of which include matching pajamas for all the grandkids, countless homemade outfits, a family cookbook, family histories, quilts, baby afghans for grandchildren and even great grandchildren, weekly letters to every missionary from the family and countless other offerings of her love for her children and grandchildren, with whom she loved to spend time. If you ever went to visit, she would take great pride in showing you her latest projects. She loved seeing things done and making things for others.
When her family was taken care of, she continued to make these quilts, baby afghans, pillow cases and other homemade creations and take them to the Humanitarian Center to be given to someone who would enjoy them. She loved her trips to the Humanitarian center and the way the missionaries there would welcome her and express their appreciation.
Aleen was greeted on the other side of the veil by her husband, parents, all her brothers and sisters, and her granddaughter, Brittany. She leaves behind her children, JoAnn Hunter, Craig S. (Collene) Hunter, Steven D. (Deborah) Hunter, and Neal L. (Donna) Hunter, fourteen grandchildren and fifty-three and a half great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
A viewing will be held on March 27th at 9:30 am with a funeral service to follow at 11:00 am. The services will be held at the Ridgeline Ward building located at 4251 South 4800 West, West Valley City, Utah. The interment will take place at Valley View Cemetery.
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