Candice Elizabeth Lowry Hafen's Obituary
Candice Hafen passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday, June 23, 2013, at her home in Draper, Utah, following a long illness and complications of lupus. Candice was 1 week shy of her 34th birthday.
Candice was born on July 2, 1979, in Provo, Utah, to Jeffrey Lowry and Cheryl Billis Lowry. Candice was born with eyes wide open, wondering at everything around her, and was often thought of as an old soul as she had a depth and understanding way beyond her years. Candice was so intelligent and could print her name when she was only 2 years old. She was big sister to Jesse Lowry when he joined the family 5 years later and looked after him from the day he was born, becoming his friend, mentor, and confidante. Candice had daughter, Madison Richardson Hafen, from a previous marriage to Steven Sean Richardson.
Candice married her long time friend and fiancé, Brian Gene Hafen, on May 31, 2011, in St. Thomas, The Virgin Islands, and together with his children, Mason and Kylee, they became a loving and close family…and 2 became 5.
Candice’s greatest joy in life was being a mother…a full time occupation for her. She delighted in being a mom and found joy in family activities and vacations, attending school programs and vocal recitals, bath time, and even homework. She was an artist with a curling iron and always had time to go get a “mani/pedi.” She also found so much pride in teaching her kids about the wonders of life, about eating healthy foods, about exercise. She was a strong advocate for healthy lifestyles and not eating GMO foods and campaigned to have fluoride removed from our foods and water and toothpaste.
She was an awesome friend. No matter what was going on in her busy life, she always listened and found time for family and friends who needed her advice. Candice was always the life of the party. She had a presence bigger than life. Her smile lit up the room and her laugh was infectious. If you were lucky enough to be her friend, you know how much fun she was!
In about 2008, Candice was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease which causes the body’s immune system to mistakenly attack healthy tissue. It was debilitating for Candice, causing joint pains, skin rashes, and fatigue, attacking her organs at random times, resulting in many trips to the ER and stays in the hospital. She adopted a natural healthy lifestyle and reclaimed some of her precious time….but it wasn’t enough. She hoped more and more people would come to understand the effects of lupus and just what a difficult disease it is. The most frustrating thing in her life was the precious time this unrelenting disease stole from her.
Candice is survived by her husband, Brian Hafen; children, Madison, Kylee, and Mason; parents, Jeff and Cheryl Lowry; brother, Jesse Lowry; a large and supportive family of in-laws; grandparents; many aunts, uncles and cousins; and many, many friends.
There are no words to express just how much Candice will be missed…and we’re not sure how we’ll go on, except that we will remember her every day, and reminisce about her often, and visit her grave at Mount Olivet Cemetary on 5th South and 13th East in Salt Lake City as often as we can.
Candice’s funeral will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2013, at the Mountain Point 6th Ward at 498 East 14085 South, Draper, Utah. Viewing will be at 10:30 a.m. with the funeral service to follow at 12 noon.
The family would like to take a moment to thank extended family members, ward family, friends, and kind-hearted neighbors who have been such a support in this time of inexplicable grief. You are all such a blessing in our lives.
In lieu of flowers, the Hafen-Lowry family would ask for contributions to a trust fund set up for Candice’s daughter, Madison’s, education. The fund is set up at Chase Bank under Madison Richardson, account #3044933298 at any Chase branch.
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