Dawn Terry Isaac's Obituary
Dawn Terry Isaac of Bountiful, Utah passed away on the afternoon of Monday, September 4, 2023. Dawn was born August 29, 1936 in Whitehall, Montana to George Claude Terry and Jessie “L” Jolley. Dawn spent most of her idyllic childhood playing with her siblings, Verlan (Sherry Beasley), Mary Ellen (Alan Gould) and Jean (Merrill Gillette) in Bountiful, Utah. Dawn left home to attend Utah State University majoring in Home Economics. Returning home, she married a junior high science teacher from her LDS Ward, Duane Stelter Isaac, in the Logan, Utah Temple in 1962. They quickly started a family and were the proud parents of six children: Moana (Brent Hill), Kendall (Merriann Nelson), Malayna (Craig Paskett), Jeffrey, Angela (Allen Hammer), Kristen (Ethan Robison.) They were blessed with 18 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
As a true child of the Great Depression, she embraced the expression “if it’s meant to be it’s up to me” throughout all aspects of her eighty-seven years. Dawn was blessed with the talents of optimism, creativity, ingenuity, perseverance, endurance and thrift. She used these and other talents as she served in many different roles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints including ward and stake mutual director, compassionate service leader and faithful ministering sister. Dawn loved being a true homemaker and used her natural skills along with her education and training in cooking, cleaning, sewing, and food preservation for her large family. But eventually she felt driven to help supplement her husband’s school teacher salary with babysitting, selling her homemade vinyl nesting bears and quiet crayon/paper holders, and later going to work for Horizon Publishers sewing scripture cases, and later inventing unique scripture cases, make-up cases and hat boxes.
Dawn had a thirst for knowledge and the heart of a teacher. She was a great friend to many and loved to socialize in her neighborhood book club, breakfast club, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, and game day group. Dawn’s social calendar quickly diminished as she received a heartbreaking diagnosis of dementia. Her family saw that “Mom” and “Grandma” was still in there, paying attention, watching, listening and remembering everything going on around her even if she couldn’t express it.
Dawn is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Duane, parents, aunts, uncles, son-in-law Craig Paskett and great grandson Noah Merrill.
Her funeral will be held on Saturday, September 16th at 11 am at the Bountiful 31st Ward at 585 East Center Street in Bountiful, Utah. Visitation with her family will be available at 10 am. Her ashes will be interned afterwards at the Bountiful City Cemetery. Her family would like to give a special thanks to Jana Lee Millard, Symbii Home Health Hospice, and Country Home Assisted Living Facility for their amazing care in supporting Dawn and her family in her final months.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that you eat some York Peppermint Patties or Mrs Cavanaugh’s Mindy Mints with your family or friends while reading a good book, watching a Heartland episode or playing Rummikub or Rummy Royal. (If allergic to chocolate, flowers should be sent directly to the Bountiful 31st Ward House at 585 East Center Street the morning of the funeral.) Condolences can be sent to the family at www.premierfuneral.com
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