Ronda Caywood's Obituary
Ronda Caywood, loving wife, mom, and nana, returned to her heavenly home on January 10, 2025. Her 66 years were filled with adventure, joy, an incredible amount of contagious laughter, and so much love.
She was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on December 14, 1958 and spent her childhood years as a self-proclaimed “Air Force Brat”, moving and having adventures until her family settled in Utah when she attended Ogden High School. She graduated from Weber State University and married her sweetheart, Chad, in the Salt Lake Temple on August 18, 1979 (yes, on the same day). For as long as we (her children) have been around, that sense of adventure has always been a part of her. She was an adrenaline junkie. From skydiving to parasailing, skiing on both snow and water, scuba diving, being on a boat, living in the water, loving to be outside, feeding ducks, walking in the mountains (but never camping), cruising (especially the Caribbean), traveling (Paris and London being her favorite), girls trips, Disneyland, Alaska (the glaciers!). Our dad was a (mostly willing) participant every step of the way. She was fearless and encouraging, and able to find joy in every moment. Her laugh is iconic and we will never forget how it could make an entire room break into hysterics.
Our mom’s biggest joy is her people. As kids, we always knew how loved we were. She created a home where we celebrated all moments, little and big. She was always our biggest cheerleader. We celebrated every holiday, had traditions for everything, and spent time with each other. She never missed an important event, soccer game, choir concert, piano recital, school class party, multiplication worksheet, spelling test practice, or field trip. She volunteered in our school, knew all of our teachers, and participated in all of our things. We knew if it was important to us, it would be important to her and she would support us completely. She created some of our favorite memories, made sure we had a variety of experiences together, and traveled as a family. She imparted her love of music and musicals and the journey of our lives will forever have a soundtrack. We are the luckiest (insert Ben Fold’s piano here).
The love for her people grew exponentially when she became a nana. She often reminded us that her entire life was leading her to that moment and it brought her joy that was unparalleled. Each baby that joined our family just added to her favorite people list. We found her washing our dishes, visiting our homes, holding babies so we could sleep, coming on walks, trick or treating, showing up with meals and our favorite treats in exchange for baby snuggles. As her favorite tiny people grew, she found herself on field trips again, the play place at Chick-fil-a, at sports, dance, and music concerts regularly. She created new traditions for them (like the circus), made sure they went to Disney on Ice, always came to Disneyland, made sure we continued to travel together as a family, and made sure she always had an excuse for the cousins to be together. She supported her grandbabies in every way and made sure she was there for everything that was important to them.
Ronda’s favorite question was “if everyone went to work, who would take care of people?”….and she lived that with her whole heart. She championed people and spent hours each day serving. Her kindness and warmth touched the lives of everyone she encountered. Some of our favorite memories are Sunday dinners with family, both adopted and traditional. We would often find her lunching with friends, taking in meals, visiting people, driving people around, taking a little gift, and making sure people knew she was there and how much she loved them. She had an amazing gift of making sure that people felt seen and valued. She was an exceptional listener and her life was punctuated by selfless service to others that was always done with a smile. Her love was palpable and infectious and would brighten every room she was in. She left a legacy of empathy and compassion that will forever remain in the hearts of those close to her. We watched her live her life striving to follow her Savior’s example and she “went about doing good” just as He did.
Our mom’s final years were a tragic embodiment of her greatest fear. In spite of the loss of her memory she never lost her smile or her ability to brighten a room. Arriving to her joyous “oh!” when she would see us and watching her eyes get wide with excitement let us know she was still there, even when she didn’t know our names. Our dad was selflessly and completely devoted to caring for her, making sure she felt joy each day and had experiences she loved through each stage of her disease. She showed just how much she loves him in her face every time she looked at him. We are comforted by her testimony of her Savior and knowledge that our family will be eternal.
Ronda leaves behind her favorite people. Our sweet dad, Chad, her mom, Shirley Butterfield, her kids: Jessica and Gavin Swenson; Garret and Tricy Caywood; Parker and Mercedie Caywood; and her grandbabies: London, Dax, Colette and Sami Swenson; Addie, Charlotte and Myles Caywood; Tayden, Gracie and Lizzie Caywood. We will miss her (and her laugh) every single day.
An open house celebration of her life will be held Saturday, January 18th from 4:00 - 8:00 PM, at her home. We would love to see you and hear your favorite stories about our mom. While she loved flowers, she’d much rather you donate to your fast offerings or your favorite charity to help people in your community. She would love it if you would go to lunch with a friend in her memory - connecting with people is how she lived her life here on Earth.
What’s your fondest memory of Ronda?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ronda?
Share a story where Ronda's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ronda you’ll never forget.
How did Ronda make you smile?