Venita Dolly Seipert Maughan's Obituary
Venita Dolly Seipert was born July 5th 1936 in Idaho Falls, Idaho to Cleon Roman Seipert and
Dolly Elizabeth Chandler. She was the first of 8 children. Her travels began early as an infant when her family took the train from Idaho Falls to Reno Nevada, where her Aunt Myrtle picked them up and drove them to Westwood California-three deep with Venita in a basket sitting on her mother’s lap, while her mother sat on her father’s lap. Her dad went to work at the sawmill.
While living in Westwood, Venita and her brother Rex took dance and gymnastic lessons. Venita loved dancing and kept her mother busy sewing her costumes. Her mother, Dolly would work with her to help to the sideward splits which she accomplished! Venita performed dance and gymnastics routines for the audience at the the movie theatre before the movie would start
Venita’s family moved from Westwood to Lewiston, Idaho. During that move somehow her beloved doll got left behind. They later went to find it and the doll was gone. During the move Venita’s family bought a piano and she began taking piano lessons. Her love of music continued to grow and she shared this love of music with her family. There was always music in their home. Venita also enjoyed watching classical musical movies and attending plays.
At the tender age of 16 she fell in love with Harrison Eldon Maughan. They met at church. In Eldon’s words: “When I first met Venita I was staying with my Aunt May and Uncle Warner. It was the first Sunday. We walked in the church and the foyer was full of girls. They all watched as my cousin, Dale and I came in. They introduced themselves and they visited with us. I talked to most of the girls, they talked a lot about high school. When I talked to Venita, (I didn’t know her name at the time) she talked about working at J.C. Penny’s in the shoe department. She acted older, I thought well she is old enough that she graduated from high school. I never said anything but in my mind that was the way it went. She asked me to talk at a Fireside Program. Our first date was Saturday, October 4th, 1952. I worked at Potlatch Forest Products. I started to go into JC Penny when I wasn’t working throughout the week and she wasn’t there. I didn’t know her name to ask for her. I just knew who I wanted to date. I went in on Saturday and she was there. She was busy with
a customer trying on shoes. Pretty soon she saw me. She hurried and finished with her customer. We talked and visited a little bit and I asked her for a date. She said ‘I’m a bridesmaid tonight at a wedding.’ I picked her up and took her to the wedding and came back about a half hour later and the church was all dark. I circled around until I saw a light and a bunch of cars. Venita came out and we went to a show later. Venita’s parents had gone to General Conference, in Salt Lake City and anyway she invited me over for dinner the next day. Her sisters and brothers helped Venita cook. Her brothers and sisters treated me so great, and they were so polite. They called me Eldon, I kept listening for her name but they didn't say it. We went on a second date the next weekend and I still didn’t know her name. I think someone at church finally said it. I also figured out her father's name. Then I knew that she was Venita Seipert. She cooked fried chicken, mashed potatoes and what else I don’t remember but it was the best meal I’d had since leaving home. When Dolly (Venita's mother) found out that we were dating, she said “I had the feeling that Venita was going to marry me.” She married her eternal companion of 68 years on June 3, 1953, in the Idaho Falls LDS temple.
They began their family of 4 beautiful daughters, Linda, Phyllis, Loretta, and Cheryl. Venita began to hone her homemaking skills, cooking, canning, preserving, and sewing. One of the family traditions that she started was making Santa cookies to give to friends and neighbors.
This tradition continues with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was an equal and capable partner for Eldon.
They lived in Lewiston Idaho until Eldon began building churches. Then they moved every 2 to 3 years.
- Lewiston Idaho
- Tacoma Washington
- Missoula Montana
- Moscow Idaho
- Gooding Idaho
- Pasco Washington
- Shreveport Louisiana
- Santa Clara California
- San Rafael California
- Hayward California
- Aurora Colorado – Lived in Alaska for a while working during this time.
- Bakersfield California
- Foster City California
- Orem Utah
- Provo Utah
- Burbank California
- Provo Utah
While in Santa Clara, she went to school and earned her GED. She also took classes in Tacoma and Bakersfield. She set a great example of valuing education and continuous learning.
Venita was a life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She tried each day to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and serve him daily. Venita held many church callings.
She taught Relief Society, Primary, seminary, worked as a den leader, a girls camp leader,dance director, and temple worker. She served as a ministering sister all her life and always shared her love with the sisters that she ministered to. Venita also took turns helping her siblings take care of her parents.
When her girls were all in school, Venita worked in a variety of places to supplement the family income. She was a secretary, receptionist, and bookkeeper. She worked at a radio station, in the accounting office at a hospital, a clerk at real estate office as well as many other places.
When they moved to Provo, Eldon built Venita her first home. Prior to this,they had always rented. Eldon and Venita were in their 60s, but they worked together to build their home. Venita even got up on the roof to help. She was so happy to have her own home and worked to make it comfortable and beautiful.
Venita was willing to share her home with nieces and nephews at various times as they were attending college nearby. She always made the effort to stay in touch with her aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews, as well as her children and grandchildren and tried to remember birthdays and special occasions. She will be missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her Four Daughters: Linda Shirlene Maughan Kump Harding (Jerry deceased 8/9/2014, Ken-present) Phyllis Venita Maughan Stock (Rick) Loretta Elizabeth Maughan Shepherd (David) Cheryl Ann Maughan Thompson (Robert)
24 Grandchildren, 77 Great Grandchildren, 4 Great Great grand children:
Leslie and Danny Foltz (Samuel, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Abigail)
Jeff and Lindsay Kump (Landon, Blake, Morgan and Qiton Rust , {Ellery, Kaycer}, Taylor and Wyatt Doddridge), {Atlas, West} Craig and Liz Kump (Madison deceased, Natalie deceased, Kaitlyn, Hailey, Brycen, Zander) Shirlene and Dave Harris (Jonathan, Sarah, Gordon, Henry, Amelia) Kristin and Jason Peterson (Lydia, Luke, Lacey, Joseph, Jameson) Jake and Judy Stock (James, Jaren, Sierra, Sydney, Jonah, Jack)
Ben and Nichole Stock (Ellie, Olivia, Ava, Garrett) Heidi and Ryan Rose (Emma, Jackson, Max, Dominic) Katie and John Burton (Jacquelyn, Johnny) Michael and Daniela Fundaro Stock Nathan and Mari Shepherd (Isabelle, Kaya, Harrison, Evie)
Nicole and Dustin Hinton (Conner, Spencer, Luke) Matthew and Chelsea Shepherd (Katherine, Gideon, Adam, Ephraim) Jessica and Carter Castaneda (Samuel, Noah, Joel, Alexandra, Aaron) Sarah and Ben Bowling (Levi, Lilly, Riley,Jude) David and Laura Shepherd (Jack, Davey) Joshua and Megan Shepherd (Timothy, Ezra) Candace and Kenneth Crowther (Aliza, Emma, Ammon, Eldon, Aurelia, Hyrum-deceased)
Brittany and Kole Bowman (Ellis, Asher, Kale and Perrin) Cody Thompson and Arianda Espino (Arcturus) Elizabeth (Lizzey) and Cody Watts (Waylon, Gael) Esther Jo Thompson
Brother Larry (Loretta) Seipert, Sisters Gloria (Dale) Sebring, Joyce Banks, Connie Bingham, Sister in-laws Sandy Seipert and Jackie Seipert
Other In-Laws Gerald Maughan (Janice), LaMont Maughan (Charlotte deceased),Myrna Maughan Varga (Ted deceased), and Evelyn Maughan Cheney (Mel)
She was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon Maughan, parents Cleon Roman Seipert and Dolly Elizabeth Chandler, Brothers Rex, Lloyd, and Michael Seipert, and Sister-in-Law Carol Seipert, and Brothers-in-Laws Joe Banks and Darlo Bingham.
Additionally, she is preceded in death by her husband’s parents Harrison Adamson Maughan and Ardis Elizabeth Wright, and five of her husband’s siblings: William Rex Maughan (Julia deceased), Verla Ardis Maughan Reynolds (Russell deceased), Rita Wright Maughan Porter (Kay deceased), Wayne Wright Maughan (Geraldine deceased), Mark Wright Maughan (Ruth)
What’s your fondest memory of Venita?
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Describe a day with Venita you’ll never forget.
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