Begona “Bea” Rose Raby passed away peacefully in her sleep Friday, December 7th, 2018.

Bea was born August 30th, 1927 in Jordan Valley, Oregon. She was the youngest of three children born to Felix and Rufina Eiguren. She grew up in Jordan Valley and Arock, Oregon. Bea graduated from Jordan Valley High School in 1946, and then moved to Boise, Idaho to attend the St. Alphonsus School of Nursing. After 3 years of rigorous training, Bea received her Diploma as a Registered Nurse. She worked on various units at St. Alfonsus Hospital but spent most of her time in the Neuro Intensive Care.

Bea met her life partner, Sammy J. Raby, at a rodeo in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They were married on August 27th, 1950 in Boise and together they had four children. While the kids were little, they lived in Hells Canyon, Idaho. Sam worked as part of the construction crew building the dam and Bea worked in the First Aid clinic. After completion of the dam, they moved back to Boise and Sam was employed by the US Forest Service while Bea returned to St. Alfonsus. In 1966, the USFS transferred Sam and they moved to Price, Utah.

Bea worked a short stent at the nursing home in Price before being hired at Southeastern Utah Health Department in 1967. She quickly saw the need in the community for home care of elderly and chronically ill patients and she worked diligently to establish a Home Health Program. Initially she was the only Home Health Nurse, but the demand for care quickly grew and as more nurses were hired, she moved into the role of Nursing Director at Southeastern Utah Health Department. After 25 years of service, Bea retired in 1992.

Bea always felt it was important to serve. She was an officer in the Utah Nurses Association and lobbied on Capitol Hill to improve the Rights of Nurses. She served on the Utah Association of Local Boards of Health, the Utah Association of Home Health Agencies, the College of Eastern Utah Advisory Council, and the Utah Division of the American Cancer Society. After her own battle with breast cancer, she became a Reach to Recovery Volunteer for the American Cancer Society to help others cope with the devastation of cancer recovery. She was a member on the Board for Active Re-Entry and provided service and support for PERKIE Travels (a service for those having to travel to Provo or Salt Lake for cancer treatment). Because of her service and dedication to the community, she received many awards throughout her lifetime. She received both the Maxine Thomas Award and the Beatty Award from the Utah Public Health Association (the highest awards for distinguished service in Public Health). She was presented the American Cancer Society’s Charles R. Smart Award for her dedicated service, and the “Honor Court” Community service Award for Outstanding Service to Seniors from the National Eldercare Campaign and the Agency on Aging. In 1993, she was recognized as the “Outstanding Woman in Carbon County” at the CEU Woman’s Conference.

Bea and Sam were 4-H leaders for the Livestock Club in Carbon County for 18 years. They touched the lives of many children during their tenure and established lifelong friends. They also owned Raby’s Herefords which kept them busy traveling to bull sales around the country.

As busy as she was, family was still the most important thing in her life. She seldom missed a basketball, baseball, football, softball, or volleyball game, band, choir or dance recital, or gymnastics meet. When Bea’s grandkids played on opposing teams, she would sit in the middle section and cheer loudly for both teams.

After retirement, she maintained her zest for life and community involvement. She, along with her best friend, Lorraine Falsone and Sophie Hayes, served as an institution in fundraising for the American Cancer Society and Greek Festival. Rarely did anyone manage to walk by their fundraising table without being convinced to buy a raffle ticket.

Bea was always looking forward to her next trip to Wendover or Mesquite, Nevada to gamble and was able to spend her 90th birthday surrounded by her entire family in Mesquite doing her favorite activity. Even when she wasn’t gambling, she loved playing cards and spent every afternoon playing with her friends at the Heirloom Inn.

Bea is survived by her son, Sam (Kaye) Raby, daughters, Kaylene (Dennis) Pearson and Gaylene (Gary) Nelson; her 8 grandchildren: Kelly (Gerie) Brinkerhoff, Chandler (Lieren) Pearson, Meagan (Matt) Legerski, Aric (Kellie) Nelson, Ashley (Brandon) Sacks, Tyler (Morgan) Nelson, Dolan Raby, Travis Raby, and nine great-grandchildren. She was also blessed with several bonus grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

Bea is preceded in death by her husband, Sam, parents, sister Marian Zubizareta, brother Inaki Eiguren and infant son Joseph.

The family wishes to acknowledge those who cared for their mother by extending their appreciation to the Heirloom Inn, Symbii Home Health, Alpine Home Medical and Gagon Family Medicine.

Please join the family for a viewing held at Mitchell Funeral Home at 6:00 PM Thursday, December 13th followed by a Vigil at 7:15 PM. Funeral Mass will be held Friday, December 14th at 11:00 AM at Notre Dame De Lourdes Catholic Church. The family will receive friends Friday morning at Mitchell Funeral Home beginning at 10:00 a.m. Committal service will be in the Cliffview Cemetery in Price, Utah. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net.