Our beloved Mother and Grandmother, Vivian Colleen (Bentley) Adair, at the age of 82, left this earthly world on December 28, 2020 surrounded by loving family members in Nephi, Utah.
She endured two courageous battles with cancer. Her doctors said that it was a miracle, being one of the few who survived longer than eight years. She finished her second battle in November of this year and passed away a month later from natural causes.
Vivian Colleen Bentley was born October 7, 1938 in Price Utah to Elba and Vivian Ladema (Hamilton) Bentley. She was the youngest of 11 children and her older brothers and sisters adored her. She spent many hours as a child helping her siblings on their farms and tending to her nieces and nephews. On the farms is where she learned to ride and love horses. This became her life passion, to own and ride her own horses.
During her years in high school, she worked the fountain at Kelly’s Drug in Price, Utah. She saved her earnings to buy her first horse and by the time she graduated from Carbon High School in 1956 she had carried out her dream and more. Not only did she own her own horse but also a car and a horse trailer. She continued to ride her horse, Babe, and competed in rodeos, horse shows, and Queen tryouts. She was honored to be the 2nd attendant at a Black Diamond Stampede Rodeo in 1957. She loved to rodeo, barrel race, and compete in horse shows. She took many long rides herding cows and attended every trail ride she could. She was a member of the Wellington Mountaineers’ Riding Club for many years. She also shared this passion with her children, teaching them to ride and care for these magnificent animals. She loved to help her children and took them to as many shows and rodeos as possible.
She met the Love of her life, Jeral D Adair, at a dance at Nine Mile Canyon. She waited patiently for him to return from military service for two years and they were married June 15th, 1957. It was the highlight of her life to be his wife. They moved to Fairfield, California in 1960 and spent six years there, returning to Utah regularly. They returned home to Utah and settled in Wellington in 1966. They celebrated 46 years of marriage, until Jeral’s death in 2003. Even after his death she continued to love and be faithful to him. She missed him dearly.
Colleen was a woman of many talents, she loved country music and dancing, sewed special clothing for her family, baked, canned, gardened, and supported her family. She was a wonderful artist, she painted and loved to do all kinds of crafts. We always said she had a green thumb and could grow anything; she loved her plants and birds. She was the best grandmother ever, never forgetting a birthday and always had a bowl of her pumpkin chocolate chip cookies waiting for her grandkids to arrive.
After raising her children, she earned her CDL and had 17 years of service as a school bus driver for the Carbon County School District. She enjoyed driving bus and the children she cared for. This service to her community gave her many years of satisfaction and independence.
Colleen was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. She was baptized as a young teenager and loved to attend mutual and seminary. Later in life, she enjoyed the many visits at her home with the Wellington Relief Society and home teachers, she loved her church and believed in the Gospel.
Our mother had the biggest heart, she never thought of herself, she always put everyone before herself. Mom was always quiet and gave so much to all of those she loved and cared for. Her courage and strength were immeasurable throughout her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jeral, Parents Elba & Vivian Bentley and 10 brothers & sisters: Vida, Ferrell, David, Floyd, Ray, Evelyn, Kenneth, June, Ellen, and Jerry Bentley. In-laws Arnie Clarence and Mary L (Taylor) Adair, Jeral’s siblings: Jim and Molly Wynn, Shirley, Carol, Arnold, and Howard Adair. Also, a Great Granddaughter Lily Ann Weber, many nieces, nephews, and wonderful friends.
She is survived by her children Jeral David, (Tatyana Pravedna) Adair, Christie (Jim) Giles, Darla Miller (Byron) Brown, Emmett Adair, Jeri Lynn (Patrick) Crabtree, 18 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren. Also survived by her cousin and childhood playmate: Lloyd Keele, in-laws, and lifelong friends: Jackie Adair, Leon Rich, Elanor Bentley and many nieces and nephews.
Her family will celebrate her life on Friday the 15th of January, 2021 at 1:00pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints Wellington 2nd Ward. A viewing will be a held one hour prior to services. Friends and family are invited to attend the graveside services at the Wellington City Cemetery. Funeral services will be lived streamed through Fausett’s Mortuary Facebook page for those who cannot attend.
Family and friends may sign the online guestbook and share memories of Vivian at www.fausettmortuary.com.