Carolyn Cook Jorgensen, age 79, passed peacefully at home on August 29, 2022 after many health issues. Mom was born at dawn on September 22, 1942 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Joseph Emmet and Ethel Gardner Cook.
She was raised on the outskirts of West Jordan on a small farm when West Jordan was rural. Mom knew what it was like to slop pigs and to feed and clean chickens. She knew how to pump water from a well and walk the snow path to the outhouse. Mom also knew what it was like to bathe in the #2 tub in water heated on the coal stove. She knew how to stomp hay, pick rows of strawberries, thin sugar beets and pick rows of peas and beans. The family farm was located almost a mile down a dirt lane.
As a 1st grader, her uncle had a sleigh to take milk cans and kids down to the main highway. After they got older, she walked the lane morning and night to and from the school bus. She attended schools in West Jordan and graduated from Bingham High School that was located up Bingham Canyon in Copperton City.
After a short employment with Pacific National Life Insurance Company, mom obtained work with Hercules Powder Company working with secret documents and drawings for the development of the Minute Man Missile, which is a forerunner to today’s ballistic missiles in the United States Space program.
A few days after her 18th birthday, she met her sweetheart, Justus Ray Jorgensen. They were married on August 7, 1963 in the Salt Lake Temple on a very hot day and have lived all their lives in Castle Dale. They were blessed with seven children. While raising her family, she worked a short time for the Emery County Library system and was voting register for the Republican party. Later, mom worked for Castle Dale City for 39.5 years. She worked 1.5 years as a clerk and the remainder of those years as the treasurer for Castle Dale City. During that time, she compiled a cemetery record for the Castle Dale City Cemetery by walking to each grave and recording the names and dates of each gravesite. Her employment with the City gave her the opportunity to meet and associate with the good people of Castle Dale.
Mom was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in which she served in a variety of callings. One of her favorite callings was teaching the primary children. Mom and Dad served a welfare mission for five years at the church cannery where they enjoyed helping church members fill their food storage pantries.
She loved flowers of any kind, but she had a soft spot in her heart for her grandchildren. She enjoyed playing checkers, talking and feeding the grandchildren all types of sweet treats. Her freezer was always stocked with Otter Pops, Creamies and tubs of ice cream.
She is survived by her good husband, Justus Ray Jorgensen; seven children, Miriam (Charley) Chadwick of Stockton, Utah, Patricia (Erik) Gotberg of Lehi, Utah, Janna (Baron) Fidler of Draper, Utah, Dixie (Ken) Bradshaw of Washington, Utah, Justus (Tiffany) Jorgensen of Castle Dale, Utah, Jaren (Holly) Jorgensen of Kemmerer, Wyoming; 23 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; two brothers, Kendall R. Cook of West Jordan, Utah and Duane W. Cook of Sevier, Utah.
Mom is preceded in death by her parents, Emmet and Ethel Cook of West Jordan, Utah; one sister, Charlene Burton of West Jordan, Utah; one brother, Gerald Cook of West Jordan, Utah; and one grandchild, Philly Powley of South Jordan, Utah.
Funeral service, Saturday, September 3, 2022, 11:00 a.m., Castle Dale Stake Center where the family will receive friends beginning at 9:30 a.m. Interment will follow the service in the Castle Dale City Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories of Carolyn online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net.