Thora (Ann) Oviatt Fillmore, 87, passed away on September 29, 2024 in Price, Utah. Better known as Grandma Ann, Mom was born on December 1, 1936 in Elmo, Utah. She was the youngest of five siblings and the only cherished daughter of Byron N. and Irene Day Oviatt.
Mom was well known for her artistic talent, excelling in painting, crafting and sewing. She took great pride in displaying her creations at the county fair where her efforts earned numerous blue ribbons. A true spitfire! Whether she was sprinting around the bases in her moccasins during her softball days or meticulously keeping score at baseball games, her competitive spirit was always evident. She never hesitated to pull out the book and let the umpire know what the rules were! When barefoot wasn’t an option she could always be found in her favorite moccasins.
Mom was well-known for her homemade rolls and beloved homemade noodle soup drawing everyone together at her home where card games, laughter and friendly banter were always present. She had a deep appreciation for Western movies and Country music, especially the tunes of Hank Snow. She embodied the tough, vibrant spirit of the West that she adored. Mom loved horses and everything about Native American cultures and you could clearly see that in her many paintings.
Mom faced the loss of her beloved father at the age of 14, a heartache that shaped her resilient character. After marrying Chancie Taylor (divorced) and later Bill Olive (divorced), she finally found her true partner in her “Cowboy” David Leroy Fillmore, whom she married on November 25, 1966. Together they created a family of ten, later being sealed in the Manti Temple on June 22, 2000.
Survived by her sons, Curtis (Boe) Taylor and Randy (Richelle) Taylor; daughters, Doreen (David) Shorts and Darcy (Ryan) Johansen; step-daughter, Carol Hill; daughter-in-law, Jolene (Gary) Kretschmann; in-laws; Donna Oviatt, Myrle Tanner, Joan (Sam) McCloud, Freda Fillmore, Lee (Irene) Fillmore, Renae Fillmore; 19 grandchildren, Mickie, Buck, Lynn, Will, Lance, Kristal, Shaunna, Sara, Cortney, Ashlee, Amanda, Kim, Janelle, Brindi, Tarra, Sydney, Ethan, McQuade and Kove; 45 great-grandchildren and 18 great-great-grandchildren.
Preceded in death by her husband, David Fillmore; parents, Byron and Irene Oviatt; step-father, Ezra Harrison; brothers, Theo (Margaret) Oviatt, Loren (Desi) Oviatt, Dale Oviatt, and Alton (Barbara) Oviatt; children, Byron Rick Taylor, Billy Robert Olive Jr., Cory Bills, Michelle (Greg) Frandsen; son-in-law, Trever Tuttle; step-son, Clint Leroy Fillmore; and brothers-in-law, Merrill and Dee Fillmore, and Wes Tanner.
Funeral service, Saturday, October 5, 2024, 11:00 a.m., at the Huntington LDS Stake Center, (240 North Main Street) in Huntington, Utah. Family and friends are invited to gather Friday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday one hour prior to the service at the Huntington Stake Center. Interment will follow at Cleveland City Cemetery in Cleveland, Utah. Arrangements entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories of Ann online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net. Compassionate service will be provided by Huntington First LDS Ward Building, 115 South 400 in Huntington.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Heirloom Inn and Symbii for the compassionate care provided to Mom, as well as to Bobby with Mitchell’s Funeral Home for his support during this time. Special thanks also go to her friends Seigred Christensen and Tiana McElprang. Mom’s vibrant spirit and tenacious nature will be missed, but her legacy of strength, creativity, and devotion to family will live on in all who knew her.