Leota Hunsaker Boothe

August 12, 1934 – April 21, 2020 (age 85)

Leota Boothe was born in Plymouth, Utah, to Ursel and Leone Hunsaker on August 12, 1934. She attended elementary school in Honeyville, Utah, and graduated from Box Elder High School.

She married her sweetheart, Ray Merrill Boothe, on July 17, 1953, in the Logan, Utah, LDS temple. With three young children, she and Merrill sailed to Temple View, New Zealand, where he taught at the LDS Church College. While living there, she gave birth to their fourth child. After four and a half years, the family returned to Utah and two more children were born.

In 1964 they moved to Atwater, California, where Merrill taught school. Leota earned a master’s degree in speech pathology from CSU Stanislaus and taught in Merced County schools.

She was a talented pianist and organist, and for many years she taught piano lessons. She would play a medley of Christmas songs every Christmas on the piano at home. The whole family would sit in the living room and sing along.

Leota was a fabulous cook. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners were splendid at her house. Both ovens and all four burners on the stove were employed to feed her six children, spouses, friends and grandchildren. Her buttermilk pancakes were to die for and she made the best rolls and jam.

Hers was a life of Christ-like service. As a life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she served as president of the women’s Relief Society, Young Women’s and Primary organizations. She and Merrill served in the LDS Family History Center in Merced. After they retired, they served two missions for the LDS Church, one in Slovakia and another in Salt Lake City at Temple Square. They served with great joy for many years in the Oakland and Fresno Temples. Leota loved studying the Bible, Book of Mormon and Church History. Later in life, she and Merrill enjoyed Family Home Evening study groups with friends from church.

She was never one to seek the spotlight, in spite of her many accomplishments and years of service. She was steady and calm in a reassuring way, but she could also make everyone laugh with her quick wit.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, and by her sisters, Ilah and Vernell. She is survived by her brother Carlisle; six children, Greg (Jean), Debora, Teryl (Penny), Merrilyn, Lorraine, and Cynthia; 14 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Interment will take place Friday, May 1, 2020 in the Honeyville, Utah Cemetery. A memorial service will be held in Atwater at a later date.

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at dignitymemorial.com

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