Frances Hutchens

Frances, Rushton, Millar, Hutchens passed away Thursday, April 26, 2012, in her home in Salt Lake City of natural causes. Frances was born July 6, 1923, in Las Vegas, NV, to Clay and Jetta Rushton. She weighed only 3 ½ pounds when she was born and was not expected to live. Later in life doctors determined she suffered a massive stroke during her birth, but aside from limited vision in her right eye, the lasting effects of the stroke were minimal and she lived a long and full life. On March 24, 1943 she was married to the love of her life, Wayne Millar, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They lived in Goshen, Idaho, where they farmed and raised dairy cows. It was only to last a short 12 years as her sweetheart was taken from her in an accident on October 8, 1955. They were blessed with 4 children – Ellen, Terri, John and David. May 10, 1957, Frances married Fred Hutchens in Rigby, Idaho. Fred brought with him twin boys to the family –Jack and Jim. They were married for 31 years before Fred passed away from medical conditions in 1988. After the death of her second husband, Frances spent much of the remainder of her life serving missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her first mission was to San Diego, California where she served a fellowshipping mission among the Laotian, Mong, and Vietnamese refugees. In 1996 she served in the Family History Center in the Church Office Building. During this time she began compiling her own family history, and produced several books full of life sketches, pedigree charts, photographs, and journal and letter entries. In 1999 Frances again worked with family history, this time out at the church family history vault processing microfilm for Family History Centers throughout the world, For three-year stints beginning in 2002, Frances gave tours of the Conference Center to people visiting Salt Lake and Temple Square. In March of this year she completed her 10th year in his service. She was still serving on this mission at the time of her death. Frances is survived by her twin sister, Elaine Finn of Rigby, Idaho and sister Dawn (Kay) Beck of Rexburg, Idaho, also, a daughter, Ellen Burnside (John) of Helena, Montana and three sons, John Millar (Jean) of Rexburg, Idaho, Jack Hutchens (Peggy) of Tempe, Arizona, and Jim Hutchens of Rigby, Idaho; daughter-in-law, Phyllis Millar of Rigby, Idaho and son-in-law, Lamont Merrill (Denise) of Sugar City, Idaho. 26 grandchildren and 82 great grandchildren called her Grandma. She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, a brother Bobby, and sisters Halley Blair and Bethann Summerhays, also a daughter Terri Merrill and a son David Clay Millar. Funeral services will be held Wednesday May 2, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. in the Rigby Idaho Stake Center, 258 W 1 N in Rigby. Viewing will be held on Wednesday morning 1 hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Hillcrest Cemetery at Shelley, Idaho.