Jeanne Clifford

Evelyn Jean "Jeanne" Clifford was born July 30, 1941, in Lyman, Idaho, to Rodney Bert Howell and Eva Benson Howell.  She grew up in Archer, Idaho, on a farm and it was well known that she hated chickens.  Since she was the only girl in the family, she often liked to say that she was “the rose among the thorns.”  She met her sweetheart, Terry Dean Clifford, whilst cruising the highway in Rigby, Idaho, fell in love and married on the sly on March 8, 1958, in Jefferson County, Idaho, then came home and announced their marriage to her parents.  Her mother told her to get inside the house and mop the floor, whereupon she replied, “I’ve mopped your floor for the last time.”  Terry and Jeanne were later sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple on March 15, 1981.

She and Terry moved several times during their married life due to Terry’s employment. To begin with, they resided in Idaho Falls; in 1970 they moved to Sparks, Nevada; to Tempe, Arizona in 1972; Memphis, Tennessee in 1976; and finally, to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1981. At one point in their married life, she and Terry had a brown Chevy Impala that she named “dirt clod.”

Her favorite job was working for Dr. Shill while residing in Arizona. She also enjoyed working as secretary to Dr. Roger Hiatt while in Tennessee. She was also employed by Answer Phone in Salt Lake City for many years.

Jeanne served in the Primary Presidency for 18 years and often commented that was her favorite job. At one point, one of her bishops called her to teach the 13-year-olds in Sunday School. She told him, “I raised three 13-year-olds and didn’t like any of them, so I have to decline the offer.”

Jeanne was an excellent cook and compiled and published her own cookbook for family and friends, including her “awful salad” recipe.   She also made a killer rum cake which required the purchase of rum from the liquor store. She didn’t want anyone to see her buying liquor at the nearby liquor store, so she drove out to Sandy, Utah, to buy her rum. As luck would have it, who should she run into at that liquor store, but the bishop’s wife.   She loved her dogs, most recently her constant companion, Barbie. She enjoyed crocheting baby blankets, loved to quilt, and watching the Bachelor series on TV.

Jeanne is survived by her son, Terry Gene Clifford (Jennifer); and daughter, Teresa Steele (Ron); daughter-in-law Lisa Potter; daughter-in-law Jonette Clifford; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren her brothers Reed Howell (DaLee); Wayne Howell (Kathy); and Arden Howell (Janet); sisters-in-law Romma Howell and Aldene Howell. She is preceded in death by her husband, Terry Dean Clifford; son, Woody; grandson, Robert (Bobby) Eugene Steele; parents; brothers Robert (Bob) Howell and Bruce Howell; sister-in-law Ada Lou Howell; her parents; in-laws Elwood and Bernice Clifford; daughter-in-law Kristy Clifford; and brothers-in-law Royd and Wade Clifford.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews who she adored and supported in all of their endeavors and accomplishments. She is also survived by her dear friends Wayne Groves, Kellie, Denise, Julie, Virginia, cousin Caroline, and many other friends too numerous to mention.  We will miss Jeanne, who had a life well lived and was well loved.

Towards the end, while Jeanne was in the hospital, she told family and friends that she had developed a love affair with her pain medication button, which she named “Fabio”.

Graveside services will be held on August 9, 2019, at the Annis Little Butte, Idaho, cemetery, at 10:30 a.m., followed by a luncheon at the Archer Ward Church, 201 West 8000 South, Rexburg, Idaho.