Ann DeSpain Egelund

Ann DeSpain Egelund, our wonderful, loving mother, grandmother and great- grandmother completed her earthly mission on August 10, 2026, four days after family from around the state came to celebrate her 90th birthday at her house. She was born August 6, 1936, in the Lehi Hospital to William Orval DeSpain and Emma (Southwick) DeSpain. Ann is now united in heaven with her parents, husband, older brother Anthony, younger brother Michael, and younger sister Raima along with great- grandson Jensen Critton.

Ann grew up in a happy home in Lehi and attended Brigham Young University. Ann met the love of her life when her future father-in-law introduced her to his son Ronald at Geneva Steel where all three were employed. Ron and Ann were married on August 19, 1956, and sealed in the Salt Lake Temple one year later. Ron and Ann were a perfect loving couple on Earth until Ron’s passing in 2021.

They started their family in Kearns by welcoming the first five beautiful children. Later the family lived in the Sugar House and added the sixth child and evened up the count to three boys and three girls. The family moved to Cottonwood Heights where the children had tons of friends their age. Ron got tired of shoveling snow, accordingly for retirement they moved to St. George.

Ann was an exceptionally attentive mother, being affectionate and loving in both words and deed, even through discipline. Her greatest joy was being was being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She had 27 grandchildren, and 59 great-grandchildren (with one on the way). If you were to ask any of her grandchildren, she was the most loving, silly, and giving grandmother. They all adore their “Grannie-Annie”, and she adored each one the same with no favorites.

Ron and Ann would pack up all six kids in a truck with an attached camper and tow their dirt motorcycles to numerous places throughout Utah each summer. With the whole family riding dirtbikes, Ann eventually got her own 100cc dirtbike to join in the fun.

Ann learned to play the piano and organ early in her life with support and sacrifice from her parents and became the ward organist at the age of 16. She was the Ward and Stake accompanist for each ward she lived in until arthritis in her hands finally had its toll -- only a few years ago. Ann served as a temple worker organist in the Jordan River Temple and the St. George Temple. In August of 2022, for her birthday, she got to live out a dream of meeting her idol Clay Christiansen, as well to see him play in person in his home.

Ann shared her talents by teaching piano and organ in her home for many years and always rented a studio for fun and enjoyable piano rehearsals for her students. She always made the event a reward. Every student always said they loved their teacher, attested by the several years they continued lessons.

Ann had deep love and her faith was limitless for her Savior Jesus Christ. Ann served in various callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints along with playing the organ. Being a teacher in Relief Society was one of her favorites. Her testimony was central to her life and she possessed unwavering faith. Nearly every decision she made was with prayer to her Heavenly Father. She enjoyed reading the scriptures and reading them over the phone for years every night to her elderly mother when she could not see to read by herself anymore.

Ann loved to read and her bedroom was filled with books, and she finished each one of them. She also believed that doing Dell Puzzle books every morning would keep her mind sharp, and they did until her last day. In St. George, she also would take her “midnight walk” around the neighborhood seven days a week. She loved to look at the sky and clouds by day, and moon and stars at night. Ann loved rocks. Family members, for years, looked to find interesting rocks to contribute to her collection.

Ann was known for ending most conversations expressing her love for her Savior and her family as well as to how much she loved and enjoyed life. Her favorite motto was, “I LOVE LIFE!” She lived an extraordinarily long, happy life while loving and being loved to the fullest. Ann lived with a reassuring optimistic attitude her whole life.

Ann is survived by her six children: Debbie (Richard) Cottle; Cathy (Corey) Welker; Robert Egelund; Linda Egelund; Kent (Reyna) Egelund; and David (Angela) Egelund. Brothers Glen (Kathy) DeSpain; Stephen (Betsy) Despain. Sisters-in-laws Joyce McEwen and Ella Dourous. Brother-in-law Larry (Arlene) Egelund. And of course, Ann’s proud legacy continues with 27 grandchildren and 59 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held August 21, 2026, in Springville, Utah. Interment will take place in the Lehi City Cemetery.

You may find the livestream link for Ann's Services Here or located down below.