Sharlene Blanche Memmott

Sharlene Blanche Hughes Memmott, 84, of St. George, Utah, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2025. She was surrounded by her adoring husband, all of her daughters, and many of her grandchildren.

Sharlene was born on Thursday, November 28th, 1940, in Mt. Pleasant, Utah—Thanksgiving Day! Her parents are Vena Louisa Johnson and Darr LaVon Hughes and she is the second of seven children. She spent her childhood outdoors, caring for many animals and helping to take care of all of her siblings. She cherished her childhood, including spending her summers picking raspberries. She LOVED babysitting and was everyone’s top pick! She graduated from North Sanpete High School in 1959.

Sharlene met the love of her life, Pete Memmott, when she was a young 16-year-old. The day they met, he pulled her onto his lap and said, "I told myself the next girl I met, I was going to marry her and THAT’S YOU!" She held him to that. They were married on Dec. 12, 1958, in Mt. Pleasant. They had a passion between them that is unmatched, even 68 years later! After their wedding, they very quickly started their family by having 4 girls in 3 years. Tish, Brenda, Cindy, and Blanche brought Sharlene such joy and maybe a touch of craziness! They moved around a bit in those first few years—Nephi, Boise (ID), McCall (ID), Roy, Salt Lake City, and Mt. Pleasant—before settling in Richfield for a few years. She kept busy raising her precious girls. During that time, they got sealed in the Manti LDS Temple with their 3 oldest girls. That day was such a special day and she told so many people about it. Launa was born in Richfield. Launa was a baby in 1969 when Pete took a job in St. George, and they made the move that would be their final move. Sharlene and Pete welcomed Hope into the family in 1976.

Sharlene worked at Skaggs, they started a security business, and parcel delivery service. Later, she worked at Zion’s Bank and opened the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Hurricane, but the best job she ever had was when they started Pete’s Taxi! They started the first licensed taxi in St.George in 1974 and owned and operated it for 18 wonderful years. All the stories, all the celebrities, tourists, cowboys, and even some FBI agents made for quite the life! Most of the girls got to have fun driving the taxi as they came of age.

Sharlene loved St. George and all of the beautiful mountains, cactus, and wildflowers. She and Pete loved going for drives around the area. After Pete retired, they spent their summer months up on the Manti LaSal mountain range in central Utah. May to September, they’d leave the house and responsibilities to their girls and go “up to the mountain.” She would go to the “phone booth” once a week and call for updates. They cherished their time on the mountainand the wonderful friends they would camp with. She was in Heaven in the mountains. She looked forward to seeing all the wildlife and took enough pictures of them to fill many photobooks! 

Sharlene was the life of the party! She was always at the center of a prank. She was a pro short-sheeter and you wouldn’t want to come across her on April Fool’s Day. She even paid Pete’s barber (Clair Webb) to give Pete a special haircut in the 90's. She was always tricking someone. She was a lifelong bowler and bowled on the same Tuesday night league at Dixie Bowl for over 50 years. She held every position on that league, including President, for many years. She cherishes the friendships made during that time. They knew how to have fun! State bowling tournaments were always a blast for them. Some of her daughters even got to bowl with her on that league.

Sharlene was an avid knitter and gave her last baby afghan completed to her sweet granddaughter that will be having a baby girl next month. She knitted until her hands were crippled with arthritis and her eyesight wouldn’t let her. That was so hard for her to stop. Speaking of babies, Sharlene was the baby whisperer. She was in the delivery room of almost all of her grandchildren, and many went home to her house after birth, so she could care for the mamas. She was a baby hog, and it was an unspoken rule that no one could take a baby away from her! In fact, we joke that she passed away when she did, just to get to hold the new babies that are on their way before the rest of us can get them!

Sharlene loved to read, and her happy place was reading while in the bathtub. If you wanted anything, that was the time to ask! She enjoyed the years of playing cards with her best friends, David and Revoe. They travelled and enjoyed every second together. She was quite the fisherman. She could out-fish almost anyone! She loved Utah, and there aren’t many roads that she hasn’t travelled, especially in central and southern Utah. She was always on the go. She’s travelled to Oregon, Florida, and even Hawaii.

Sharlene loved her nieces and nephews, and so many of them have told the girls that Sharlene was their favorite aunt! She always stopped by if they were within 100 miles of them. The love she had for her nieces and nephews was very deep, and she felt a sense of maternal instinct toward them.

While Sharlene wasn't afraid of getting dirty, she always looked good! Nails painted, make up on, dressed nice and of course, her hair done! She loved getting her hair done at Evan's Hairstyling College. She started when they opened in St. George in 1977 and actually was a client in Richfield before moving to St. George! She kept up on her red hair, perms and haircuts! She was at Evan's twice a week, all those years, until just recently! She trained close to 100 girls on how to do a proper backcomb! She liked it TIGHT!

As important as everyone is to Sharlene, her grandbabies were at the top, just below Pete! Boy, did she love all of her grandbabies. She had a special relationship with all of them and was so proud of every, single one of them. She was always so concerned about them and wanted them to succeed. She was their biggest cheerleader in everything they did. From ball games, choir and band concerts, to award ceremonies, graduations, and weddings, she knew how to show up! What a special treat to her grandchildren.

Sharlene was a proud American! She took her right to vote very seriously and was incredibly proud of her grandsons that are serving in the military! 

Sharlene developed a terminal lung disease and was diagnosed in April and only lived 9½ weeks after her diagnosis. While it was a bit of a shock that she went so fast, there is some comfort that she doesn’t have to suffer anymore. Sharlene was a firm believer in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and so completely believed in the concept of eternal families. We know she is with her parents and her daughter, healthy and whole again.

Sharlene is survived by her loving and devoted husband, Pete. Daughters: Tish (Dennis) Butcher of Moroni, Cindy (Rob, Deceased) Hyde of St. George, Blanche (Michael) Barnum of Orem, Launa (JR) Farnsworth of Washington, and Hope (Randy) Clyde of St. George. She is preceded in death by her daughter, Brenda Leavitt, her “mama” and “daddy,” 2 brothers, and 1 sister.

• Services are as follows:
• LDS Church, 166 S. Main Street, St. George, UT 84770 
• Monday, June 16th, viewing 6-8pm
• Tuesday, June 17th, viewing 8:30-10am
• Funeral 10am 

Graveside 11:30am at St. George City Cemetery downtown, east block

The family would like to thank Renew Hospice for their care and compassion during this time. Sharlene's nurses Michelle and Jill were angels and we will never be able thank them for how much their gentle care, knowledge, experience and communication meant to us. We love you both.