November 25, 1923 – August 28, 2023

On Monday, August 28th, Donna Sargent Wright Dearden our amazing mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt passed from this earth and into the loving arms of her husband Fay Taylor Dearden, who preceded her in death 13 years ago.
To the delight and surprise of her parents, John Eaton and Ursula Sargent Wright, Donna arrived to this earth just minutes after her twin sister, Deane, on November 25, 1923 in Spring Hollow, Utah. Donna and her twin were quite the duo with their bright red hair. They became the first baton twirlers at North Summit High School. Donna loved to sew and won awards at the State Fair. Donna received her Golden Gleaner Award during those years.
As a young woman, she served at Hill AFB and worked as the secretary in the school for the POWS. Later as a young bride, Donna worked as a secretary for the commanding officer to Fay’s commander at a Naval Base in Southern California.
Donna was a groundbreaker and was fully involved in civic and community activities throughout her life in Park City. She served in the Park City Chamber of Commerce and the Summit County Planning Commission contributing to the development of Park City from a small mining town to a world renown Ski Resort.
She was an active member of the Park City Women’s Athenaeum from 1960 to the present serving as President for 3 of those years. Donna participated in the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and held a variety of leadership positions. In 2001 The GFWC presented her the Utah Woman of the Year Award.
Donna was active in politics serving as a Delegate to the Democratic Party Precinct and County Conventions. She and her husband Fay, (a Republican) always cancelled each other’s votes. The family and friends always got a kick out of that.
Donna worked at First Security Bank in Park City and she was among the first female managers, and later Assistant VP for the Bank. She also worked at the Heber City Office.
Upon her retirement from the Bank, she and her sweetheart served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Tennessee Nashville Mission. After they returned, they served together for years as ordinance workers in the Salt Lake Temple. Mom served in so many callings for the Church: Primary President in Coalville and Park City; Blazer Scouts, Teacher; and Gospel Doctrine Teacher; plus, many others. Her favorite calling was that of a Visiting Teacher. She was always the first to take a meal to someone in need, inviting strangers for dinner and serving wherever a need could be found.
But her greatest calling was that of being a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. “Grandma Dear” was what everyone called her, and she was just that – Dear. She is loved by everyone who ever met her because she loved them first. Family was everything to Mom. One of her favorite things was when the grands and great grands gathered together at the farm and worked and played together. It was always a party at the Farm.
She is survived by her 3 children: sons, Alan (Anela) Dearden, John (Dorothy) Dearden, and beloved daughter Marian D McGuire, and her amazing youngest sister Karen Smith. Mom leaves a rich posterity of 13 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren who will miss their “Grandma Dear” deeply.
Viewings will be held on Wednesday, September 6, from 6-8 pm and Thursday September 7th from 10-10:45 am prior to the Funeral at 11 am at the Jordan Willows Stake Center, 2161 W Grays Dr, Lehi, Utah. Internment will be at the Lehi City Cemetery. A Link to the Services can be found at wingmortuary.com.
We are forever grateful for and love our dear sister Marian, who moved in with Mom so she could stay in and be comfortable in her own home during her final years. We express sincere and deep appreciation to the wonderful staff of Beyond Senior Care who spent so many hours with Mom in her final months, and to Applegate Hospice who was there to care for her. But most especially we are so grateful to have been blessed by the loving care given to her by Azalea Lopez of Sweet Golden Years Care who has been caring for Mom daily for the last few years. Azalea has become one of the family and we love her dearly for her tender and loving care of our Dear Mother.