Elna Ruth Bowen Johnson

June 13, 1919 - July 30, 2016

Elna Ruth Bowen Johnson, 97, devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother passed away at her home in Riverton on July 30, 2016. She was born in View, Idaho on June 13, 1919 to Daniel Bowen and Ida Eliza Tueller Bowen, the 3rd of 10 children. She attended schools in Burley, Idaho and upon graduation from high school became a licensed beautician. Then, as a young lady, she served an LDS mission in the Central States Mission where she met Elder Erik Gosta Johnson. Following their missions, she and Erik courted and were married on December 12, 1941 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They began their family in the Cottonwood area of Salt Lake City and had 3 children there. In 1949 they moved to Meridian, Idaho where they farmed briefly before Erik returned to building construction. They had 2 more children in Idaho and raised their 5 children there. In 1966 they moved back to the Cottonwood area and had their own construction company primarily building LDS Churches and schools. Elna taught herself accounting and kept all the books and records for the company. She had a firm testimony of the Gospel and loved to teach its truths. Elna and Erik were always actively engaged in serving in Church service. Upon their retirement they served 4 missions; The first in the Philippines Davao Mission, next in Salt Lake City at the Family History Library, then as president of the Stockhold Sweden Mission, and later as temple workers in the Stockholm Sweden Temple and the Jordan River Temple. Elna was known for her beautiful quilts and her excellent cooking. Her missionaries loved to eat at her table as they entered and exited the mission. Her children cherish wedding quilts that she made them, and many grandchildren think of her as they pass on to their children the baby quilts she made for them. She was a student of the Scriptures and enjoyed teaching missionaries as well as Relief Society and Gospel Doctrine classes. Elna is survived by her 5 children, Richard (Gail), Darrell (Britt-Marie), Calleen (Steve) Passey, Judy (John) Preston, and Allece (Bill) Birnel; her brother, E. Daniel Bowen (Carol); her sister, Ida Mae Thornley; 28 grandchildren; and 68 great- grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 6, 2016 at the Golden Meadows LDS Chapel, 2750 West 13400 South, Riverton, UT. Family and friends are invited to a viewing preceding the service from 9:30 to 10:45am. Interment will be at Larkin Sunset Gardens in Sandy, UT. Services are under the direction of Serenity Funeral Home. You are invited to share condolences and memories at www.serenityfhs.com.