Dorene Engle Gomm

Dorene Engle Gomm, 82, of Woodville, Idaho and Smoot, Wyoming returned to her Heavenly Father on Tuesday, December 3, 2013 at her home in Woodville, surrounded by her loved ones.

Born to Edward Engle and Suzannah Chidester on 29 November 1931 in Huntington, Utah.

She was the 8

th

of 11 children, nine brothers and one sister.

At the age of 12, she and two younger brothers, Daven and Bernard, were lovingly adopted into the home of George and Bessie Atwood.

As a youth, she was active in 4-H and earned a trip to Washington D.C. and the White House where she shook hands with President Harry S. Truman.

In 1948 she was crowned the State of Utah Rodeo Queen with her horse Sally, demonstrating her unique talent with fitting and showing farm animals.

While in high school, Dorene won the State of Utah Womens’ track record for the 50-Yard Dash.

She attended Utah State University in Logan, Utah on a 4-H scholarship where she met her sweetheart Ben Parker Gomm of Smoot, Wyoming.

Their 62-year marriage solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS temple on 21 August 1951, was blessed with four children.

She has been a lifetime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving in many positions.

She and her husband served missions in Idaho Falls, Idaho and in the Alabama Birmingham mission.

She worked as a school teacher in elementary education and junior high art.

She was a talented floral designer, opening and operating three successful floral businesses.

Her other talents included drama, public speaking, clothing design, real estate and sales.

She published a cookbook and had an amazing talent for organizing and hostessing large gatherings, especially Christmas celebrations, including her renowned widows’ parties.

She especially loved gathering her posterity around her.

She is survived by her husband, Ben, her four children:

Becky (Robert) Pinkham, Vernal Utah; Sandee (John) Palm, Idaho Falls, Idaho; Ben (Becky) Gomm, Shelley, Idaho; and Nettie Wheeler, West Jordan, Utah.

Preceding her in death are her parents, four brothers, and her granddaughter, Leah Gomm.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, December 6, 2013 at the Woodville First Ward Chapel (1555 North 700 East) in Shelley. The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 6:00 till 8:00 p.m. and Friday morning from 10:00 till 10:45 both at the church in Woodville. There will also be a funeral Saturday December 7, at 11:00 a.m. at the Smoot LDS Ward in the Osmond Chapel in Osmond, Wyoming. The family will receive friends from 10:00 till 10:45 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in the Smoot, Wyoming Cemetery.