Mays Family Tree - Person Sheet
NameElisa Young ROGERS 
1151
1151Birth Date22 Jun 1919
Death Date16 Aug 2006 Age: 87
Burial Date21 Aug 2006
EducationUniversity of Utah, English Degree
Cause of DeathCauses incident to age
Misc. Notes
Obituary
Elisa Wirthlin, wife of Elder Wirthlin, dies at 87
Funeral Monday at noon for U. alumna and the mother of 8
Published: Friday, Aug. 18, 2006 12:00 a.m. MDT
Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin, wife of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve, died Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2006, in Salt Lake City of causes incident to age. She was 87.
Born June 22, 1919, in Salt Lake City to Orson Madsen Rogers and Bernice Young Rogers, she was the youngest of four children and descendant of early leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was a great-granddaughter of both Aurelia Spencer Rogers, first president of the church's Primary organization for children, and of Joseph Young, brother of former church President Brigham Young.
A graduate of East High School, Mrs. Wirthlin earned a degree in English at the University of Utah, where she served as president of Lambda Delta Sigma, a religious sorority. The sorority years later honored her as its Woman of the Year.
She met her future husband when they were both students at the U., and the couple was married May 26, 1941, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Speaking to Brigham Young University students in November 1999, Elder Wirthlin recalled a Christmas Eve while serving as a missionary in Germany, where he told his missionary companion the traits he sought in a wife.
"I didn't know her name, but I had in my mind the type of person she would be — one who lived the gospel and who was strong spiritually. I even described her to my companion — that she would be 5-foot-5, that she would have blue eyes, and that she would have blond hair.
Once he completed his mission, Elder Wirthlin had heard about Elisa Rogers, and went to her home to pick up her sister as a favor for a friend. When Elisa opened the door, "I stared. There she was, beautiful, 5-foot-5, blue eyes, blond hair."
Following their marriage, she worked as a secretary in the U.'s administration office until the first of their eight children was born. She also did secretarial work at home to help with the family meat purveying and grocery business.
She was active in the local PTA and participated in an opera club, teaching an opera appreciation class for children. She enjoyed reading in an antique chair given to her by her mother, along with playing tennis, knitting and walking. Her son, Joseph Jr., said she enjoyed playing tennis several times each week until the day of her death.
"She never accepted mediocrity . . . She would never criticize you but would correct you, and she would never be critical of anyone. She was a defender of the 'down and out-er' and everyone was always welcome in our home."
She served in the LDS Primary and Relief Society organizations, and enjoyed opportunities to assist those in need.
Her husband was called as an LDS general authority in 1975, and as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve in 1986, providing her the opportunity to travel to many countries with him on assignments for the church, including a five-year assignment in Germany.
Funeral services are scheduled Monday at noon at the Salt Lake Bonneville Stake Center, 1535 Bonneview Drive (1050 South).
Friends and family may call at Larkin Mortuary, 260 E. South Temple, on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m., or Monday at the church from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the LDS Church's Humanitarian Center.
Elisa Wirthlin, wife of Elder Wirthlin, dies at 87
Funeral Monday at noon for U. alumna and the mother of 8
Published: Friday, Aug. 18, 2006 12:00 a.m. MDT
Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin, wife of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve, died Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2006, in Salt Lake City of causes incident to age. She was 87.
Born June 22, 1919, in Salt Lake City to Orson Madsen Rogers and Bernice Young Rogers, she was the youngest of four children and descendant of early leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was a great-granddaughter of both Aurelia Spencer Rogers, first president of the church's Primary organization for children, and of Joseph Young, brother of former church President Brigham Young.
A graduate of East High School, Mrs. Wirthlin earned a degree in English at the University of Utah, where she served as president of Lambda Delta Sigma, a religious sorority. The sorority years later honored her as its Woman of the Year.
She met her future husband when they were both students at the U., and the couple was married May 26, 1941, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Speaking to Brigham Young University students in November 1999, Elder Wirthlin recalled a Christmas Eve while serving as a missionary in Germany, where he told his missionary companion the traits he sought in a wife.
"I didn't know her name, but I had in my mind the type of person she would be — one who lived the gospel and who was strong spiritually. I even described her to my companion — that she would be 5-foot-5, that she would have blue eyes, and that she would have blond hair.
Once he completed his mission, Elder Wirthlin had heard about Elisa Rogers, and went to her home to pick up her sister as a favor for a friend. When Elisa opened the door, "I stared. There she was, beautiful, 5-foot-5, blue eyes, blond hair."
Following their marriage, she worked as a secretary in the U.'s administration office until the first of their eight children was born. She also did secretarial work at home to help with the family meat purveying and grocery business.
She was active in the local PTA and participated in an opera club, teaching an opera appreciation class for children. She enjoyed reading in an antique chair given to her by her mother, along with playing tennis, knitting and walking. Her son, Joseph Jr., said she enjoyed playing tennis several times each week until the day of her death.
"She never accepted mediocrity . . . She would never criticize you but would correct you, and she would never be critical of anyone. She was a defender of the 'down and out-er' and everyone was always welcome in our home."
She served in the LDS Primary and Relief Society organizations, and enjoyed opportunities to assist those in need.
Her husband was called as an LDS general authority in 1975, and as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve in 1986, providing her the opportunity to travel to many countries with him on assignments for the church, including a five-year assignment in Germany.
Funeral services are scheduled Monday at noon at the Salt Lake Bonneville Stake Center, 1535 Bonneview Drive (1050 South).
Friends and family may call at Larkin Mortuary, 260 E. South Temple, on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m., or Monday at the church from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the LDS Church's Humanitarian Center.
Spouses
Birth Date11 Jun 1917
Birth PlaceSalt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UT, USA
Death Date1 Dec 2008 Age: 91
Death PlaceSalt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UT, USA
OccupationQuorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Cause of DeathCauses incident to age
EducationUniversity of Utah in Business Adminstration
Misc. Notes
The University of Utah lost one of its most ardent football fans with the death of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin late Monday night.
Joe Wirthlin, the only son of the late LDS apostle, said his father attended the most recent game between the U. and its archrival, Brigham Young University, on Nov. 22 and stayed for the entirety of the U.'s 48-24 win.
During a press conference Tuesday morning, he was asked if his father was happy with the game's outcome. "Absolutely," he replied, adding, "He had a great love for both teams and for all sports."
Elder Wirthlin was a running back at the U. and later graduated with a degree in business management there, though he eventually received an honorary doctorate from BYU in 2001.
The 91-year-old church leader was in his office as usual on Monday, his son said, and his death was unexpected but peaceful. "My sister (Jane Wirthlin Parker) was with him and he had gone to bed. She said she heard him take two deep breaths and he was gone."
The family called 911 as well as Elder Wirthlin's cardiologist, hoping to revive him. "I think he was gone before they took him" to the hospital. "He went on his own terms," his son said. "He didn't ever want to be a burden to anyone."
Elder Wirthlin's eight children have taken turns staying the night with him since his wife died in 2006, Joe Wirthlin said.
As the third generation head of a family-owned food processing and purveying business, Elder Wirthlin was a successful businessman who taught his children to "be careful what you spend. You worked hard to earn what you have but be careful with what you spend," his son recalled.
"He didn't fear hard times. He knew if he was doing righteous things, he would be OK. He taught us the same, and that if we worked hard, we would never be without. He encouraged each of us to be sure we got an education."
Elder Wirthlin's father taught him the importance of ethics and honesty, his son said, recalling a family story about a time when his father sent him to deliver a food order to someone who ended up overpaying. "When he came back to the plant, his father sent him back with the extra money to make sure she would know what she actually paid," he said.
His business acumen became an asset to the LDS Church when he was appointed chairman of the church's original humanitarian effort. "He was able to give them ideas on how he structured parts of the welfare program," his son said.
Elder Wirthlin and his wife were married for 65 years, and the day she died "was the hardest day of his life." He questioned why she died first, Joe Wirthlin said, and their happy reunion in the afterlife will likely go on "for a very long time."
His legacy for his children, 56 grandchildren and 89 great-grandchildren is one of love, laughter, hard work and the constant encouragement to "carry on. He always felt like whatever goes on in life you have to pick yourself up and keep going."
After his father died late Monday night, Joe Wirthlin said he lowered the U.S. flag at Elder Wirthlin's home to half-staff "but left the Christmas lights on. He's been asking me for the last three weeks when we were going to take the flag down for winter. I said, 'Not yet,' but it's halfway there now."1150
Joe Wirthlin, the only son of the late LDS apostle, said his father attended the most recent game between the U. and its archrival, Brigham Young University, on Nov. 22 and stayed for the entirety of the U.'s 48-24 win.
During a press conference Tuesday morning, he was asked if his father was happy with the game's outcome. "Absolutely," he replied, adding, "He had a great love for both teams and for all sports."
Elder Wirthlin was a running back at the U. and later graduated with a degree in business management there, though he eventually received an honorary doctorate from BYU in 2001.
The 91-year-old church leader was in his office as usual on Monday, his son said, and his death was unexpected but peaceful. "My sister (Jane Wirthlin Parker) was with him and he had gone to bed. She said she heard him take two deep breaths and he was gone."
The family called 911 as well as Elder Wirthlin's cardiologist, hoping to revive him. "I think he was gone before they took him" to the hospital. "He went on his own terms," his son said. "He didn't ever want to be a burden to anyone."
Elder Wirthlin's eight children have taken turns staying the night with him since his wife died in 2006, Joe Wirthlin said.
As the third generation head of a family-owned food processing and purveying business, Elder Wirthlin was a successful businessman who taught his children to "be careful what you spend. You worked hard to earn what you have but be careful with what you spend," his son recalled.
"He didn't fear hard times. He knew if he was doing righteous things, he would be OK. He taught us the same, and that if we worked hard, we would never be without. He encouraged each of us to be sure we got an education."
Elder Wirthlin's father taught him the importance of ethics and honesty, his son said, recalling a family story about a time when his father sent him to deliver a food order to someone who ended up overpaying. "When he came back to the plant, his father sent him back with the extra money to make sure she would know what she actually paid," he said.
His business acumen became an asset to the LDS Church when he was appointed chairman of the church's original humanitarian effort. "He was able to give them ideas on how he structured parts of the welfare program," his son said.
Elder Wirthlin and his wife were married for 65 years, and the day she died "was the hardest day of his life." He questioned why she died first, Joe Wirthlin said, and their happy reunion in the afterlife will likely go on "for a very long time."
His legacy for his children, 56 grandchildren and 89 great-grandchildren is one of love, laughter, hard work and the constant encouragement to "carry on. He always felt like whatever goes on in life you have to pick yourself up and keep going."
After his father died late Monday night, Joe Wirthlin said he lowered the U.S. flag at Elder Wirthlin's home to half-staff "but left the Christmas lights on. He's been asking me for the last three weeks when we were going to take the flag down for winter. I said, 'Not yet,' but it's halfway there now."1150