Melva Thorup Wright

“Returning With Honor”

An Elect Lady and faithful daughter of Heavenly Father returned to her heavenly home, having endured to the end, on November 12, 2005. Although she was eighty years young, her death happened quickly and unexpectedly due to renal failure.

Melva was born November 8, 1925 to William Wilford Thorup and Esther Elizabeth Nordberg Thorup, in Murray, Utah. She is the eighth of 14 children.

William and Esther instilled a love of music in their children, each playing a musical instrument and/or singing. They had a family orchestra that performed throughout the Salt Lake Valley and after she and her sisters were married, they formed a chorus that continued performing.
The violin was Melva’s instrument of choice and as she grew into her late teens, her teacher told her that she could have a career as a concert violinist – she was that good! But a handsome, dark-haired and brown-eyed military pilot by the name of Gordon Lowell Wright courted and won her affection and she chose having a family over a career – a decision she never regretted.

On June 3, 1946, Melva and Gordon were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity. Only a few short days after their marriage, Gordon was sent on a mission to Northwestern states. Six months later, Melva was sent on a mission to Southern California and the last six months of their missions they spent together as companions in Montana. Because of World War II, young men were sent to serve their country instead of missions, but with the end of the war, the LDS church was in need of missionaries so it wasn’t uncommon to send married men (and sometimes their wives). The miraculous part of it all is that this newlywed couple was promised that if Gordon answered the call to serve the Lord, they wouldn’t miss out on anything for the 2 ½ yrs. he was gone. When they returned home from their missions and started a family, they were blessed with identical twin boys! The Lord truly kept his promise. Ten more children were born over the years. Sadly, Melva and Gordon later divorced.

Gordon also loved music and could play the piano “by ear” – so a second generation family orchestra was born ~ the Wright Family Orchestra. This orchestra also performed throughout the Salt Lake Valley, as well as on both the east and west coasts. Mom was never happier than she was when she watched her children perform.

Mom loved to garden. She even enjoyed weeding! This talent was also passed on to several of her children (except the weeding part). The yard was always immaculate and alive with color – truly a showpiece. But her greatest love was her family and her Heavenly Father. She taught her children the gospel and set a marvelous example. She also spent hours each day teaching her children to play the different musical instruments. She used “how to” books to teach until each child became too proficient for her and she then put them in private lessons.

Her children were her life. She sacrificed and went without so they could pursue their talents. But it wasn’t just her children who were recipients of her generosity. When she saw a need, without being asked, she rose to the occasion; she organized a fund-raiser when Chile was devastated by an earthquake. She was active in civic events, trying to make her communities better and in her later years she worked, as well as volunteered, as a companion to patients in nursing homes, shut-ins and Alzheimer’s patients. She was filled with compassion and empathy for those struggling with poor health and loneliness. She was a friend to friendless and gave freely of her worldly goods.

Life took it’s toll on Melva and her body was affected by various debilitating illnesses (a factor in her divorce), but like Job, she never denied God and remained faithful until the end, sharing the joy of the gospel wherever and whenever she could.

Melva is survived by eleven children and their spouses: Lowell (Elaine); Layne (Marian); Gary(Sharon); Jacki (Don) Sorensen; Kelly (Sherie); Kirk (Valerie); Ginger (Dave) McNeill; Will (Robyn); Judy (Jeff) Thomson; Todd (Valee); Liz (Jerry) Flitton. She is also survived by two sisters and one brother: Geniel (Garn) Christensen, June (David) Evans and Bill Thorup; two brothers-in-law, Paulus Svedin and Ralph Loveridge as well as 12 of Gordon’s siblings and their spouses. She has 65 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren and 5 on the way.

She is preceded in death by her parents, a son, Jeffrey Lynn Wright, 10 brothers and sisters, her ex-husband Gordon, two brothers-in-law, a sister-in-law and a granddaughter, Megan Wright.

The family would like to thank Joe, Monica, Jessica and “the rhubarb” nurse at Altaview Hospital for their patience, care and “going the extra mile” ~ especially with such a large and sometimes impatient group of siblings. We would like also to thank Hospice for their knowledge and care that made the last five days of mom’s life a little more pleasant for all. And a special thanks goes out to Judy and Ginger, as they took turns taking her into their homes for the past three years when it became impossible for her to live alone.

Funeral services will held Saturday November 19, 2005 at 2:00 pm at Jenkins-Soffe South Valley 1007 W. South Jordan Pkwy (10600 So.) with a viewing from 12:00 to 1:45 prior to the service. Interment in Salt Lake City Cemetery.