STELLA MARY (BARNES) HADLEY

A glorious reunion occurred on July 14, 2020, when Stella Mary Barnes Hadley passed from this frail mortal life to be with loved ones on the other side of the veil. Stella passed away in an assisted living home in Nampa, Idaho, from incidences of age. She was 100 years and 319 days young.

 Stella was born on August 30, 1919, in Neola, Duchesne County, Utah, the seventh of nine children to Hugh and Charlotte Aline Blanchard Barnes. Stella started school in Neola and discovered a love of reading that stayed with her for her entire life.

 When she was eight years old, the family moved from the Uintah Basin to Farmington, Utah. She finished her schooling there. During high school, she was awarded a certificate for being able to type 100 words a minute. She loved her business courses – the knowledge gained she would use later in her married life in keeping all the records for the family ranching operation. She graduated second in her class from Davis County High School in Kaysville, Utah, in May of 1937.

 The Barnes family moved once again after her graduation to the small Idaho community of Landing, Idaho, south of Rockland. It was there she became acquainted with her future eternal companion, Thomas Alvin Hadley. Stella began attending the LDS Business College in Salt Lake City the fall of 1937. However, in the spring of 1938 she had the opportunity, while visiting family in Rockland, to obtain employment as the secretary in the County Extension Office in American Falls, Idaho. She held this position until her marriage in 1941.

 After Alvin graduated from the University of Idaho in June of 1941, he accepted a job with the Farm Security Administration in St. Anthony, Idaho. Stella and Alvin were married on August 21, 1941, in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To this marriage were born five daughters:  Ilene, Karen, Marcia, Mavis, and Debra.

 Alvin’s job with the FSA provided them the opportunity to live in several communities in Idaho during the next year and a half—St. Anthony, Coeur d’Alene, and Rigby. In the spring of 1943, Alvin and Stella returned to the Hadley Ranch in Landing, at the request of his parents, to live and help take care of the ranch. Due to harsh winters and dry summers, the family moved to Montour, Idaho, on March 15, 1944. This would be Alvin and Stella’s final move. They raised their five daughters, prize winning registered Herefords, well-bred saddle horses, all the feed needed—hay, grain, and field corn, chickens for the eggs to sell, and Stella’s huge garden; and milked cows on their ranch in Montour.

 Stella was not one to leave home for outside activities as she felt the need to be home “taking care of things.” However, she served as a “room mother” for her children’s parties at school, attended PTA, and enjoyed serving many years on the election board for the Sweet and Montour area. Though she was never one to do much driving, in 1961 Stella accepted the challenge of serving on the Grand Jury in Boise for six months –which meant driving to Boise rain, snow, or shine; and also served that year on the hospital board for the new Walter Knox Memorial Hospital in Emmett. All the driving was truly a trying time for her; but she fulfilled her obligation.

 The gospel of Jesus Christ was always a major part of Stella’s life from the time her older brother baptized her in the irrigation ditch in Neola, Utah. Her membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was very important to her. She and Alvin, with a handful of other church members, were instrumental in starting a branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1949 in the Sweet Valley.  Stella taught classes on gospel topics for over 25 years. She had a great love for the scriptures and loved to share that with others. Stella also had a love for family history work and for over ten years, 1980-90, drove to Emmett twice a week to do research (known as indexing now) at the Family History Center located at the church building on West Central Road in Emmett.

 Even though Stella—a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother--will be missed by those who are her descendents her on earth, they are so grateful for the life she led and the example she was of a hardworking rancher’s wife who loved her family and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The family is so grateful to  a loving Father in Heaven who has granted her the righteous desires of her heart—to be able return to be with Him and her loving eternal companion and other loved ones once again.

 Stella was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin; parents, Hugh and Charlotte Barnes; her brothers: Hugh, James, and Everett; and sisters: Dora, Kate, Lola, Ona, and Vonda; and three son-in-laws: Jerry Laymon, Ed Breckenridge, and Tom Bassett.

 She is survived by her five daughters: Ilene Laymon of Ogden, Utah; Karen Aldridge of Montour, Idaho; Marcia Breckenridge and Mavis Bassett of Provo, Utah; and Debra (Terry) Hawkins of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho; 18 grandchildren; 64 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

 A public viewing will be held on Friday, July 24, 2020, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Potter Funeral Chapel, located at 228 East Main in Emmett, Idaho, with interment on Saturday, July 25th at 10:00 a.m. at the Sweet – Montour Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Due to COVID-19, please observe all requested guidelines of wearing a mask and using social distancing.

 In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Stella’s name to the Sweet – Montour Cemetery.

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