LaJune Robbins

Sarah LaJune Robbins began life in a tiny one-bedroom cabin in Fountain Green, Utah, on May 19, 1944. Her parents, Loren and Della Rosquist Crowther, had few material possessions, but their home was filled with love and children. LaJune joined older siblings Renee, and twins Jay and Joy. The family quickly grew to include brother Gayle, sister Margie, triplets Carl, Paul, and Bevin, and brother Allan. “Junie-poon” and her siblings had plenty of chores and housework. She always shared a bedroom and bed with her sisters, grateful to feel warm and protected by being so close to them. Feeling protected by being close with her sisters and brothers lasted throughout her life. The Crowther siblings formed a bond of support and encouragement that is an inspiration. 

As a pretty fifteen-year-old, she was excited to spend a summer living with an aunt. Not long after arriving in Lynndyl, Utah, she began to notice a young man walking home after a day spent lifting hay bales for work. He was living with his sister Tamra and her husband, Dale, that summer. Young LaJune began planning her day so that she would be in the front room at just about the time that young David was walking home, but she was too shy to walk outside to catch his attention. The opportunity to catch his eye happened during a double date as David glanced in the rearview mirror at the pretty blonde with green eyes sitting behind him, next to her date.  Once they started dating, they were never apart for long. With the help of siblings and a borrowed car from her brother Jay, they were married, at the tender ages of eighteen and sixteen, on February 14, 1961. When their car broke down on the way to their “honeymoon,” they spent the first night of their marriage in the basement bedroom of her parents’ little home. Adapting to life’s unexpected setbacks became a life skill.
 
Dad and Mom were so young, with so little, when they began their lives together. But Dad built their home on a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, and Mom filled that home with love. LaJune devoted herself to raising her family, beginning with Scott, who was born nine months and three weeks after their wedding. Wayne was born the following year, then Brenda and Rob, who arrived to spoil Brenda’s first birthday. Lonney and Danny arrived the following years, rounding out six children born in a little over six years.  They must have been really good children, because their young parents happily continued their family with Joe D, Merridee, and Randy. We know their stillborn daughter, Rebecca, has enjoyed a sweet reunion with our angel mother.
 
Raising a large family is a little bit like nailing Jello to a tree, but Mom excelled.  She also created more Jello recipes than any American housewife raising a family in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Part of her morning routine was to set canned or home bottled fruit in a dish of Jello to be ready to feed her large family. But that was only the beginning. Mom knew that life is better when it is sweeter. She served love through her Jello “salads,” with delightful ingredients like strawberries, bananas and whipped cream, or mandarin oranges and crushed pineapple, frosted with lemon pudding and whipped cream. There was even a crumbled cookie “salad”, which included crumbled chocolate covered cookies and more whipped cream. Another family favorite folds apples, sliced Snickers bars, and—you guessed it—whipped cream. Mom made all of our lives so much sweeter.
 

LaJune knew that the storms of life were easier to pass through when family traditions create stability— traditions like Sunday dinners, Easter egg hunts, special sugar cookies on Valentine’s day and Halloween, and a bag of licorice or a box of orange sticks for a birthday honoree to “pass around” during once-a-month birthday celebrations. She added something special to every holiday. But Christmas is where LaJune’s talents shined brightest. Preparations began early in November, with homemade cookies and candies being stored and frozen to make delicious platters. Her cookie list included more than two dozen recipes curated as family favorites, and she knew the favorite of almost every family member. Orange stick cookies were a delicious nod to David’s first job working at Sweet’s Candy in Salt Lake City. Of course, none of us could replicate her perfect cookies, much to the frustration of her daughters-in-law, whose husbands quietly accepted that our recipes would never taste like hers. None of us could ever cook or bake “quite like Mom,” because Mom’s recipe “adjustments” were usually kept secret.
 But the real secret that LaJune demonstrated is that families are like recipes—much like the ingredients, each family member brings a different attribute or talent to the family dish and each person is needed to make it perfect. In between all of the cooking and baking, Mom found time to create more traditions by crocheting blankets for every grandchild’s baby blessing and crocheting lace edging on flannel blankets. 
 
She served faithfully in many callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, putting much time, effort, and love into callings in Relief Society, Primary, the ward library, and ministering. Raising her family and showing love to her grandchildren was LaJune’s life work. The way we continue to raise our families and grandchildren is a reflection of her focus and a tribute to her.

David and LaJune enjoyed nearly sixty-three years of marriage, until his passing on December 18, 2023. Our broken hearts are lifted at the knowledge that Mom and Dad are together again. Our grief is lifted through the gift of perfect hope given to us through our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

She is survived by her children, Scott (Finis), Wayne (Dina), Brenda, Rob (Liz), Lonney (Julie), Danny (Melany), Joe (Tracey), Merridee Turner (Randy), and Randy (Lindsey). She will be watching over and cheering on her thirty-nine grandchildren and fifty great-grandchildren, with two more anticipated in 2024. 
 
She will be greatly missed by her siblings, Renee Nethercott, Margie (John) Lomax, Gayle (Elaine) Crowther, Bevin (Sharon) Crowther, Carl (Alice) Crowther, Allan (Shellie) Crowther, and sister-in-law Diane Crowther. She is also survived by David’s siblings, Irene (Ted) May and Glenna Molyneux, and brother-in-law, Dale Jones.
 
She was preceded in death by her parents, daughter Rebecca, cherished grandsons Jeffrey and Quinton, brothers Jay and Paul, sister Joy, brother-in-law John Nethercott, as well as her sister-in-law Tamra Jones, and David’s brothers DonRay McNeill, Forrest McNeill and his wife Jan, and Carl Robbins.
 
“I’m so far behind, I will be ahead” was a comment Mom often said with a smile. She has come full circle. We know that she is preparing celebrations for us to one day join her.
“In my Father’s house are many mansions,” and we know that mom’s/grandma June’s will be filled with cookies. And sweet “salads”.
 
May we learn to live as she did, loving others unconditionally, seeing one another’s strengths and overlooking weaknesses, and finding Christlike unity through our diversity.