Margaret Ann Mumford Empey

Margaret Ann Mumford Empey, age 86, passed away peacefully at her home on July 22, 2023, just two weeks after her sweetheart. She was born August 14, 1936, in Salt Lake City to Louis Udolpho Mumford and Euleda Edmunds Mumford. She was married and sealed to Keith Howard Empey on August 10, 1960, in the Salt Lake City Temple.

Margaret was raised in Wales, Utah, in a loving, tight-knit family. Which include David, Carole and Paul. She and her sister, Carole, were very close and remained best friends their entire lives. In high school, her parents moved to Mount Pleasant and Margaret worked at her family’s dairy freeze. She graduated as an honor student from Moroni High School in 1954. After graduating from Snow College in 1956, she went on to BYU and completed a degree in Business Education and Office Management in 1958. Margaret spent a year in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she worked at the Museum of Natural History and taught Sunday School.

In August 1959, Margaret moved to St. George, Utah, after receiving a contract to teach in the Washington County School District at Woodward Elementary School. Many in the community remember her as “The Famous Type Teacher.” Her middle school type students often won high school Type competitions. She also worked at Ace Mechanical, Wilkinson’s Electric, and spent years supporting her sons at Triple E Electric. Margaret spent countless hours serving in many positions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including indexing over 1,000,000 names.

Margaret was a master at building relationships. She had the ability to make all those around her feel valued, included, loved, and was always invested in the details of her family and friends’ lives. Nobody left her home hungry, and she always kept the popsicles for grandchildren well-stocked. She loved early morning walks with her friends and seldom missed a day. Her hobbies were spending time with family teaching them how to make fruit leather, apricot jam, chokecherry syrup, zucchini relish and panoche, playing cards, camping, family vacations, and hosting holiday and birthday parties. She also loved a good book.

Margaret, Mom, Grandma Empey, Great Grandma, Aunt Margaret you will be sorely missed!

She is survived by her children Bret (Julie) Empey, Alan (Claudia) Empey, Dale (Janna) Empey; grandchildren, Amanda (Neal) Empey-Cooper, Gary (Kacey) Empey, Christopher (Whitney) Empey, Landon (Lizzie) Empey, Kimberly (Mitchell) Hancock, T.J. (Jessica) Empey, Ann (Jake) Brooks, Sarah (Brendan) Bliss, Melissa (Jace) Fugate, Brian (Maddie) Empey, Elizabeth (Arrow) Corpus, Kaden Empey, and Casandra (Jorgie) Empey-Cuara; along with 28 great-grandchildren, all of St. George. She was also survived by her brother-in-law, John Burt. She is preceded in death by husband Keith Empey; her parents; son, Gary Empey, brothers, Paul and David Mumford, and her sister, Carole Burt, and sister-in-law, Joyce Mumford.

A viewing will be held Saturday, July 29, 2023, from 9:00 to 11:00 am, at the East Stake Center, 449 S. 300 E., St. George, Utah.

A graveside service will follow the viewing at 11:30 am, at St. George City Cemetery, 650 East Tabernacle St, St. George, Utah.

Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah, (435) 673-2454.

Friends and family are invited to sign Margaret’s online guest book at www.spilsburymortuary.com.