Elen Wallace Hanks

Elen Wallace Hanks, formerly a resident of North Logan, Utah passed away on July 16, 2023, in Garden City, Idaho at the age of 95.
Elen was born July 2, 1928, in Driggs, Idaho to Wilda Buxton and William Howard Wallace. She lived much of her life in the shadow of the Teton Mountains which she said gave her a feeling of awe, stability and peace. She spent many hours enjoying the beauty of nature, especially flowers and birds. Her early years were spent with her family, working on the farm with her father and helping her mother with the cooking and cleaning.
They sold milk, eggs and butter. They also grew certified seed potatoes.
She remembers their first telephone (a square box on the wall), washing clothes with a ringer washer, and ironing clothes with a heavy iron heated on their kitchen stove. At the age of 8 she learned how to cook on the big cast iron wood burning stove. She was a gifted seamstress and at the age of 10 she cut out her own pattern and made her first dress using colorful chicken feed bags for fabric. In the cold winter months, she remembers getting a glass of tomato juice with cod liver oil in it after music class which was their only source of vitamins in the winter.
When she graduated from high school, she attended Utah State University majoring in Home Economics. She married David LaWayne Hanks on June 15, 1949. They are the parents of 7 children: Lecia (Mike) Johansen, David (Joyce) Hanks, Steven (Jean) Hanks, Aaron (Jenny) Hanks, John (Debra) Hanks, Byron (Patti) Hanks, and Richard (Carrie) Hanks. Their posterity also includes 40 Grand Children; 109 Great Grand Children & 2 Great- Great Grandchildren. Together with her husband she served 3 missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was very faithful in her service to family and to Heavenly Father.
She was preceded in death by her husband David LaWayne Hanks, her brother Donald (Naomi) Wallace, her sisters Lora (Van) Myers and Wanda Wallace. She is survived by her sister Lu Wallace of Orem, Utah.
Like the Teton Mountains, her legacy to her family is one of awe, stability and peace. She was the quiet influence for good shaping their home into a place of safety filled with love. She extended her love and hospitality to many throughout her life. She has been a great example of positive thinking, courage, and integrity. She will be greatly missed.
Funeral services will be held August 1, 2023, at 11am located at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1550 E. 1900 N., North Logan, Utah 84341. Friends may visit family that morning from 9:30-10:30am.
A special thank you to Nelson Funeral Home of Logan, Legacy House of Logan, Grace Assisted Living, and Horizon Home Health & Hospice.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com