Audrey Kolling

Audrey Marie Kolling passed peacefully from this life at 11:30pm on Saturday, June 27, 2020 in Spanish Fork, Utah.  What a sweet reunion with her lifelong sweetheart Don!

Audrey was born November 11, 1931 in Junction City, Kansas. Audrey was the middle daughter of Harry W. Thomas and Bertha A. Lefert. She spent the first few years of her life in Kansas until the mid-30s when her father sought work out west and moved the family to Southern California. While she was raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles, they had a bit of property and she had chores taking care of the chickens and rabbits. She played the flute and piccolo in marching bands, as well as piano. She loved classical and band music. After graduating from South Gate High School in 1949, she attended and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Woodbury College.

While out on a wild night with her sister and 2 girlfriends, they picked up a hitchhiking marine named Don. Audrey and the marine hit it off and they were married on May 22, 1953. Audrey and Donald Eugene Kolling raised their children and spent most of their marriage in Southern California, relocating to Utah in 1982.

Audrey worked full time as an accountant while simultaneously running a clutter-free, organized home. She juggled her motherly duties and relied heavily on her children for help. She learned provident living from her mother and passed that on to her children as well. She cooked on a budget, saved money when she could, and sewed her own and her children’s clothing. She was always frugal and tried to live within her means in spite of occasional hardship. She loved to dance and her home was full of music. She taught her children obedience, responsibility and accountability.

Audrey enjoyed knitting and crocheting even until the week before she passed. She crocheted afghans for each of her grandchildren when they graduated from high school, and baby afghans for all the great grandbabies until she could no longer manage the required detail. She also crocheted fine lace alter covers for some of the temples in which she worked. She adored her grandchildren and after she retired spent as much time as she could with them when schedules allowed.

Audrey was a loyal wife through thick and thin, for better or for worse. However, Don and Audrey divorced in 1985 and were apart for 26 years. In 2011, fate was kind, their love rekindled and they remarried on September 19, 2011 and lived the next 5 years together until Don’s passing in 2016. Those 5 years were precious as they loved and supported each other and enjoyed their family, once again together forever.

A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Audrey held various church callings but her favorite was serving as a temple worker for many years, especially alongside Don after they remarried. She loved reading her scriptures in the quiet morning hours each day, and while her faith was simple, her devotion was unmatched.

Due to declining health and physical limitations, she spent her last 3 years in assisted living facilities, first in Country Lane in Santaquin and then BeeHive Homes Spanish Fork. She was known as the spitfire resident who liked what she liked and wanted things exactly as she wanted them. She was a determined and stubborn woman who insisted on wearing her glasses even though, thanks to cataract surgery, she no longer needed them. Audrey enjoyed Bingo and jigsaw puzzles, as long as they were no more than 300 pieces. She maintained a drawer full of Oreos, Hostess coffee cakes, Hershey chocolate, and Uno candy bars, and loved the kid’s burger from Culvers. As her body weakened, she fell frequently, but don’t even think about making a fuss over it because she knows how to fall! She’s a “professional” faller! The family would like to sincerely thank the staff of both facilities for providing patient and loving care to Audrey.

Audrey is survived by her children, Kenneth (Carolyn) Kolling, Roxanne (Alan) Howell, Lawrence (Carlene) Kolling, Denise (Daniel) Ray; siblings Ilene Bray (David) Wiggins, Shirley (Larry) Ladue, and Carl (Linda) Thomas; 16 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. Preceded in death by her husband Donald, son Douglas G. Kolling, and parents.

A short graveside service provided by Brown Mortuary of Santaquin will be held Tuesday, June 30, 2020 at 1:00pm at Santaquin City Cemetery, 100 East 300 South, Santaquin, Utah . No viewing or visitation will be held.