Obituary of Valeta Fife

Valeta McCaslin Fife was born on June 18, 1927, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada to John William McCaslin and Lucile Craven McCaslin and died on February 17, 2023, in Chandler, Arizona.

Valeta had a good life growing up in Canada. Her family traveled with her father when he had jobs out of town. They had a cabin at Buffalo Pound Lake and spent time there. She participated in the Girl Guide Program. In High School she participated in student council, and drama. She enjoyed writing poetry. She was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a month after she turned fifteen. After high school, she attended Normal School (A teacher training school) and became a first-grade teacher in Regina.

While back home during a school break, she met the missionaries serving in Moose Jaw. She became pen pals with Calvin Fife, one of the missionaries, and wrote to him throughout his mission. They grew to love each other through their letters and after he was released from his mission in October, he traveled to Regina to visit Valeta. They decided to get married. They found out there would be less paperwork to bring her into the United States as a war bride, but that program ended in December. Mom quit her teaching job right before Christmas and they were married on Christmas Eve 1948. They traveled through lots of snow and bad roads but arrived safely in the United States. They were sealed to each other in the Idaho Falls Temple on December 29, 1948.

Calvin and Valeta were blessed with seven children which included two sets of twins - Ruth, twins Richard and Roger, Calvin, twins Marjorie and Beverly, and Jerry. Their family was very important to them, and Valeta took her role as mother very seriously as she taught her children.

Valeta loved the Lord. She served in many positions as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She taught in most of the organizations of the Church. Other callings included Roadshow director, Stake speech director, Seminary Teacher, Temple Preparation Teacher, and Ward Greeter. She loved helping to prepare individuals for going to the temple. She worked on family history and was able to do temple work for many of her family members.

Valeta was preceded in death by her husband Calvin Barnard Fife, her daughter Marjorie Fife Horan, and son Roger Leon Fife, her parents John William McCaslin and Lucile Craven McCaslin, her sister Sylvia McCaslin de Leyssac, and brother John Wallace McCaslin and three grandchildren Becky Fife, Richard Fife Jr, and Rachel Hellewell Carlyon. She is survived by her children Ruth Fife Whitmer (Evan Whitmer), Richard John Fife (Lark Johnson Fife), Calvin McCaslin Fife (Betty Taylor Fife), Beverly Fife Hellewell (Howard Kevin Hellewell), Jerry Dean Fife, and son-in-law Don Horan. She has 28 grandchildren (plus their spouses), 78 great grandchildren (plus 4 spouses), and one great-great granddaughter.

A memorial service will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 1115 E. Ray Road, Chandler Arizona on February 25, 2023, at 10 AM. A family visitation will be held prior to the memorial service from 9 to 9:50 AM for family and friends to express love and share memories with the family. Valeta will be buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on February 27, 2023 located at 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix Arizona.