Peggy Hafen

Peggy Ruth Nielson Hafen passed away at the age of 94, on January 6, 2026. She was born November 18, 1931, in Blanding, Utah, to Joseph Edward and Ida Palmer Nielson. She married L. Kelton Hafen in the St. George, Utah Temple on November 2, 1954.

Peggy grew up in the midst of the Great Depression, the youngest of seven children in a loving home on the San Jaun frontier. Her mother was born in the Mormon Colonies of Northern Mexico and was one of the great post-pioneer women of the early Twentieth Century. Her father was a rancher on Elk Mountain west of Blanding where he summered cattle beneath the Bears Ears and wintered in the rugged natural bridges country to the south. Peggy was the sparkle in her father's eye and as a girl she loved going to the ranch at Peavine, riding horses, and listening to her dad's stories about his involvement in some of the last skirmishes with Native Americans in the West.

Her Nielson heritage was very dear to her, and she bore it with pride and a sense of responsibility. Her great-grandfather, Jens Nielson, was a leader among the Hole-In-The-Rock pioneers who crossed the Colorado Plateau from southwestern Utah, east to the San Juan River where they settled the town of Bluff. Jens, a Danish convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, lived a devoted life with the moto: "Stickie-Ta-Tudy," his Danish way of saying "Stick-to-itiveness." Peggy lived the same motto of sticking to it all her life.

She graduated from San Juan High School in 1950, after which she embarked on a great adventure, moving to St. George to attend Dixie College. She came with other friends from Blanding, including her cousin and childhood friend, Joann Palmer Burgess. She was a cheerleader at Dixie where she met a handsome local boy named Kelton, who became her husband after he returned from combat in the Korean War. Their mortal marriage lasted 71 years, but their commitment, from the beginning, was and is eternal.

Peggy gave birth to four children and was proud to be a homemaker. As her children grew, she worked at different part-time jobs, but nothing she did outside the home meant more to her than working as an aid on the school bus for special needs children. The relationships she developed there remained precious to her all her life.

She loved being part of the "Posse-ettes," the wives of members of the Washington County Sherriff's Mounted Posse. It gave her the chance to continue riding horses and compete in barrel racing and other horseback events. She loved gathering regularly with the women of her social club, a group of ladies who met regularly in each other's homes across six decades.

As a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Peggy served with love and devotion in Primary and Relief Society. She was especially proud of her service with her husband Kelton as a missionary in the St. George LDS Historic Sites Mission.

At a certain point in her life Peggy became a runner. Even before it became fashionable, she ran early every morning on the streets around her home on 600 South. When the St. George Marathon was established in the 1970s, she was astounded by the idea of running 26 miles, but after watching the runners finish just a couple of blocks from her house, she was determined to run a marathon herself. At the age of 52, and with a major dose of "Stickie-Ta-Tudy," she finished her first marathon as her children and grandchildren watched in amazement. Her shelf is full of medals, ribbons and plaques from all the runs she completed in her life.

Though her running miles might have stretched half-way around the world, the farthest she ever travelled from home was to Boston on a wonderful adventure to visit great-grandchildren.

Her last race was to beat the effects of a stroke. With her husband and all her children attending in loving awe, she stuck to it right up to her last mortal breath, which she didn't give up easily.

Peggy is survived by her husband Kelton Hafen, St. George; children: Lyman (Debbie), Santa Clara; Linda, St. George; Ken (Lea), Winchester Hills; and Edd, St. George; 11 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her six siblings, Venice Nielson Lyman, Yvonne Nielson Keele, Dereese Nielson, Rex Nielson, Zola Nielson (died in childhood), and Erma Nielson Hurst.

Funeral services will be Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 11:00 am at the St. George East Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (across the street east of the St. George Temple.) Friends may call at Spilsbury Mortuary on Friday evening, January 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, or on Saturday morning prior to the service from 9:30 to 10:30 am.
Those unable to attend the service in person are invited to join the livestream at 11:00am through the following link: https://bit.ly/stakecenter

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