Susan Wyler

Susan Lorena (Lorie) Thomas Wyler

December 23, 1945 - April 26, 2025

Lorie Wyler, aged 79, passed away in her home with loving family members present following years of undiagnosed cancer. By the time her cancer was diagnosed, it was already at stage four. She declined rapidly, passing away within two months of the diagnosis. Lorie was born on December 23, 1945, in Hurricane, Utah to Alma Lewis and Julia Wilson Thomas.

"To thine own self be true" embodied how Lorie lived her life. She was a very strong woman and always pushed her envelope in gaining additional knowledge. She loved to travel, sometimes even going by herself. One of her more memorable trips was traveling to Peru to see in person archaeological sites in that country. She was writing a novel set amongst the Inca people with the backdrop of the old polygonal construction in Cuzco, Machu Picchu, etc..

Lorie studied a plethora of different subjects such as eastern philosophy, healing energy work, the Egyptians' belief in Osiris, Isis and Horace, studying and attending all the plays of Shakespeare and studying his life, etc.. She directed several community plays such as "The Hasty Heart", wrote and directed a prequel to "Phantom of the Opera", and was a published book author. Lorie had a very strong testimony of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon and lived her life according to the gospel as taught to her by her father and mother.

Lorie sacrificed and suffered a lot in the upbringing of a rather large family. In spite of severe back pain due to a fall from a tree as a child, she uncomplainingly raised 34 children plus 5 more from a later marriage in the family. She loved all of her children dearly and of these, she gave birth to six girls and three boys.

She contributed for over 20 years to raising food for our small community when her husband, Marvin Wyler, along with his family, was called on a priesthood mission to manage the Short Creek community garden, the town's alfalfa hayfield, and the Church's Cannery. In her spare time, to help in providing the necessities of life besides food, she helped work in the family stucco business and she was a professional seamstress at the Barco sewing plant in town. She also worked in Springdale, Utah, in hospitality and also took jobs out of town as a live-in caretaker for invalids all over southern Utah. It was very hard on her emotionally, being away from her children for months at a time. Later in life, Lorie took a job at the Mojave Community College in Colorado City, Arizona, as the librarian. She really enjoyed the job of working with the books and interacting with the students for 20 years. She then retired and enjoyed spending time with her loving family, friends and her little dog Ella.

Lorie is preceded in death by her parents, Alma Lewis and Julia Wilson Thomas, a sibling, Kenneth Thomas, husband, Marvin Wyler, and sister wives Esther and Dena Young Chatwin. Lorie is survived by 3 sisters, Pamela Black (Gordie), Marilyn Sandberg (Richard), Martha Dutson (Hyrum), her loving sister wife, Charlotte Chatwin Blackmore, 9 biological children, Isaac, Zina, LeighAnn, Margo, Marvena, Lucinda, Roger, Laree and Jonathan. 58 biological grandchildren and 60 biological great-grandchildren.16 children: Ross, Stefen, Craig, Zelpha, Ray, Steven, Chris, Vaughn, Charnell, Deanna, Jolynne, Roylee, Diamona, Nathaniel, William and Parley. 9 children: Afton, David, Troy, Marsha, Cecelia, Nycia, Maralee, Dorothy and Esther. 5 more children from a later marriage in the family considered Lorie their mother as well: Carl, Marion, Verlyn, Lawrence and Joseph. Many other children considered her their mother and grandmother also. In total, at this time, Lorie has as her posterity 39 children, 213 grandchildren, and 182 great-grandchildren.

All are welcome to attend Lorie's viewing and funeral. A viewing we will be held Friday, May 2nd at Spilsbury Mortuary at 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, UT 84770 at 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Another viewing will be held Saturday, May 3rd at the Holm Memorial building at 1055 N. Carling St., Hildale, UT 84784 at 1:00 p.m. This viewing will be followed by her services at the same location. Then internment at the Isaac Carling Memorial Cemetery at 320 E. Township Ave., Colorado City, AZ, 86021. This will be followed by a luncheon back at the Holm Memorial building. A slide show during the luncheon will be presented and if time permits, some more of Lorie's favorite songs can be sung by family members.

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

Family and friends are invited to sign Lorie's online guest book at www.spilsburymortuary.com