Ruth Marie (Young) Secrist Obituary (1934 - 2020)

Ruth Marie Young Christoffersen Secrist, passed away Saturday, September 26, 2020 in Brigham City, Utah. Ruthie was born February 12, 1934 to Leo Thomas and Ruth Berchtold Young in Brigham City, Utah. Her early years were spent at the Bear River Bird Refuge where her father was a maintenance foreman and dragline operator. She lived there with her parents and three brothers until early 1940s, when they moved to their home in Brigham City. Ruthie attended school in Brigham City, graduated from Box Elder High School in 1952. The day after her graduation she started her employment career as a "number please" operator at the local telephone office. She later became a dental assistant for a local dentist, then on to the IRS in Ogden and finally retired from the Box Elder County Sheriff's Office after 17 years of service as a Secretary/Deputy. After her retirement, Ruthie volunteered at the LDS Temple in Ogden and as a volunteer at the Brigham City Hospital. She was an active member of her church and she enjoyed her calling to work with the young women of the ward and in the Relief Society. Ruthie was an avid Utah Jazz fan, golfer, enjoyed sports of all kinds and followed her grandchildren in their activities. She loved to work in her yard, to play pinochle and visit with friends. She was married to Dee Howard Christoffersen on October 18, 1952 in Brigham City, Utah. They were later sealed to each other and their children in the Logan LDS Temple. Of their union, five children were born Kathy (Manuel) Olivarez, Val (Wendy) Christoffersen, Karen (deceased) (Terry) Shaw, Kelly (Ronda) Christoffersen and Kenny (Mitzi) Christoffersen. Dee and Ruthie were later divorced. Ruthie married Ward Secrist on January 11, 2003 in Brigham City, Utah. They spent many happy years together, did some traveling and spent time with their families. Upon their marriage she gained four daughters: Linda (Richard) Noble, Chris (Rod) Jeppesen, Shelley Kotter, and Tammy Johnson. Ruthie is preceded in death by her daughter Karen Shaw, her parents and her brothers, Lyle, Darwin and Leon "Pete" Young, one grandson Brayden Christoffersen and three great grandchildren Ava Blanchard, Cohen Christoffersen, and Hayden Hadley. Ruthie is survived by her husband Ward Secrist, four children and four step-daughters, twenty-nine grandchildren, forty great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Funeral services will be held Friday, October 2, 2020 at 12:30 pm at Myers Mortuary Chapel, 205 S. 100 E., Brigham City, UT. A viewing will be Friday from 10:00 to 12:00 pm at Myers Mortuary. The family requests that those attending follow social distancing guidelines and masks, as recommended by the CDC. A live stream of the service can be viewed on Ruthie's online obituary page at www.myers-mortuary.com.