Colleen Liljenquist

Colleen Redford Liljenquist, 72, died at home on February 1, 2012, of complications of pneumonia. She was born on September 13, 1939, in Glenns Ferry, Idaho to Frank Redford and Emily Eliza Odd Redford. She attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where she met the love of her life, John Liljenquist. While he served a mission to Switzerland, she remained at BYU and continued to develop a wonderful singing voice. During her senior year, she was awarded most outstanding performer in opera workshop. After graduation, she taught elementary school in California for a year before accepting a 2 year call to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Germany. On December 26, 1964, four and a half years after they met, they finally married in the Los Angeles LDS Temple. The couple lived in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Nashville while John completed his medical training and nine years of diabetes research at Vanderbilt University. In 1980, they moved to Idaho Falls. Colleen is the mother of seventeen children, including six adopted sons and two sons who died in infancy. She has fifty six grandchildren with three more on the way. As a dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she served as a ward and stake Relief Society president, Primary president, stake missionary, primary teacher, nursery leader, and temple worker at the Idaho Falls Temple. Most recently, she served a full time mission in the Southern states, accompanying her husband who served as an area medical advisor, and was released from this calling just 5 weeks prior to her death. Thirteen of her children served LDS missions. Colleen was a voracious reader and enjoyed learning about history, cultures, religions, and music. Her creative and artistic talents made holidays so memorable; she also collected nativities from all over the world, with many collections brought back to her by her missionary sons and daughters. She loved spending time with children and grandchildren and always graced them with her love and an interested, listening ear. She is survived by her husband, John Liljenquist, of Idaho Falls and by daughters Emily (Carl) Vance of Idaho Falls, Sarah (Paul) Jarman of Salt Lake City, Ruth (Eduardo) Pagan of Phoenix, Arizona, and Elisabeth Liljenquist of Salt Lake City, Utah, and by sons John R. of Idaho Falls, David (Katie) of Idaho Falls, Joseph (Wendy) of Idaho Falls, Daniel (Brooke) of Bountiful, Utah, Benjamin (Shawneen) of Mesa, Arizona, Paul (Margaret) of Bountiful, Utah, Michael of Idaho Falls, Matthew (Cassie) of Cedar City, Utah, Samuel (Chelsie) of Idaho Falls, Thomas (Julie) of Idaho Falls, and Armando (Margie) of Idaho Falls. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Dean and Chuck, two infant sons John Eric and Stephen and three grandchildren, Sarah Colleen, Joseph Stephen and Rosa. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 10, 2012, at the Taylor Mountain LDS Stake Center, 260 Castlerock Lane. The family will visit with friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Wood Funeral Home, 273 North Ridge Avenue and one hour prior to the services Friday at the church. Burial will be in the Ammon Cemetery.

Funeral Services -- Friday

11:00 a.m. ,Friday, February 10, 2012 Idaho Falls LDS Castlerock Ward 260 Castlerock Lane Idaho Falls, ID, Bonneville 83402 Notes: The family will visit with friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Wood Funeral Home, 273 North Ridge Avenue and one hour prior to the services Friday at the church. Burial will be in the Ammon Cemetery.