Melvina (Tillie) Cropper Obituary (1921

Melvina (Tillie) Leetham Cropper was born January 4, 1921 to Vernon and Emma Peay Leetham in Provo, Utah. She passed away peacefully May 26, 2012 in her home surrounded by family. She attended Provo High School. She married Blaine Taylor Cropper August 23, 1939, later solemnized July 27, 1988. Though our dear mother was named Melvina at birth, she is known by all her friends and family as Tillie—a name she earned as a child because her industrious nature reminded a neighbor of the comic strip character "Tillie the Toiler". The name was well earned. One of her defining character traits is her love of work and her un-paralleled stamina. Up until her ninth decade, this good woman could work harder and longer than anyone her age—okay, anyone even of our generation—let's be honest anyone of any generation. She could never sit by and let anyone work when she was not. She loved to serve on every level, and she did that by cooking, cleaning, canning, making jam, baking, quilting, sewing weeding, pruning and cultivating with such energy and vigor that her grandkids, even as grown adults, would beg for mercy in their attempts to keep up with her. When they weren't golfing, mom and dad were raising grapes, planting gardens or farming at their beloved Spring Lake farm. But even more defining than her love of hard work and service is her laughter. She has the most admirable trait of laughing at herself, and there is nothing so endearing as being around someone who, rather than finding fault or laughing at someone else's expense, will full on belly laugh at some comical faux pas she made herself. We have all spent many hours laughing with her over crazy, whacky, silly, or just plain funny things she has done over the years. Mom served as Primary President in Park Ward and was on the State Primary Board as a younger woman, then in the Relief Society later on, and her most beloved assignment, one she was truly devoted to, was as the organizer of a weekly Family Home Evening/Scripture study for maybe a dozen widows in Oak Hills 2nd Ward. She taught lessons, provided most of the transportation, communicated with, checked up on, and nurtured each woman in that group for many years. Much to her chagrin, she outlived every one of them except Ruth Jamison her long time friend. She was an avid golfer and served as president of the Riverside Country Club Ladies Golf Association. Certainly the greatest evidence of Mom's loving and serving nature is the love reciprocated to her by her 17 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren. Each of them has been fed, nurtured, and entertained by her. Many have lived in her home during their college years in Provo. All are certain of her love for them—a gift that they will always hold dear. We look forward to renewing our association with her in the hereafter—a truth of which she was never in doubt. Tillie is survived by her daughter and sons; David (Linda), Richard (Vivian), Sherri (JoLynn Christensen), Dean (Mary Anne), grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Melvina is preceded in death by her husband Blaine, son Randy, brother Elmer Leetham and sisters LaVera Christensen and Dora Bascom. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 2, 2012 at the Berg Drawing Room Chapel, 185 East Center Street, Provo, Utah. Friends may visit with the family at the mortuary on Friday, June 1 from 6-8 p.m. and Saturday one hour prior to services. Interment will be at the Salem City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent through her obituary at www.bergmortuary.com.