Lareine Lynn Stephens

Lareine Lynn Stephens, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, servant of the Lord, and friend, returned to her Heavenly Father on July 26, 2026, in West Jordan, Utah, at the age of 78.

Lareine Lynn Rainey was born on June 18, 1948, in Los Angeles, California to William Webster and Helen Tolman Rainey. On October 5, 1973, she married the love of her life, Ralph "Bud" Stephens, in Monrovia, California. Together, they built a vibrant, beautiful life centered around their family of five in California and then in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. More than anything, Lareine loved spending time with her family. From playing card and board games to instigating spur-of-the-moment water fights and hosting big family meals, she simply wanted to be surrounded by those she loved. Lareine was a woman of immense warmth, culture, and intellect. An avid reader, she actively participated in three monthly book clubs—including the Butler 33rd Ward Book Club, which has been meeting monthly for over 30 years. She was always reading two or three books at once but always found time to complete her daily word searches.

An advocate for education, Lareine returned to school while raising her children to earn a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Utah. She then began a rewarding career in the Jordan School District as a speech-language pathologist for over 25 years, where she delighted in using games to help middle school children with their speech and development.

As a prolific quilter, Lareine poured her creativity into beautiful blankets. She donated most of her quilts to hospitals and clinics, while gifting her most special creations to family and friends. She took great joy in entering her quilts into local shows to share her creativity and skill.

After retiring, Bud and Lareine served a Family History mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They thoroughly enjoyed their time working at the Family History Library in downtown Salt Lake City. Later, they moved to Lehi, Utah, where they continued their service at the Lehi FamilySearch Center, making many dear friends along the way.

Known for her kind and caring nature, Lareine was the type of person who said yes to almost anything. She was often delightfully silly and forgetful, but also refreshingly blunt and wonderfully sassy.

Her legacy of love and laughter will live on through her devoted husband, Ralph "Bud" Stephens, and her five children and their partners: Julie Anna Matthews (Glenn), Daniel Levi Stephens (Sarah Norris), William Zachary Stephens (Allison Platt), Nicholas David Stephens (Holly Medrano), and Stephanie Helene Stephens (fiancé Rob Chesley). Lareine also leaves behind her six cherished grandchildren: Keaton Heiner, Cooper Heiner, Sydney Stephens, Rae Stephens, Nolan Stephens, and Ruby Stephens, who will forever miss their grandmother's competitive Spoons-playing prowess. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, William and Helen Rainey; her older brothers, Jack and Robert (Bob) Rainey; and her nephew, David Rainey.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Parker Building located at 1125 W 300 North, Lehi, UT 84043. A family viewing will take place prior to the service at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park in Bluffdale, Utah next to Camp Williams.

Flowers and condolences may be sent to the family via the mortuary or directly to the church building at 1125 West 300 North, Lehi, UT.

Services can be viewed here:  LIVE stream (Zoom)