Maria Louise Shepherd Dickerson, 79, was born March 29, 1940, to James Glendon Shepherd and Louisa Rowley Shepherd in the now ghost town of Silver City, Juab, Utah. She passed away Tuesday, July 23, 2019, in the Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, after a long illness.
Maria grew up in Mapleton, Utah. She graduated from Springville High School and then attended BYU, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education curriculum. She taught elementary school for 38 years in Tooele, Utah. Her master’s thesis was on student councils in elementary school. She started and directed a student council in Tooele for 22 years.
Maria loved music. She led a school choir and a ukulele club. She took this choir to Symphony Hall every spring and to the various Salt Lake Malls at Christmas time for singing carols and other Christmas songs.
Maria collected songs, wrote original words and narratives to a Utah History play, which was put on every spring. She also taught dances to the children for this play.
Maria also loved science. She was member of the Utah Nature Study Society and served as president for two years. She taught one unit on the weather. She took her class to be on TV Weather School every spring.
Maria loved children and her work. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She taught classes, led music, and played piano in religious callings. She loved family history and served in the Family History Center from 1998 to 2010. She was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and served as president for one year.
She is survived by her son, Jeffery (Penny) Dickerson of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota; eight grandchildren: Amy (Andrew) Glaves, Alicia (Clark) Ostvig, James (Jess) Dickerson, Jessica Dickerson, Laurel Dickerson, Tiffany Dickerson, Melissa Dickerson and Chantelle Dickerson; and six great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Mitchell Shepherd, Placerville, California.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Jack Shepherd.
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, Aug. 3 at 11 a.m. at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 S. State Street, Orem, Utah, with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be at the Evergreen Cemetery in Springville, Utah. Condolences may be expressed at SundbergOlpinMortuary.com.