CELEBRATING TAMMY'S LIFE -- A SHORT 28 YEAR ADVENTURE

TAMMY THELIN DECEMBER 10, 1979 - AUGUST 4, 2008

BURIED 4056 DOLPHIN DRIVE, ISLAND PARK, IDAHO

TAMMY'S LIFE WAS AMAZING. SHE WAS THE CAPTAIN OF HER SOUL. SHE LIVED IT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.

WE LOVE YOU TAMMY. WE ALWAYS WILL.

YOUR FAMILY.

THIS IS YOUR RECORD, JOURNAL ENTRIES AND PHOTOS FOR YOUR DAUGHTER, EMMA, AND THE WORLD...


Tammy’s remains were interned near the front gate of the Thelin Homestead (4056 Dolphin Drive, Island Park, Idaho) and a meaningful marker (a piece of sandstone slate which she found for us when we visited her in Colorado, a slab which we brought back with us from Fort Collins to the Thelin Homestead) has been erected over her grave. May she rest in Peace.

Tammy’s funeral was set for August 30th at 2:00 pm at the Thelin Homestead in Island Park, Idaho. It was well attended by family and friends. Jason, Tricia and James’s family and Chris Wartena came.

Tammy Lyn Thelin

Funeral
August 30, 2008

Island Park, ID

Song………………………….Love at Home

Opening Prayer … …………Chris Wartena

Eulogy………………Jason Thelin

Song ……………..…Maddison Jensen

Thoughts ...…Tricia Jensen, James Thelin
Song …Grandchildren “I am a Child of God
Memories of Tammy….……….all

Song: Because I Have Been Given Much,
by the Grandchildren
Closing Prayer…….Tricia Jensen

Dedication of Grave....Scott Wartena

Internment at the Thelin Homestead,

Island Park, Idaho

Tammy Lyn Thelin,

December 10, 1979 – August 4, 2008

This following tribute was written by and presented by Josh Thelin at the Wartena Family Memorial Service for Tammy at Grandmas House in West Linn, Oregon .

At first I thought how sad it was that Tammy would never be able to see another sunset, and then I realized that now she is in the wind and the waves… and will be in every sunset that I see. She was a beautiful individual who loved mother earth and father sky, flowers, stars, the ocean, and the mountains…she lived among all of them. I saw her as a beautiful mother, a kind daughter, and a loving little sister.

She dealt with all the ebbs and flows of life, never wanting for anything, asking for anything – being happy with what she had. She was always being friendly and kind and loving of others and caring for others above her own needs. She lived her life, minute to minute, smiling with her infectious laugh. Like all of grandma’s offspring, she was as stubborn as a mule and as strong as an ox.

She left us in the springtime of her life, like a meadow of wildflowers with an early frost. With the loss of the wildflowers, the meadow becomes a meadow of grass to sustain the animals around it. We are fortunate to have known such a caring, compassionate, non-judgmental, unconditionally loving sister, cousin, daughter, and mother.

It isn’t how she died; it’s how she lived. This world turns on, the cycle of life continues. May we keep all of those that we have lost in this family and will lose, in a special place preserved in our hearts and our minds and our souls forever. One day may we all collectively meet again like individual butterflies fluttering in that meadow of wild flowers. Come to feed on the nectar of the flowers with no thought of the coming summer, fall or winter, but only the spring.

Writtten by: Joshua Reuben Thelin, Brother, August 2008


NOTICE TO THE WORLD

We lost our youngest daughter, Tammy (28), recently. She was taken to her home on high early by a loving Heavenly Father. She passed away in her sleep on August 4th in Eugene Oregon just after she returned from our family reunion and when she was really doing well. We miss her so much. Her funeral is scheduled for August 30th at 2:00 pm at the Thelin Homestead, 4056 Dolphin Drive, Island Park, Idaho. She will be laid to rest there.

OBITUARY

Tammy was born December 10, 1979 in Provo, Utah to Jay and Dana (Wartena) Thelin. Tammy loved her family and friends. She attended Provo High School. Most of all she especially adored and loved her daughter, Emma Lyn (6). She spent every available minute with Emma making both of their lives so enjoyable. Despite hardships and stress, they loved each other very much. Tammy relished the outdoors, hiking, swimming, camping, and attending various gatherings and family reunion camps. She was a very kindhearted and unselfish young woman, full of love for life. She adored her many nieces and nephews, and spent many happy hours were with them participating in family reunion activities. She attended her last Family Reunion on earth last month. She is survived by her parents, sisters Tiffany Lowe (Portland, Oregon) and Tricia Jensen (Meridian Idaho) and brothers Jason Alpine, Utah), Jonathan, Joshua, Jared (Austin Texas), and James (Provo, Utah). Tammy was preceded in death by her grandparents, Myra and Reuben Thelin (Hillsboro, Oregon) and Udo and Donna Wartena (West Linn, Oregon). The family would like to express our gratitude to all friends, family, and neighbors at this time. We will miss Tammy so much, but we know she has gone on to an even better life. Her time on earth was short, but many lives were blessed by her and by our knowing and loving her. A memorial service was held in West Linn, Oregon on August 6th. Her funeral will be on the Thelin Homestead, 4056 Dolphin Drive, Island Park, Idaho, on Saturday, August 30st at 2:00 pm. Friends may come to the Thelin Homestead earlier Saturday to visit and remember her life. Her ashes will be placed on this site at the conclusion of the funeral. An educational trust the obituary with photos to all family members and friends inviting them to fund for Tammy’s daughter, Emma Lyn. Until we meet again Tammy. This thought really helps us get through each difficult day: Elder Orson F. Whitney: You parents of the willful and the wayward: Don't give them up. Don't cast them off. They are not utterly lost. The shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were ours - long before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he loves them. They have but strayed in ignorance from the Path of Right, and God is merciful to ignorance. Only the fullness of knowledge brings the fullness of accountability. Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in power to save than our narrow finite minds can comprehend.' (CR, April 1929, p. 110.) In lieu of flowers/plants, etc., please consider making a donation to the education fund for Tammy's daughter, Emma (6). We have also attached a recent photo of Emma taken in Oregon after her mothers memorial service. There are 13 years until she will start College. Tammy is gone, but we can help her daughter. The address is: Any Wells Fargo Bank Attn: Emma Phillips, Education Fund Account Number: 6988001704 Thank you. Jay & Dana Thelin (801) 377-3841 or 372-1656 jaythelin@gmail.com, danathelin@gmail.com

TAMMY LYN THELIN

MEMORIES OF A DEAR FRIEND

by: Janae Hutchison.

During the last couple of weeks I can't help but remember all my favorite things about Tammy. It seems like every day of my whole childhood was spent with her. We were born in the same month of the same year just two houses away from each other. She was my best friend. I can still remember her telling people that she was 26 days older than me but I was 26 centimeters taller than her.

Some of my earliest memories are of Tammy. I can remember playing “crack the egg” on the trampoline just a few hours before she fractured her arm while riding atop one of the neighbor girl's shoulders. I was jealous of all the attention she was getting so I rummaged through our closet until I found my brother's old blue sling and wore it to school. The next day I couldn't find the sling and I felt pretty foolish when everyone asked me why I wasn't wearing it anymore. Six years later she was with me when I really did break my arm up near Big Springs in Provo Canyon.

We used to walk to kindergarten together every afternoon. Once, when we still couldn't read time we decided it was time for school. We walked over to kindergarten nearly an hour early and just ended up playing on the playground until it was time for class.

Tammy was a hard worker. Her mom taught her how to clean and she was always very tidy. She was also a very good saleswoman. Often, we used her skills as an advantage to earn money. I can still remember wandering the neighborhood, knocking on people's doors and asking “can we clean your house for a dollar?” One lady told us we had better go home, most people would smile and apologetically say “I'm sorry I don't have any money right now” but occasionally we would strike gold. One such day we knocked on Sr. Christopherson's door and delivered our usual line: “Can we clean your house for a dollar?” Sr. Christopherson looked at us sharply for a second and then said “I'm not going to promise you a dollar but I'll pay you for what you work for.” It seemed like we were there for a long time. We pulled weeds under her pine tree, washed her car, emptied all of her garbage cans and even vacuumed her living room. This was far more than we had bargained for but Tammy's work ethic got us through it. I was worried that we had totally ruined our afternoon for a mere $0.50 cents each. However, when it was time for us to leave, Sr. Christopherson handed us a large bag of change. When we got home we divided it up and counted it. Four dollars and forty cents. Which means we got two dollars and twenty cents each. We were elated! We had never earned so much money before and I don't think we ever earned that much again in our short stint as house maids.

Growing up we were easily influenced by our parents and sometimes we would try to emulate them. One time we decided that we wanted to try and visit teach the Sellers. Everyone in the neighborhood was scared of Brother Sellers so it surprises me that we had the courage to go knock on their door but for some odd reason we did. I remember them answering the door and looking down at us. We said “hello, we came to visit teach you” and even a small smile escaped brother Seller's lips. They invited us in and we sat somewhat awkwardly on their couch. Sr. Sellers had a sucker tree in the other room and she brought it out so we could each choose a sucker. We had no idea that visiting teaching held such great rewards! I have no idea what we talked about or how long we stayed but I do remember thoroughly enjoying that delicious sucker.

Another time, while wandering the block, we ran into a neighbor girl named Cailey. Cailey was starting a new club and asked us if we wanted to join. We said yes and asked her what we needed to do. Cailey held up a pen and with eyes flashing told us we had to let her write on our faces. Tammy immediately said “my mom wont let me write on my skin with markers.” Cailey turned to me and for some reason I still don't understand I went and sat down obediently on her chair and let her draw all over my face with permanent maker. We soon left and Tammy knew that I was in trouble. We devised a plan to go to her house and wash it off in her upstairs bathroom. I remember her vigorously scrubbing my face until Dana came up to investigate. We were caught splashing water with a soapy wash cloth and a face which to my dismay wasn't any cleaner than when we started.

In many ways Tammy was fearless. She wasn't afraid of all the things that I was...like getting in trouble or worrying about what other people were thinking. I think this made her stronger because she didn't hold back when so many of us do for the wrong reasons. When we were in the sixth grade we were in the same class in school. Our teacher was Mr. Oveson and I was afraid of him for two reasons: He was a strict teacher and he also knew my dad. For part of the year me and Tammy sat next to each other. One day she was being especially funny. I could not control my laughter. We both got our names on the board and then were asked to stay after school. I was absolutely terrified. What happens when you stay after school, I wondered? Mr Oveson first looked at me and asked if I wanted him to call my dad. “No” I replied meekly. Tammy just laughed it off so he made her stay longer. I waited for her in the field thinking how terrible it was but she just let it slide right off her shoulders.

She was such a fun person to be around and she often could get an entire room laughing. Tammy was also fiercely loyal to her friends and family. When we were in the seventh grade I was going through an awkward phase and struggled with my self esteem. Tammy was well liked and popular and I was worried that she wouldn't want to be friends any longer. One time my friend Kim told me that she and a few other girls were out playing with Tammy when one of the girls said “I don't like Janae, she is such a goodie, goodie.” Tammy immediately spoke up and said “Don't talk about her like that she's my friend and she's really cool!” She made a similar comment to me when I was talking badly about another girl at school. She would always stick up for her friends even if her opinion wasn't part of the majority. Even though we didn't stay as close through out high school Tammy always invited me to her parties and made me feel welcome with her other circle of friends.

Tammy was strong mentally and she was also strong physically. When we were teenagers we went on several of the stake young women “high adventures” together. The first one was our hike to King's Peak. We back packed round trip a total of 25 miles. The hike ended up being much more difficult than we had anticipated. One girl had some disabilities and had somehow come without a hip belt on her back pack. We ended up dividing her pack between all of us until we reached camp. However, the extra time we spent resting with and encouraging her put us further behind in our journey and we weren't able to hike as far as we had planned. This meant that the second day we had to cover much more ground in order to make it to King's Peak. Half of the group turned back mid-day because of the ruggedness of the hike. Shelly Smith, Tammy Thelin, Leanne Moore, Xela Reece and I kept going with four of our leaders. Shelly had a dream the night before that only three of us would make it to the top and that proved to be true. After a day of scaling up the steep mountainside and scrambling over a large field of boulders we could see the summit. I wanted to keep going but my feet just kept tripping over rocks and I decided to stop. Shelly Smith, Tammy, and Leanne Moore were the three girls that continued on with Chuck Hugo and made it to the very top.

I can still remember how she burned a hole in the bottom of her sleeping bag later that night when she wrapped a hot rock from the fire in a towel to keep her feet warm.

That summer was one of the times when I was really able to see the true caliber of Tammy's spirit. She was more outgoing and funny while I was more quiet and serious so often people didn't recognize the strength of her testimony, but it was vibrant and strong and she did so many things that summer that really showed the strength of that. We had an incredible experience while hiking together and I can still remember some of the things we talked about. At one point she said that perhaps the hike was parallel to our lives and maybe She, Shelly, and Leanne had a more difficult road ahead of them in life. She went on to say that she thought it might be harder for them to make it to the Celestial Kingdom but they were strong and after they made that extra effort and we eventually overcame our challenges we would all meet up there together.

A few weeks later while we were at girls camp I witnessed the power of her leadership and her testimony. We were the older girls that year and she really wanted to be a good example to the younger campers. I remember her talking passionately about how we needed to help them understand Satan's power and to stay away from the things of the world. On August 16, 1996 I wrote in my journal:“ I got back from a walk with Natalie Painter just a little while ago. She's such a sweet girl Last night she bore her testimony it was neat! She says it's hard because her mom and dad don't really believe in the Mormon church and she hasn't gone to church because she's afraid that she'll have to sit alone and she has no one to go with. She said she's done a lot of bad things that only her really good friends and herself know about but Tammy Thelin was stressing so much in her testimony how no matter what you do Heavenly Father loves you and I think that may have helped. Tammy said that this week she was given a special gift to see just what everyone was worth! It was neat.”

Tammy's true leadership shone that week. I remember being in awe of her capacity to love and reach out to all of the younger girls without bringing attention to herself. Rather than sitting around camp painting her fingernails she had this urgency about our need to lead and reach out to one another. One night in particular the YCL's (youth camp leaders) were in charge of a night hike that was supposed to simulate our journey here on earth. It started out where all of the girls were blind folded and they had to make this hike up a trail in the dark. Some of us were assigned to try and get them off the path. Other's would give a spiritual thought at certain checkpoints to help them along their journey. At the end of the hike our leaders had covered a large Pine tree with white lights where we all gathered together and sang hymns. This was supposed to represent us all meeting at the Celestial Kingdom. I wrote about that night in my journal as well:“Tammy Thelin said in her testimony that she used to always run away from what the spirit had to tell her and this week she started running and stopped and listened that we all needed to have a prayer before the stake hike that we were part of. She said three times she almost didn't do it because we kept having to do things and she eventually did have a prayer with all of them.” I remember that prayer. It was really powerful. She organized it when there weren't any other leaders around and I could really feel her desire to do what she could to make this hike a meaningful experience for the other girls. And that's what it became.

The following year we went rock climbing in the City of Rocks in Idaho. That was the last trip we went on together. While climbing up the side of the cliff Tammy shouted out “I'm all kinds of scared” and we all laughed because we were feeling the same way. I remember her wanting to sit next to me on the drive and sleeping next to me in the big tent. We talked about her new boyfriend and she wanted to know what I thought of him. After telling her how much I enjoyed climbing she encouraged me by saying “Maybe you've found your sport.” Six years later that became a reality.

I'm sure as time goes on I will continue to remember little moments we spent together such as sleeping on the tramp and waking up with swollen eyes from mosquito bites, rummaging through the costumes in her garage, designing our future houses as we pored over magazines, decorating the church for the annual Valentines Dinner/Dance, or sweeping out the “girl's room” in the fort we built on the corner of Papworth's overgrown lot. I will continue to learn from her advice such as “don't get offended so easily.”

But most of all I look forward to the day when all our relationships will be mended and I can enjoy the presence of her person and the beauty of her laughter again.

With Love,

Your Friend,

Janae Hutchison

PS: When I was in high school Tammy gave me a gift one year for my birthday. It was a framed quote by President Kimball which says:“To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman's strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times...

Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help save the home which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife.”

I wouldn't be surprised if Tammy becomes the woman who will help save her home from the other side of the veil. In fact, I think you can count on it.

Her family was everything to her and I know she will do what she can to care for and watch over you all. Perhaps she went first so she can help organize the greatest family reunion yet!

Janea is beautiful young lady, second from the left in this photo with her family; LaDean, Janae, Brian, Dean and Mark.

The Hutchison Family drove the 6 hours to be there to support the family as did friends Vern and Rhonda Sanford. Scott Wartena flew in from Portland and Mark Wartena flew in from Los Angeles. We had a wonderful funeral with talks, grandkids singing, and a video presentation of Tammy’s life.

A message from Tiffany (Thelin) Lowe's blog:
Whenever I take a bubble bath, like just a minute ago, in our new jetted tub, I think.... My thoughts have been about my littlest sister Tammy who passed away 2 months ago. (She is at the far left in the Photo above, right next to me.) You wonder why I think about her, when I am relaxing in a great tub? Well that room has many memories of her.

She was the first guest to use it . We were even still in the process of working at getting it finished when she came for another week visit. She was so happy to have a bathroom downstairs by the guest room so she did not have to go upstairs in the middle of the night. One morning she came up and was brushing her long blond hair and was complaining about all the tangles. I started talking about good conditioners and she said her hair was just tied in knots because she had put her head under the water when the jets were on. I told her not to do that because there is a warning that her hair could get caught in the intake and drown her. She wished she knew that before but was happy she had made it out alive. We joked about it.

Also when I use the great bubble bath with Eucalyptus in it, I think of her because she gave it too us. She was going to come up another time for a week with her and Emma for spring break and our whole family got sick. We were bummed and she did not want to come and get Emma sick. So we were laying around and heard the door bell ring. It was Tammy and Emma, they had brought us a huge get well gift box full of stuff. She had tons of cold medicine in there for kids and adults, also Echinacea. She had heads of Garlic and Ginger which she chopped up and had us eat raw drinking it down with orange juice. There was also lots of different soups and this great bubble bath to use to help relieve congestion. There was also a kids movie the kids had wanted that she bought for us to watch. Plus tons of great magazines right off the supermarket shelf. Just to keep us all entertained during our illness. I love her. It was so kind of her to drive 3 hours to bring us this wonderful gift box. She did not stay, just told us she loved us and gave us the full box and then her and Emma drove 3 hours back home.

See that is the kind of person she was, she was generous and so great. So when I take my bubble baths and think about her I cry. She was such an important person in my life and I miss her tremendously. There is also a Wind chime in our back yard made from coconuts and bamboo, that she found at the store one day and thought it would be cool in our back yard. She even hung it up out there and then showed us. When I am working in the Garden and hear it ringing, I think of her talking to me saying "hi" in the wind.

Yesterday we were making frozen yogurt in a terrific ice cream maker that she gave us last Christmas. She spent Christmas eve with us and all the kids were in the nativity. When I mentioned that Tammy had given us the maker. My kids commented on how much they missed her, I told them I missed her too. Jerika responded that she wished she was dead so she could see Tammy. We said we would see her again and we would miss her too much if she was dead. It think she just wanted to empathize with her mommy's sadness and let her know that she missed her just as much as her mommy did. It was sweet.

I miss Tammy and want everyone to know that she was a tremendous person. She died a crazy, freak death and it was way to early. Still I am at peace as I know that it was just her time. Her life was full of generosity and love and she had a personality that pulled everyone in and made you feel great. She was vibrant and energetic and I miss her and love her dearly.