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Her Life

Life Story

May 29, 2014

Sharon Alta was born in Miami, Gila, Arizona on February 5, 1935 to Sharon Esmon “Bud”  Johnson and Effie Alzina McCombs, she was their first-born of 3 daughters .  Alta was born during the Great Depression  in a house, up Van Winkle Canyon, and not in a hospital.  She was named after her dad, Sharon, and his mom Alta. 

After living in Miami for about a year or two, the family moved to the Gila Valley at the Robinson Ranch (which is now the Graham County Golf Course).  At that time there were only empty barracks buildings in that area, possibly old CCC buildings.  Alta's dad was a caretaker and watchman there.  That is where Alta spent her first Christmas. Alta's parents also lived in San Simon for a while.

Her parents finally settled down and bought a vacant lot onto which they moved 2 one room houses and put them together to have a kitchen and a bedroom.  They lived in that two room house until they found out that another child (Connie) was on the way.  They decided to add 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, which was a wonderful addition, and turned the old bedroom into a living room.  This is where Alta was living when she met Hoover Edwin Nelson.

Hoover and Alta were married on July 28, 1952 while Hoover was serving in the United States Army and were later sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple. To this union were born 2 children; Sharon Kay and Rex Edwin.  Later, when Alta’s mom passed away, they added her 2 sisters Connie and Eydie. Alta and Hoover were living in their 2 bedroom 10 x 45 mobile home at that time, so they added another bedroom and bathroom. They lived in this house long after all 4 children were married.  When Hoover’s mother Bessie had her home broken into, they decided that it was time to move in to keep her safe and they lived there 31 years before Hoover passed away.  Alta continued staying there for the next 10 years until her passing.

Alta loved to travel and went many times with Eydie to visit their sister Connie, who lived out of town, and when they got together they couldn’t stop laughing.  She had the chance to go to Mexico with a group, including her friend Lois Montierth  Alta entered a contest for a trip to Hawaii and won, so this time she was able to take Hoover and they called it a trip of a lifetime.  Alta had the opportunity to travel to Thailand with her sister Connie.  They stayed 3 weeks with Connie’s daughter Vicki and her family.  During this trip, she was able to cross the border into Burma.  Alta loved attending temple open houses and made a special trip to the new Nauvoo temple with daughter Sharon and granddaughter Chelsea. Once again, they were lucky, Vicki and her family had moved from Thailand back to the states, so Vicki’s home is where they stayed.

Alta was a devoted member of The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints.  She served in many callings including Relief Society President.  Alta had a deep love for Relief Society and was a very faithful visiting teacher.  Every week she and her long time friend, Ann DeSpain (they were lucky enough to be in the same ward for over45 years) would go visit not only the ladies assigned to them, but also ladies that they visited years earlier that were no longer in the ward.

Alta was preceded in death by her parents and her loving husband Hoover.  She is survived by her daughter Sharon Kay Nelson and son Rex Edwin (Nevelyn) Nelson, grandson Trenton Jacob (Kelley) Nelson, granddaughter Chelsea Ann Nelson, Trenton’s sons, Jacob Wayne, Justice Layne, and Jarrett Matthew, and Chelsea’s daughter Ashlin Jaylin Nelson.  Also surviving are her loving sisters Connie Romney (Archie) and Eydie Johnson along with many wonderful nieces and nephews.