Our dear mother, Ellen Carbine Simper, returned to her Heavenly home on Tuesday, April 4, 2017, after a long battle with cancer. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 7, at Owens Livingston Mortuary-Holbrook Chapel, 409 First Ave. The funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 8, at the Holbrook Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1127 Helen Ave., where additional visitation will begin one hour prior. The concluding service and interment will immediately follow at the Holbrook Cemetery. She was born Feb. 5, 1945, the sixth of seven children, to Joe and Verona Carbine in Las Cruces, N.M. Her father raised pecans and cotton, leading to a long running joke in the family that they were raised on a nut farm. When she was only six her mother died of cancer, the first of several members of her family who would eventually succumb to that disease. She convinced her dad that she should attend Brigham Young University and while there she met her husband, Dan Simper. After a whirlwind engagement they were married for eternity in the Mesa Arizona Temple of the LDS church on March 3, 1967, and recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. They have six children who have all followed her example by being sealed in marriage for eternity in the temple. They have 22 grandchildren, soon to be joined by one more grandchild and their first great-grandchild later this year. Ellen was an artist in every sense of the word. Writing, painting, singing, playing and teaching music occupied much of her time, and she left behind a legacy of beautiful art and budding musicians. She served in numerous callings in the church in Holbrook and touched many lives through her service. In her last year she found joy working in the Snowflake Arizona Temple. She was preceded in death by her mother and father; her older brothers, Ivan Carbine and Dennis Carbine; and her older sisters, Joan Eyre and Chadra Miller. Survivors include her husband, Dan; her children, Brian (Chanda) Simper, Evan (Sue) Simper, Jenny (Brian) Yazzie, Laura (John) Young, Dallan (Stephanie) Simper and Kay (Bo) Lee; her grandchildren, Nichelle Yazzie, Shauntel Simper, Zach (Aubrey) Yazzie, Sheridan Simper, Rhiannon (Blake) Linnebur, Mariah Simper, Brenna Simper, Jenna Young, Kristen Yazzie, Alisa Young, Amelia Simper, Meghan Lee, Cole Simper, Grant Simper, Lucy Simper, Emily Young, Bryn Simper, EJ Lee, Matthew Simper, Avery Yung, Evelyn Simper and Kimber Lee; her brothers, Tony (Karen) Carbine and David (Rosanne) Carbine; her brothers-in-law, Alan Miller and Bill (Candy) Simper; her sisters-in-law, Helen Carbine, Sherri (Mark) Haver and Laura (Dan) Goodman; and a host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. In lieu of sending flowers, hug a mom, sing a song and do something kind for someone.
