Emma McLaws Hunsaker

Emma Hunsaker died as the sun was rising on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at her son's home in Show Low, Navajo County, Arizona from causes incident to her age. She was in her 99th year. Emma was born, the 7th of 8 children, on November 15, 1912, just 9 months after Arizona became a state, in Joseph City, Navajo County, Arizona to the late John William and Ellen Elsie (Bradshaw) McLaws. On February 4, 1932 Emma married Leo Earl Hunsaker. He died on December 1, 1936. On March 31, 1937, Emma had her and Leo's marriage sealed, for Time and All Eternity, in the Mesa, Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After the death of her husband, Emma and her children lived with her mother-in-law, Grandma Hunsaker and later with her parents, Grandfather and Grandmother McLaws in Mesa. She and her children later moved to live at the Hash Knife Headquarters on Chevelon Ranch for about 5 years. Then they moved to the Derphy Ranch and lived in "the rocks" with a roof over the top until their home was built over the top of the rocks by members of The Church. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother to her family and enjoyed taking care of them. Throughout her life, Emma was an active member of The Church and on March 19, 1977, she served a mission for The Church in the North Carolina Greensboro Mission. 13 years later, Emma accepted another mission call and on October 17, 1990 she began serving a mission in the England London South Mission. She was actually able to complete that mission at the Historacle Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah. She, too, was so proud of the fact that her 3 sons all served missions for The Church: Theo and Leo, as well as their families, served missions to Argentina and Peru; Don and his wife, Jeanne, served a mission at the Mesa, Arizona Temple and the Mexico City Temple in Mexico City, Mexico. Emma enjoyed traveling throughout her life including visits to: Argentina, Peru, Mexico, London and Hawaii. As much as she enjoyed traveling, she loved her family more. She loved spending time with her family and she loved doing missionary work for her church. She has been a mom and "dad", friend, confidant, buddy and a task maker! She lived hard, faught hard and lived a life of dedicated service. She was an example to all she associated with and will be loved and missed by ALL who knew her. However, none will miss her more than HER GREAT BIG FAMILY, for whom she has made nearly 300 quilts, over the years. Several of her friends and acquaintances also have been the recipients of those quilts. Emma is survived by 4 children: Barbara Clayton of Snowflake, Arizona, Theo Hunsaker of Vernon, Arizona, Don Hunsaker of Show Low, Arizona, Elsie Rowland of Idaho; 1 sister, Sibby Peterson of Prescott, Arizona; 32 grandchildren; 118 great-grandchildren and 43 great-great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a daughter, DonnaLee Hunsaker in July of 1933; a son, Leo Hunsaker on April 13, 1992; 6 siblings: George, Wallace, Frank, Ellen, Lester and Burr. "We love you Mom. May you have the peace and a reunion that you so well deserve!" The visitation for Emma will be from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Friday, April 22, 2011 at Owens Livingston Mortuary - White Mountain Chapel, 320 N. 9th Street in Show Low, Arizona. The funeral service will begin 11:00 A.M. Saturday, April 23, 2011 at the Vernon Ward Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1570 County Road 3140 in Vernon, Arizona where additional visitation will begin 1 hour prior. The concluding service and interment will take place at 12 Noon the following Monday, April 25, 2011 at The City of Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center Street in Mesa, Arizona.