Carrie Valena Hansen Wignall (also known as Valena Duvall) passed through the vail into the arms of her daughter Diana, and her 3 sisters, parents and many loved ones who were waiting for her on May 2, 2019 in Springville, Utah. Valena was born on March 4, 1925 in Goshen, Utah to her parents Ray and Pearl Hansen. In 1945 she married James Melvin Younkin and moved to Wenatchee, Washington. They were blessed with four children, Diana, Jim, David, and Mark. Valena and Mel were divorced in 1970.
In 1972 Valena married Robert Duvall in the Los Angeles Temple. Bob passed away in 2008.
After Bob passed away Valena was became reacquainted and quite friendly with a classmate from her 1943 Payson High School class. William Wignall and Valena were married in 2010 in Provo Utah. She was happy to be back in the place of her youth.
Valena is survived by her three sons, James Melvin Younkin, Jr (Debbie), David Arthur Younkin (Glenna), Mark Edward Younkin, 14 grandchildren and 30+ great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two of her husbands as well as her dear daughter Diana, Diana's son Brady, and Valena's 3 older sisters, Beth, Vera, and Dorothea.
Valena was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her life. She held many callings including Primary President and Relief Society President. The calling she was most thrilled with came from the Quorum of the Seventy. She was called to be the Multi-Stake Public Affairs Director over five stakes. It was at the time of the church Centennial Celebration and they also did publicity for the (then) new temple in the Tri-Cities.
She compiled a history of her paternal Hansen family. As part of the research for this history she and her sister Beth traveled to Denmark to see the family roots. It was a thrill and a treasure for her to travel there and she and Beth eventually were able visit 10 countries outside of the US!
She was also active in her community serving and being involved in many ways.
Valena served on the Sunnyslope float committee and helped design and build the float that, in 1968 took Grand Sweepstakes in the Wenatchee Apple Blossom Festival and went on to take Grand Sweepstakes in the Spokane Lilac Festival.
She also served for four years on the Washington State PTA Board of Managers.
She worked at the Chelan County PUD as a receptionist and switchboard operator for 18 years. She even became known as the "voice of the PUD"! Oh, how she loved that job.
After Valena retired from the PUD she joined the Central Washington Hospital Gift Shop Management Team. She donated over 5,000 hours of service in the gift shop over 14 years. She was able to use her talent for decorating creating silk flower arrangements and shopping for and choosing interesting and thoughtful gifts to have for sale in the gift shop.
These last 10 years Valena has been active in the Daughters of the American Revolution and more recently she joined the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She has always loved history and is very patriotic. These have been a perfect match.
Valena's viewing will be at 11:45 – 12:45 on Friday, May 10 followed by Funeral services at 1:00 pm at Walker Sanderson Mortuary: 85 East 300 South, Provo, Utah 84606. Interment in the Goshen Cemetery.