Geniel Simper West Roper, age 90, of Orem, Utah, passed away February 27. Geniel was born March 26, 1935, to Thomas Noel Simper and Maurine Adamson Simper, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She grew up in Pleasant Grove, Utah, where she graduated from Pleasant Grove High School.

In 1961, Geniel married Lloyd Kaye West in the Logan Temple. They were the parents of Lloyd Thomas West, Lloyd Shane West (ValaRee), and Falecia West Watts (Bart). In 1970, they divorced, and Geniel raised her three young children in American Fork.

In 1996, Geniel married Darson W. Roper in the Salt Lake Temple. They enjoyed traveling throughout every state and to several countries. They lived in Orem throughout their marriage, but were privileged to live in Hawaii for three years.

When Geniel was three years old, her family lived in Kamas, where she was playing in their barn and caught her hands in a hay pulley and lost four of her fingers. Despite this accident, she grew up determined to achieve her goals. At the young age of four, she was playing the piano. Her love of classical music inspired her to become a gifted and accomplished pianist. When Geniel was a senior in high school, she played in the Greater Utah Valley Music Contest, where she won the piano division playing Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto. She also won first place at an invitational piano competition while attending BYU, playing Etude de Concert, 3a movement in d-major from Franz Liszt. From the age of eight years old, Geniel was playing the organ and piano for their ward meetings in Pleasant Grove and later American Fork. Geniel had many interests, including playing the piano and organ, listening to classical music, skiing, ice skating, sewing, and cooking, especially for Thanksgiving dinner.

Geniel attended Brigham Young University for four years, where she majored in Music and Secretarial Training. She was a member of the BYU Cougarettes. After college, she moved with several of her friends to the Los Angeles and Hollywood areas, where she did some modeling and worked as an Executive Secretary at Standard Oil for close to 11 years. She was privileged to enjoy her 30-plus-year career at BYU, including serving as Executive Secretary to Elder Henry B. Eyring while he was an Apostle for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Geniel was an active member, where she was Ward Organist for 55 years.

She also played piano for Primary and Relief Society for decades. Geniel and her husband served a mission as the Directors of the Visitors Center in Kirtland, Ohio. They also served four years as Branch President at the Missionary Training Center.

Geniel's children were the light of her life, and later her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, children Falecia West Watts and David Roper, granddaughter Jessie West, and siblings Dr. James T. Simper (Shirley), Betty Elizabeth Harvey (Kenneth), and Marily Shields (Wesley). Her bonus children are Meleea Roper, Brent and Chris Roper, Rod and Sharon Hayward, Duane and Cami Roper, Mark and Colleen Richards, Brian and Stacey Roper, Carolyn Roper, and Ron and Monique Roper.

Services will be by Walker Sanderson Funeral Home in Orem. A viewing will take place Thursday, March 5, beginning at 10:00 am, followed by funeral services at noon at the Cascade First Ward, 481 East Center Street, Orem, Utah. Interment will follow at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.