DonNiece Crane Whitehead died peacefully Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011 in Las Vegas, NV of conditions related to age.

DonNiece was born Jan. 23, 1929 at home in Mink Creek, ID to William Ernest Crane and Anne Jemima Keller Crane, the seventh child in a family of eight children. She attended Preston High School and graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Home Economics.

DonNiece first met the love of her life, Norval R Whitehead, as a teenager visiting her oldest sister in Bench, ID. They became reacquainted as she taught at Grace High School, and they were married on June 15, 1953. DonNiece was always a great support to Norval during their life together. She was always grateful for the opportunity that she could stay home to raise her four children. She was an exceptional homemaker and enjoyed caring for those she loved.

DonNiece had many diverse interests. Many summer days were spent in the mountains picking huckleberries. She was an accomplished quilter. She was very proud of her ancestors and enjoyed doing genealogy work. She will be remembered by her children for teaching them to enjoy reading, learning, and debating new ideas. However, her passion was music, particularly opera, and she was a huge fan of Luciano Pavarotti. A long-time resident of Grace, ID, she and Norval moved to the St. George, UT area for their retirement years. They traveled often and DonNiece enjoyed visiting friends and family.

She is survived by her husband, Norval R Whitehead of Washington, UT; children, Val (Leanne) Whitehead of Midvale, UT, Kent Whitehead of Sandy, UT, David (Margo) Whitehead of Las Vegas, NV, Emilee (Michael) Morock of New York, NY; brothers Keith (Ramona) Crane of Burley, ID, William (Betty) Crane of Kanab, UT; eleven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. DonNiece was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers and three sisters; and a still-born son.

A graveside service will be held at the Grace Cemetery, 1.8 miles south of Grace ID, at 11:00 am on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011.