Emily Whipple
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Emily Elizabeth (Wanlass) Whipple was born March 19, 1949, in Shelley, Idaho, to Leslie Reuben and Rayola Mae Wanlass (Smith). She was the oldest of eight siblings and lived in the Idaho Falls area until her family moved to New Zealand in 1958. The family stayed in New Zealand for three years while her parents helped establish the New Zealand Temple and her father taught at the adjacent school for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. When she was twelve, her family moved to Huntington Beach, California. In 1966, Emily returned to Idaho Falls to help care for her elderly grandparents. She met William (Bill) Lorin Whipple at Sealander Park, and they began to date. She graduated from Skyline High School in 1967. As a talented and award-winning artist, Emily received a full scholarship to study art at BYU. She attended BYU for one year while dating Bill long-distance. After her first year of University, she married Bill. They were married for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls Temple on June 7, 1968. They reared 9 children together and had just celebrated their 50th anniversary when Bill passed away in 2018. Emily spent the last three years of her life building relationships with her children and her sweet grandchildren that she adored. She also loved being with her dog Rory.
Emily was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving faithfully wherever she was needed. Through the years she especially loved teaching groups of all ages. She was also a homemaker for more than 20 years, and was good at everything. She loved to play the piano, sing, sew, crochet, knit, and bake. She could cook a beautiful meal with seemingly nothing in the kitchen. Emily was resourceful and creative and was able to stretch a very limited budget so it worked for her large (and always hungry) family. As an exceptional baker, she was known for her homemade bread, quick breads, cakes, and pies (she won best pie at the state fair one year.) Every Christmas, Emily made cinnamon rolls for her neighbors to show how grateful she was for them.
Emily was heavily involved in the Idaho Falls Art Guild until the late 1970s when she chose to allow her skills to be refined in non-traditional ways as she placed her primary focus on raising her family. She always believed that if she honored her commitment to her family, that God would preserve her art talent and allow her to develop it at a later time. She used her art, when she could, to help earn extra money for the family. She regularly painted promotional signs for local grocery stores, local billboards, and the western mural at the original Leo's Place off N. Skyline Drive. She taught and mentored others in their creativity. She often worked behind the scenes and her talents blossomed.
Emily returned to school and graduated in 1992 from ISU with dual Bachelor of Art Degrees in Art/History and Secondary Education. She subsequently taught in District 91, initially splitting her time between Eagle Rock Junior High and Idaho Falls High School and then transitioning to Skyline High School where she taught pottery most of her career. Emily loved teaching art, and thankfully her love of art has been shared with many of her own children and grandchildren.
Of all of her creations, Emily felt that her most prized works were her children: Ian Whipple, Quinn Whipple (Emily), Graham Whipple (Devon), Heather Maynes (Rob), Margaret Seamons (JJ), Nathan Whipple (Jennifer), Maryann Ogden (Chris), Amanda White (Joey), and Derek Whipple (Brooke). She raised and developed nine very unique personalities and individuals who have become amazing fathers and mothers to her 35 grandchildren.
Emily passed away July 11, 2021 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, surrounded by her family. We will miss her dearly. She is survived by her children and grandchildren and 6 of her siblings: Cecily Croston, Les Wanlass, Mary Hiett, Lorraine Van Komen, David Wanlass, and Rosalie Parson. She was preceded in death by her husband William Lorin Whipple, her mother Rayola Mae Wanlass, her father Leslie Reuben Wanlass Sr, and her brother Jeremii Cover Wanlass.
Services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, July 15, 2021, at the East View Ward at 2349 Virlow Street in Idaho Falls, ID with Bishop Hendrix conducting. Family will receive friends from 6:30-8:30 p.m, Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at Coltrin Mortuary, 2100 1st Street, Idaho Falls and one hour prior to services. Burial will be in the Ammon Cemetery. Condolences may be sent online at www.coltrinmortuary.com.