Jane Rogers Wirthlin Parker

Jane Rogers Wirthlin Parker passed away peacefully in her sleep on the morning of August 22, 2025. Jane was born May 27, 1942, to Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin and Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin. She was the oldest of eight children, brother Joseph B. (Kathy) Wirthlin, Jr., and sisters, Ann (Kent) Farnsworth, Madeline (Michael) Stover, Rebecca (Bryan) Gerritsen, Carol (Scott) Ward, Katherine (Cannon) Anderson (Doug), and Elisabeth (Daniel) McConkie.

Jane was honored to be born into her family and taught her children to love and revere their family’s legacy of faith and service. To Jane, family was everything. She loved her grandparents, parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, and cousins, but most of all her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. It is no exaggeration to say that she knew all of them well and cared about each one. They were her greatest joy. She also had many friends, whom she dearly loved.

Jane graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. After high school, she graduated from the University of Utah, where she was a member of the Associated Women Students Council, Advisory Council, and Mu Phi Epsilon. She was chosen as the University of Utah Woman of the Year in 1963. She later received a master’s degree from Utah State University. During the summers while she attended college, she worked at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. After graduating from the University of Utah, she worked as an elementary school teacher in Salt Lake City and in Davis County, where she retired from teaching.

Jane met her husband, John Henry Parker, Jr., when she was teaching school and he was attending the University of Utah. They married on March 17, 1967, in the Salt Lake Temple. Upon John’s receipt of his Ph.D. in physics, they moved to Vienna, Virginia. They lived there until 1979, when they moved to Mesa, Arizona. In 1982, they moved to Centerville, Utah, where they lived in the same house until Jane moved with John to Creekside Senior Living Center in Bountiful, Utah, earlier this month. Everywhere she lived, Jane made life-long friends and faithfully kept in touch with them.

Jane was an active and enthusiastic member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she served her church and community through many callings. She loved the scriptures and actively participated in scripture and gospel study groups and was eager to attend institute classes, firesides, and any other activity where she could learn and build her faith.

She was an accomplished pianist and had a marvelous singing voice. She was a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square from 1988 to 2002. In this calling, she not only traveled throughout the United States but throughout the world, most of the time with John, who was also a choir member, singing at presidential inaugurations, the 2002 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, and such places as Czechoslovakia, Poland, Russia, and Israel.

Jane was happy. She loved her husband. She loved her family. She loved people. She loved life. If there was anyone who was celebrating, had a special event, or needed help, that is where you would find her. Jane’s life was filled with service. She sought after the virtuous, the lovely, and the praiseworthy. She loved the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jane is survived by her husband John, three children, Laura Jane Parker (Scott) Crook of Centerville, UT, Daniel John (Carrie) Parker, of Logan, UT, and Elisa Renee Parker Quinones, of Centerville, UT; ten grandchildren, James (Amy) Crook, Joseph Crook, Caitlyn Parker (Jacob) Henry, Julianne Parker (Justin) Bayles, Emily Parker (Michael) Robison, Libby Parker, Tori Parker, Elle Quinones, Anaya Quinones, and Alexandra Quinones; seven great-grandchildren; and her siblings.

The family would like to thank the doctors and other providers and staff who so thoughtfully and kindly helped care for her these past weeks and months.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 30, 2025, at the Centerville Rolling Hills Chapel, located at 210 East 1825 North, Centerville, Utah. Friends and family may call at Russon Mortuary, 295 N. Main Street, Bountiful, Utah, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 29, 2025, or on Saturday from 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.