LaVon Jensen Whatcott

LaVon Jensen Whatcott, age 89, passed away February 13, 2026, at Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful, Utah. She was born January 23, 1937, in Fillmore, Utah, to Winfred and Portia Hanson Jensen.

LaVon graduated from Millard High School and later attended the College of Southern Utah in Cedar City, earning an associate’s degree.

On May 2, 1958, she married her high school sweetheart, Thomas “Eddie” Whatcott, in Fillmore. After their marriage they moved to the Salt Lake Valley, first settling in Granger and eventually making their home in Bountiful, where she lived for more than fifty years. She built lasting friendships in her neighborhood — though in recent years she often remarked she had outlived most of them.

Throughout her life she held various jobs, mostly secretarial, along with a short stint in school lunch services. Her family benefited from many “borrowed” recipes, especially the beloved sheet-pan peanut butter bars. She later retired from the Utah State Department of Corrections.

An active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LaVon served in several callings including ward and stake organist. She loved music and continued taking piano lessons into her 80s. She was also active in the PTA, taught bread-making classes for the extension service, and even judged entries at the state fair. Her hobbies included quilting, machine embroidery, and making handmade cards.

LaVon loved camping and traveling with her husband and family and passed along her appreciation of the outdoors to her sons. She especially enjoyed visits from her sister Merlene and brother-in-law Alex, when they could explore the area together.

She was a devoted caregiver, spending many years caring for her aging mother and helping raise her granddaughters when they were young. She loved card games, Chinese checkers, and dominoes — and played to win. She refused to play Bingo because, as she said, “there’s no skill involved.”

LaVon was outspoken, strong-willed, and honest. She could be fierce and sometimes brash, but you always knew exactly where you stood. She loved to talk and tell stories — some of which the family heard more times than they can count.

She is survived by her son Darrell (Shane Atkinson) of Salt Lake City; granddaughters Emily (Nate Sorenson) and Abby (Chase Bell); great-grandson Declan Shane Sorenson; and sisters Merlene Brezak and Linda Michaels-Hughes. She was preceded in death by her husband Eddie, her parents, brothers James, Ray, and Fred Jensen, and her son Thomas Joel Whatcott.

Graveside services will be held Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 12:00 noon at the Fillmore City Cemetery, where she will be interred beside Eddie in their “underground condo.”

The family wishes to thank the caregivers and residents of Beaumont Assisted Living in Bountiful for their kindness, care, and friendship during her final months.