March 20, 1943 – July 23, 2020 (age 77)
Lois Heiner Sessions, 77 year-old Hibbard resident died on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at the home of her son Spencer in Post Falls with her loving family by her bedside.
She was born on March 20, 1943 at the family home in Heyburn, Idaho the daughter of Calvin Glenn and Ruth Wilcox Heiner.
Lois received her elementary education at Heyburn Elementary school and graduated from Minico High School in 1960. She attended beauty college in Twin Falls, Idaho before transferring to a college in Salt Lake City so she could live with friends and relatives.
Growing up Lois loved to sing and dance as a very young girl and was active in many elementary school programs and continued to be involved through high school and participated in Pep Club, Choir, Seminary Pianist, Future Homemakers of America, and many other activities. She took piano, organ, and vocal lessons as a child and young adult. She participated in two beauty pageants and was runner-up in the Miss Minico Pageant and Miss Congeniality in the Miss Cassia Pageant.
Lois met her future husband, Jim Sessions, shortly after he moved into her ward while he was living with his grandparents who lived in the same ward. They dated and attended many activities and events prior to his being called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Los Angeles California Mission. On his release from his mission, Lois accompanied Jim’s parents and grandfather to Los Angeles to pick him up. They had become engaged while he was in the mission field and were married in the Idaho Falls Temple on November 29, 1962 just 34 days after he was released from his mission.
In January of 1963 they moved to Barstow, California to attend college and would spend the next 10 years of their lives in Barstow. Three of their six sons were born in Barstow while Jim first worked as a diesel mechanic apprentice for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad prior to joining the California Highway Patrol as a State Traffic Officer. In 1973 the family moved to Rexburg after Jim was hired at Ricks College in the Security Department.
Lois was a stay at home mother but worked part-time throughout their married life as a cashier for Ricks College from 1974 until 2008. She also worked in the ticket office as a cashier for activities and events. She loved working at the college and was particularly fond of interacting with the students and employees helping them transact their financial needs.
A life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lois was very active in her faith. She served in numerous callings including primary teacher, counselor in a stake primary presidency, seminary released-time teacher, relief society teacher, stake relief society board, Sunday School teacher, primary pianist, ward music director, and ward choir director. She served in the Idaho Falls and Rexburg Temples as an ordinance worker for over 15 years.
Reluctantly she accepted a call to serve a mission with Jim to the Durban South Africa Mission in 2009 for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 18 months. It only took a couple of weeks of working with the missionaries, youth, and children in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa before she realized that the Lord had indeed called her to the place where she was desperately needed. A small branch of 90 in attendance on her first Sunday grew to 245 in attendance 18 months later. Called as a counselor in the Branch Primary Presidency she found only 10 primary children in attendance when she was called to that position. Over time she encouraged the children to bring their family and friends to take part in the primary program each Sunday.
From those 10 children the primary grew to about 60 children which included 10-15 non-members on any given Sunday. Lois provided those children with the opportunity to get to know their Savior through scriptural stories, testimony, and setting an example for them to follow. It was very common to have 15-20 children stay after the regular block meetings to learn more and so Lois prepared additional teaching materials and bought crayons and downloaded coloring pictures regarding church events for the children to color. It was a sad day for Lois and for many children and parents as she finished her mission and headed back to Hibbard and her family. When she finally entered the family home she sat down and wept after seeing how much she had compared to what the families she had served in Durban had.
Together with her companion, they were called on two service missions, both at BYU─Idaho. In 2010 they were asked to serve in the just completed BYU─Idaho Center to assist with ushering, tours, and cleaning the center. They served for two years leaving only so that other persons could have that wonderful opportunity. In 2013 they were again asked to serve on campus, this time to assist with Education Week. A gracious hostess, Lois was in her element reaching out to attendees and helping them find that which they were seeking. They served there for two years and were sad when the time came to an end.
Music had always been an important part of her life. As a child she sang in many children’s programs in school and loved to sing and dance whenever she was given the opportunity. Singing was to be an important part of her life wherever she lived as was playing the piano and the organ. In the early 1990’s she was invited to join the Cantabile Singers, later becoming the Upper Valley Women’s Choir, in Rexburg and was to be a part of that group right up until the pandemic of 2020 caused their spring concert to be cancelled. A natural soprano, Lois could always hit the high notes. In addition to music, Lois loved to draw, paint, tat, crochet, knit, quilt, sew, cook, and surround herself with her family and particularly her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Lois and Jim loved to travel and were fortunate to pick up 5 of their 6 sons as they completed their missions. Internationally, they traveled to Venezuela, England, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Honduras, Canada, France, Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. She loved their many trips to Hawaii for Jim’s work and with mission companions and enjoyed going to Alaska and most of the 50 United States. Lois particularly loved Idaho and its varied pristine areas and was fortunate to have floated the Salmon River with her spouse and parents. Growing up and into married life Lois loved to fish and could be found with a rod and reel in her hand anytime there was a river or body of water nearby.
Survivors include her husband of 57 years Jim, their six sons, Shane E. (Rebecca) of Hyrum, Utah, S. Kevin (Traci) of Rexburg, Stanton J (Amber) of Snohomish, Washington, Spencer A. (Laurie) of Post Falls, Idaho, Shaun B (Jennifer) of Payson, Utah, Schuyler B. (Marianne) of Rexburg, Idaho, 26 grandchildren (eight who are married), and 9 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, an older brother C. Lynn Heiner of Melba, Idaho, and an older sister Karen Heiner Reilley of Taylorsville, Utah. Lois may be gone but she will not be forgotten and will be seen in the lives of her family.
At the time of her death, Lois had been under the care of North Idaho Hospice, Doctor Kelly Dustin, son and daughter-in-law Spencer and Laurie Sessions and family members.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:00am Saturday, August 8, 2020 at the Sessions back yard at 867 North 12th West in Rexburg, Idaho with Bishop Dwight Wray officiating. Interment will be in the Rexburg Cemetery.
Friends may call at Flamm Funeral Home, 61 North 1st East, Rexburg, Idaho on Friday, August 7, 2020 from 5:30 – 7:30pm and at the Sessions back yard from 9:00 – 9:45am prior to the funeral.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation may be given to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary fund.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at Flamm Funeral Home.