Joan Swofford Bone

Joan Bone loved life and shared it with everyone through her contagious smile.

Joan was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Harry and Dorothy Swofford.  She was the oldest of 6 children; her siblings (and their spouses) remained her closest friends.  She was taught the importance of hard work and family togetherness. She loved growing up in the home her father built on Parkers Lane. It was a magical childhood of jumping rope, playing jacks, tromping through meadows, and camping. She attended Granite High School and thoroughly enjoyed her time at the University of Utah; it opened up the world to her.  

After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Detroit, Michigan she married the love of her life, John Earl Bone. They enjoyed 55 years together living in the East Mill Creek area with her favorite view of Mount Olympus out her window. Joan always wanted to be a mother and welcomed 7 children into their family along with their spouses - Jerry and Melissa, Bryan and Amy, Randy and Susan, Kevin and Lara, Alan and Amy, Janae and Ryan Nicholes and Camille and Chris Meservy. To her delight, she has 38 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Family was always her first priority. She sacrificed all for her family’s happiness and found the greatest joy when spending time with them.

Joan was a natural teacher. She treasured her time spent teaching at Realms of Inquiry. Age did not matter, she taught preschool in her home, English in Thailand (on a mission with Earl), and gospel doctrine classes at church. She used life lessons and everyday events to encourage real life application. She never missed an opportunity to teach.   

Writing was Joan’s creative outlet. She had a very unique style of poetry which reflected her life experiences. She loved gardening and nature; a summer’s day was not complete without “wetting down the world”. She instilled in her children an appreciation for music and art. She was a loyal friend and cared deeply for those she associated with. She was welcoming, warm and gave hugs. Cooking was a favorite hobby and she will always be known for “Joan Bone Scones”. Joan was a gatherer; she gathered her family, friends, neighbors, and anyone else she felt needed to be loved. Her favorite method of nurturing was through food – she was happiest when feeding the masses.

Mostly she lived the gospel of Jesus Christ and tried every day to make the world a better place.  

There will be a viewing with family and friends on Friday, June 4th 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the chapel at 3408 S. Celeste Way, SLC 84109. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 5th 1:00 p.m. at the same location, followed by a celebration of her life with refreshments.  

Funeral Service Audio Recording