Edith Empey Olney

Edith Empey Olney passed away peacefully in her home Jan. 2, 2026, in Washington, Utah, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 85 years old.

Edith Jolene Crawford was born in the early hours of Dec. 25, 1940, a surprise Christmas baby, to Mary Chapman and Charles Robert Crawford in Blackfoot, Idaho. She spent her growing up years in Blackfoot and Cheney, Wash., working hard on the farm and alongside her two older stepsiblings and five younger siblings. She was responsible for bringing in the milk cows astride her pony, Queenie, when she was a child. After the family moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho, she helped with the garden and the massive egg business, washing and candling the eggs produced by 5,000 chickens. Hard work and discipline were always at the forefront of everything she did.

She loved music and took accordion lessons starting at 12 years old. She played for community events and in her retirement years really enjoyed playing with other musicians at parties and gatherings. Music was always important to her, as was continually learning new skills and hobbies.

She first noticed Dewey Claude Empey when he was just 12 years old and she was 10, but it took until high school before they started dating. They married on Dec. 4, 1959, and were sealed on Dec. 8, 1960, in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. They were married for 47 years. They started married life in Idaho Falls, built a home in Ucon, Idaho, then moved to Ammon, Idaho.

Edith loved being a mother to her four children. She sewed their clothes, made homemade bread, and was famed for her clam chowder recipe. There were extensive camping trips and trail riding adventures, which morphed later into weekend trips in the family RV. She ensured all her children were involved in lessons, school and church. She was a voracious reader and passed the love of books to all her children. Her dayplanner was legendary for its exactness and if something was going to happen, it had to be in the planner. She was an avid journaler and loved scrapbooking.

She enjoyed being outdoors and hiking. One year she decided to learn the names of all the local wildflowers and spent hours gathering and pressing the flowers with her family. She loved working as a Scouting volunteer, donating thousands of hours and years to the Teton Peaks Council and earning the Silver Beaver award.

Edith’s life was firmly rooted in her faith and membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She gave 100 percent to her callings, ranging from serving in Primary, Young Women and Relief Society presidencies to years as a stake camp director. She was especially proud of her work establishing Camp Cumorah in Bone, Idaho. She and her husband Dewey served a church mission in 2005 developing the Heber Valley Camp and she loved creating new trails. She was a weekly temple attendee, especially in her retirement years and loved attending institute classes and learning everything she could about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In her quest for knowledge, she went back to school as an adult and earned her degree from Eastern Idaho Technical College. She worked at MICA and Printcraft Press and enjoyed the challenge and being recognized for her hard work.

After retirement, she and Dewey sold their home and started traveling in their RV full time, eventually building a home and basing in Washington, Utah. They loved retirement and the friends they made there. A favorite was riding four wheelers in a huge group of friends and get-togethers to play cards and board games.

She was heartbroken when Dewey passed away suddenly on April 11, 2006. She spent the next few years with family and friends, traveling and creating a new life. She was introduced to Kenneth Merlin Olney, who had also lost his first spouse, by a mutual friend and it started a new chapter in her life. They were married Aug. 18, 2012, and quickly began traveling the world, getting together with their two families often, and attending the temple weekly together and with their friends. They split their year between Chubbuck, Idaho, and Washington, Utah, chasing nice weather. Their 13 years together were full of love, activity and fun.

Edith will be remembered as a spiritual giant, despite her 5 foot stature. She was the glue for her family and taught them work ethic, discipline and integrity. Her favorite times were always when she had her entire family together for family vacations.

Edith is survived by her loving companion, Ken Olney, and his children and grandchildren; her children Claudia (Jeff) Campbell of Tropic, Utah; Lyle (Lessy) Empey of Las Vegas, Nev.; and LaNae (Travis) Quast of Pocatello, Idaho; 11 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grandchild. She is also survived by her siblings Jan (Brad) Maughn, Jean (Bruce) Brown, Joan (Stu) Hunsaker, Chuck Crawford, and Mary Ann (Larry) Ricks. She was predeceased by her husband Dewey, son Rodney Guy Empey, brother Harold Crawford and sister Glenna Crawford Matson.

A private family service will be held Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, at Wilks Funeral Home in Chubbuck, Idaho. She will be interred in Ammon Cemetery.