Zuriel Ruth Elvin Pictures + Tribute

A TRIBUTE on the 90th Birthday of Zuriel Ruth Elvin Brown Knowles

This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the birthday of our sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Each of us has been influenced by the life, efforts, and example of Zuriel Ruth Elvin Brown Knowles.

Zuriel was born in August 29, 1933 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the first daughter of Albert Wiliam Elvin and Zuriel Ruth Jettie Elvin. She lived her childhood years in Salt Lake City and moved to Boise after graduating from High School. Some of her favorite childhood memories include trips to Fish Lake, spending time with her mother, beautiful new Easter Dresses, and family vacations to Como & Lava Hot Springs. She graduated from Boise Junior College followed by BYU receiving degrees in Business & Secretarial Science and a Secondary Teaching Certificate. She married Farrell Boyd Brown on August 21, 1958 and they had three children: Cindy, Todd, and Lori. After their divorce in 1972 she married her eternal partner, Joseph Allen Knowles, on June 9, 1978 and added two sons to her family: Todd and Eric.

She has been a dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all her life holding many leadership, teaching, missionary, and family history positions. She loves serving the Lord. She has been actively involved in the Democratic Party for most of her adult life and worked at the Idaho State Capitol building for over 24 years and served under three Idaho Governors.

She loves to make and share fleece blankets, to send birthday cards, the color red, rainbows, hearts, the American flag, angels, sunshine, the Scriptures, and this beautiful world. She loves meeting random people and figuring out ways that she is connected to them through the friends and associates she has known throughout her life. She loves her family and attends as many music programs, sports activities, and other events as possible. She is often found clipping newspaper articles or recipes and sending them on to family members she thinks might find them interesting.

Her life to this point might be summed up with the scripture fround in 2 Nephi 31:20 -- Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father, ye shall have eternal life."

Zuriel has set a pattern for a good life - She knows how to set goals and steadfastly put in the effort to accomplish them. Some of the things that we have learned from Zuriel that continue to bless our family are:

1. Faith in Jesus Christ

2. Service to others

3. Friendliness/Kindness

4. Love of Reading/Library Attendance

5. Love of Writing

6. Love of Music

7. Physical Activity - Walking, swimming, bike riding

8. Fairness to all/treating all with respect

9. Forgiving others and moving forward

10. Joyfulness in parenthood/grandparenthood

This list could go on for pages.

As we see our children and grandchildren developing these principles and engaging in these activities - we are grateful for the influence of this wonderful woman and her life.

Some things that have been said by members of this family about their love for Zuriel:

"Sister and Friend -- two of my favorite words and they both mean YOU."

"I'm so grateful to have a mother who sees good in everyone. Your smile brings happiness to all."

"You have attended and shared all of the most important events in my life with me. I appreciate the time you have sacrificed to drive and visit us."

"You have always treated me as a loved member of the family."

"Soccer games, plays, concerts, church programs, pageants, baptisms, weddings, birthday lunches - you were always there supporting me."

"You have been a terrific minister -- way before being a minister was cool."

"You've been a great mom to me, a wonderful grandma to my kids, and a terrific great grandma. And on top of all that, you've been the perfect companion to my dad. For all of that, I thank you."

There were repeated expressions of gratitude for the sticker-covered birthday cards and $2 bills that carry a special kind of grandmotherly love and for the fleece blankets that keep us warm and comforted.

We are overwhelmingly grateful for the support of us and our families, for your warm welcome when anyone joins the family, and for the way you never miss an opportunity to make everyone around you feel loved. We hope to continue the legacy you have created of being a faithful, brave, strong, and loving woman.

Happy Birthday!!!