Jean Dearing Bird, 77, of Las Vegas, Nev., and a resident of Newtown from 1980 to 2001, died suddenly April 7 at Summerlin Hospital in Las Vegas. She was the eldest of five children, born on February 10, 1939, to Helen (Harris) and Roy N. Dearing, in Provo, Utah.

She graduated from Provo High School in 1957, and Western Connecticut State University with a degree in communications in 1993. She married James M. Bird in the Salt Lake LDS Temple in 1961, and was happily married for 54 years.

After living in Utah, Washington, Ohio, and New Jersey, she started a company called Factory Outlet Shopping Guide, which employed single mothers. After living in New Jersey and Connecticut, she moved to Las Vegas in 2011.

Mr and Mrs Bird raised four children together, Robinette (Scott) Martin, Anjanette (Gary) Andrew, Bret (Maria) Bird, and Cortney (Emily) Bird, three of whom are Newtown High School alumni. She had 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Mrs Bird loved traveling, art, crafts, yoga, racquetball, and bargain hunting. She was especially interested in serving the youth.

She was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She served two missions for the LDS church, in San Francisco and London. She will be remembered for her kindness, love, and not judging others.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and will be deeply missed and always remembered by her family and friends.

"We will miss her but are comforted to know she is with God."

Her husband, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters Joyce Hicks and Joan Eames, and extended family survive Mrs Bird. Her parents, brother Lee "Buddie" Dearing, and sister Denise Yazzie preceded her in death.

Two memorial services were scheduled. The first took place April 12 at the LDS Church in Las Vegas.The second will take place Saturday, April 16, at the LDS church, 16 Saw Mill Road, Newtown, at 6:30 pm. Interment will take place at 1:30 pm, Saturday, April 23, at Memorial Redwood Cemetery, 6500 South Redwood Road, Salt Lake City, Utah.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Humanitarian Aid fund of the LDS church at .www.ldsphilanthropies.org

Friends and family are invited to sign an online guest book at www.moapavalleymortuary.com, or photos and memories can be shared on Facebook at Jean Dearing Bird Memorial.