Deesta Condie

DeEsta Porter Condie, 69, died Nov. 23, 2014, several years after being diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy. She was born Sept. 25, 1945, in Logan, Utah, the third and final child of Willis Benjamin, a mechanic and Texaco franchisee, and Elma Whitehead Porter, a homemaker and Del Monte factory worker. She was 15 when she fell in love with Rex Swainston Condie at Preston High in Preston, Idaho. The school halls were virtually unchanged nearly 40 years later when they were featured in the movie "Napoleon Dynamite." DeEsta attended LDS Business College in Salt Lake City and worked as a secretary at Newhouse Hotel and secretary to the president of Walker Bank. The couple married Jan. 17, 1964, at the Logan Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their first child was born shortly before Rex graduated with a degree in engineering from Utah State in Logan. Their early married life took them across the country to La Crosse, Wis., Clarksville, Tenn., Wilmington, N.C., Richland, Wash., Concord, Calif., and Litchfield Park, Ariz., where the family settled. Rex and Dee, as she was often known to friends, had six children, and Dee often told people she manufactured tricycle engines for a living. After the youngest started school, Dee enrolled at Glendale Community College and earned her Associate's degree in computer science. After graduation, Dee worked for Goodyear Aerospace, later Loral, in Goodyear. Rex and Dee in 1988 purchased Burn-A-Rod Certified Welding in Phoenix; Dee ran the front office until her retirement in 2011. She served at church in such capacities as pianist, organist, chorister, teacher and Relief Society president. She wrote poetry, read voraciously and had a robust sense of humor. She loved sleepovers with the grands; electronic gadgets; going to theme parks with her kids; and taking cruises with her husband. Rex was her constant and selfless caregiver in her final years. Dee was preceded in death by her parents, brother Claron Porter and infant son Porter, who will be interred with her. She is survived by her husband; brother Alan Porter (Judy) of Brigham City, Utah; children Douglas (Yumi) of North Las Vegas, Nev.; Suzanne Lambert (Charlie) of Goodyear; Michael (Julie) of Goodyear; Brian (Brett) of Gilroy, Calif.; and Kathryn Hahn (Paul) of Scottsdale; and grandchildren Anya and Asher Lambert; John and William Condie; and Brycen, Brynlee and Brianna Condie. Visitation will be from 10:00-11:00 AM Saturday, November 29, 2014, followed by a funeral at 11:00 AM, at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Litchfield Ward, 301 W. Wigwam Blvd., Litchfield Park, AZ 85340. She will be buried in Franklin, Idaho.

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