Lela Palmer Black

October 21, 1914 ~ July 14, 2009

Lela Palmer Black was born in Blanding, UT on October 21, 1914.  Her parents were Edson Palmer and Lelia Kartchner.

She married Burnhard Black on Valentines day, February 14, 1935, in the Mesa Temple of the Church of Jesus Chris of Latter-day Saints. They were indeed sweethearts.

Lela and Burnhard owned and operated the Elk Ridge Café in Blanding for many years.  Lela was known for her exceptional cooking and meticulous housekeeping.

Lela and Burnhard loved to take their camp trailer and travel around the country, fishing, making friends and seeing the sights.

Lela often took her sewing machine and made clothes for her nieces, beautiful quilts, and gifts for special occasions for friends and family. 

She filled scrapbooks with wedding and graduation announcements, cards, poems, newspaper clippings, photos, etc.

Lela and Burnhard didn’t have children of their own, but nieces, nephews and neighbor children were always welcome in their home.

Children were drawn to them; they had a way of making children feel loved and important. They enjoyed providing magic moments for children, especially on holidays and special occasions.

Lela served in many positions in the LDS Church in the Primary and Relief Society.  She and Burnhard served in the Northern States Mission in 1969, where Burnhard served as Branch President and Lela served as Sunday school teacher, song leader, Mutual, Primary teacher and Relief Society work meeting specialist. They also cleaned the church.

Even on their mission, children loved to visit, have a cookie or just tell Lela and Burnhard about their day. After their mission, Lela served as Relief Society President in Blanding

After Burnhard died in 2003, Lela moved in with EveLynn and Richard Perkins.  EveLynn was her sister, friend and nurse for over five years.   Lela has been in the Blanding nursing home for the last few months, and was almost 95 years old at her death.

Her surviving family are sisters, Ardell Ostergaard, and EveLynn Perkins and many nieces and nephews who dearly love her.

Lela’s funeral was held in Blanding on July 17, 2009. Interment is at the Blanding Cemetery.