Rhea Decker Seaberg

Rhea Decker Seaberg

August 4, 1929 – April 24, 2022

Rhea Decker Seaberg, beloved mother, widow, grandmother, and paragon of independent thought and existence, passed away peacefully early Sunday morning, April 24, 2022, having lived a long and fulfilling life. She joins her eternal companion, Dr. John J. Seaberg, Jr., who preceded her in death by 10 years.

Rhea was born Rhea Decker in 1927 to Edgar and Myrtle Decker, early settlers to the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado, the first of three siblings, all occupying a one-room farmhouse in the small town of La Jara. It was on this farm that Rhea developed the resilience and independence that defined her life.

Rhea never let circumstance determine her destiny.  Rather, she lived according to her values, always dutifully “doing things the right way” throughout her 94 years, flourishing wherever she lived. She loved to learn and met her companion and future husband, John Seaberg, at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado, marrying in 1951. As a mother, Rhea used every home activity as an opportunity to instill the values of hard work and learning in her boys. She held high expectations of performance, ensuring her children became educated and also adopted her insatiable curiosity for learning and finding truth.

Rhea pragmatically applied her undergraduate and master’s degree education to her professions. She loyally supported moves required by John’s career, working in each of their many locales both as a medical technologist and high school advanced science teacher, depending on local opportunity and home needs.

Civically, Rhea maintained a lifelong devotion to her faith, practicing practical religion through service to individuals often overlooked by others.  She involved herself in each community in which she lived by supporting local family of the year programs and by being a significant contributor of history to Daughters of Utah Pioneers.

As late as 2017, Rhea, in her 90th year, enrolled in a Spanish class, so as “brush up and not forget.” She remains an incredible example of devotion, direct speech, work ethic, and a continual desire to learn, to all those who knew her.

She is survived by her brother, Edgar Decker, of Montrose, CO and sister, Josephine Flores, of Bountiful, UT; three sons, Dr. John Seaberg III (Wendy) of Colombia, MO, Norman Seaberg (Sherry) of Oklahoma City, OK, and Jim Seaberg (Chris) of Alpine, UT; 10 grandchildren; and 6 1/2 great grandchildren.

A Gathering will be held at 9:00 am, May 20, 2022 at Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 North 900 East  American Fork, Utah followed by a Memorial and Celebration service at 10:00 am.  Zoom will be provided by accessing https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2810766567.  An online guestbook, with ability to share sentiments and stories is available at www.warenski.com.  Burial services will be held May 21, 2022 at 10:00 am at the Alamosa, Colorado Municipal Cemetery. A more fulsome life memorial is available at www.drseabergscholarship.com.

Although she loved flowers and gardening, in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the National Federation of the Blind (Rhea’s mother was blind) or LDS Humanitarian Services.