Jean Phyllis Dunlap

On October 20, 2026, our dear Jean Phyllis Smith Dunlap, “Nana,” passed away peacefully in her South Jordan home after a long and full life.

Jean was born in Ipswich, England, on August 25, 1935, to Herbert Smith and Violet Louvain Rose Herd. She married Larry Ellsworth Dunlap and they moved to Utah when he was stationed at Hill Air Force Base. On September 7, 1982, while living in South Ogden, Jean proudly became a United States citizen. She was incredibly proud of both her British roots and her American citizenship. She never lost her accent and charmed many with it.

“Nana,” as she was affectionately known, loved to travel and play cards and had a fondness for the royal family and teapots, which led her to collect many treasures and memorabilia. Simply, she loved to have a good time, but most of all, she cherished her family and every moment spent with them. She especially treasured celebrating the holidays with her family. She loved having them all together for big, loud parties full of laughter and love.

Nana was intensely observant of all her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren, and she was quick to celebrate each of their unique talents. Her pride in her family was endless. She burst with joy as Hattie played the flute during a program at her assisted living home. She proudly showed Bella’s engagement picture to everyone she met and delighted in hearing about Jordyn’s special gift as a caregiver. She spent countless happy hours watching Sophie, Gabby, Jordyn, and Sabrina dance and perform gymnastics; listening to Hattie and Ellie play music; and appreciating how attentive Sophie was to her at parties. She cherished memories of taking Sabrina and Sterling to the McDonald’s playland, and she kept every single picture the kids ever colored for her. When Nana was talking to you, she had a way of always making you feel like the most important person in the world. She was intensely interested in every member of her family and showed it.

Spirited and full of fun, Jean spent many years bowling in leagues and playing cards with her friends. In her later years at Copper Creek Assisted Living, she embraced life with the same enthusiasm, enjoying bingo, playing Mexican Train, bowling on the Wii, attending Friday ice cream socials, and regaling everyone with her wonderful stories. Her family extends heartfelt gratitude to the activities staff at Copper Creek for organizing so many wonderful outings, including feeding the aquarium penguins, brushing the horses in Park City, visiting the birds at Tracy Aviary, enjoying lunches out, and taking weekly trips to Walmart. We are also deeply grateful to the staff at Copper Creek and Ovation Hospice for ensuring her comfort and safety and for caring for her tenderly to the very end. An extra-special thank you goes to her caregiver and friend, Isia, who always went the extra mile to make Jean smile. Jean had complete trust in Isia, who offered a rare and beautiful blend of true professionalism and love.

Jean was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Larry Ellsworth Dunlap; her brother, Barry Smith; and her grandson, David Larry Dunlap.

She leaves behind her grandson Matthew (Jennifer) Dunlap; her loving adopted family, Joan (Dale) Rond; her grandsons Richard (Candace) Rond and Billy (Kirsten) Rond; her seven cherished great-grandchildren: Joseph (Jen), Isabella (Braden), Sophia, Gabriella, Hattie, Ellie, and Sterling; her two great-great-grandchildren, Jordyn and Sabrina.

A celebration of Jean’s life will be held at the church located at 8117 South Leslie Drive, West Jordan, UT 84088, on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 1:00 pm.