Virginia Pinder, age 96, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Park City, Utah, in the early hours of October 25, 2026, according to a report published October 28. She was accompanied by her dedicated caretaker at the time of her passing.
Born on January 28, 1930, to Millard Nelson and Winifred Olivia Hales Nelson, Pinder grew up in Beaver, Utah. Following a house fire in 1940, her family relocated to Cedar City, Utah, during her fifth-grade year. While in high school, she was a member of the Cedar High School girls' varsity basketball and tennis teams and was known as a talented artist, singer, and musician who played the guitar and piano.
Pinder's professional life included work as a waitress at the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as positions at The Las Vegas Club, The Flamingo, and Pioneer Club. In 1956, she married Robert J. Pinder in Salt Lake City, Utah. The couple established their first home in Holladay, Utah, before eventually moving to the home in Park City where she lived until her death.
The family was preceded in death by her parents, Millard and Winifred Olivia Nelson; her husband, Robert John Pinder; her son, Nelson Pinder; her daughter, Lynda Young; her son-in-law, Don E. Young; and her sister, Beverly Jean Joseph. She is survived by her children, John Robert Pinder and Jenny Lee Dudleston; her brother, James Millard Nelson, and wife Linda; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In accordance with her wishes, no traditional funeral service will be held. A viewing is scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Probst Family Funeral Home, located at 79 East Main Street, Midway, Utah. A graveside service is scheduled for Friday, October 30, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Pinder Ranch near Duchesne, Utah.
