Lorna Peterson Bastian, a prominent figure in the Green River community known for her dedication to her large family and her work with local seniors, passed away on June 30, 2026. She was 85 years old.
Early life and career
Born on May 30, 1941, in Lyman, Utah, Bastian was the daughter of Elmer Jackson Peterson and Opal Lotitia Peterson. Her early life included roots in Cainville, Utah, before her family moved to White Canyon for two decades while her father worked at a local uranium mill. In 1958, her family relocated to Green River, where she eventually graduated from Green and River High School in 1959.
According to Mitchell Funeral Home, Bastian attended the College of Eastern Utah in Price for one semester. Her professional life was deeply intertwined with the local community, as she held various roles including working at the Oasis Cafe, the Bookcliff Restaurant, and later the Tamarisk Restaurant. She also worked for the Bastian Ice Company and performed housekeeping duties at the River Terrace.
Community service and marriage
Bastian's personal history was marked by a long-standing connection to her husband, Ernest Marion Bastian. While working at the Oasis Cafe, she famously noticed Ernest while he was working next door at Hal’s Service. Mitchell Funeral Home noted that she and her sister, Jill, would frequently drive by to check him out because she thought he was cute.
The couple married on February 10, 1960, in the Manti LDS Temple and established their permanent home in Green River. Beyond her private life, Bastian served as the Director of the Green River Senior Citizens Center. In that role, she worked alongside her daughter, Mary Ellen, to prepare lunches for seniors, organize grocery trips to Price, and lead ceramics classes.
Family traditions and legacy
Bastian's legacy is defined largely by her role as a matriarch. She was a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and even a great-great-grandmother. Her home was described as a place that was never quiet and always full of children, serving as a gathering spot not only for her own descendants but also for friends, cousins, and neighbors.
Family traditions included large Christmas parties filled with food, games, crafts, and gifts, as well as 'Spaghetti Sundays.' She was an accomplished cook who enjoyed canning food, particularly tomato juice, which remained a family staple. Her hobbies included reading, sewing clothes for her children, and embroidering pillowcases for several generations of her family.
Family survivors
Bastian had a particular fondness for red roses, which were her favorite flower. According to funeral arrangements, receiving roses in a vase—especially red ones—was a gesture she always appreciated. Her favorite color was also red.
She is survived by a large extended family including seven children: Valerie (Allen) Clark, Danna Engleman, David (Terri) Bastian, Susan Janeice Pfander, Tyler (Mistie) Bastian, Rebecca Bastian (Luis Telles), and Kyle (Brandy) Bastian. Her lineage continues through 24 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 17 great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers, Jack (Christy) Peterson and George (Joyce) Peterson, and her sister, Jill (Terry) Jackson.
Final arrangements
Bastian was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Marion Bastian; her parents, Elmer and Opal Peterson; her siblings, Hope Hartman, Barbara Monserv, and Jim Clark; her daughter, Mary Ellen Bastian; her grandsons, Tyler and Torrey Thompson; and her sons-in-law, Philip Engleman and Roy Pfander.
A funeral service was held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 10, 2026, at the Green River Ward Chapel in Green River, Utah. The family received visitors prior to the service, and burial followed at the Elgin Cemetery in Green River. The family expressed gratitude to the CNS team for their care during her final days.
