Coral Lou Greenwell Sehara

Life Sketch Coral Lou Greenwell Sehara

Coral Lou Greenwell Roberts Glenn Sehara was born just six short weeks after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on January 21, 1942, in Nevada City, California, to Ralph Alvord Greenwell and Adeline Stremel Greenwell. She spent her early childhood in Grass Valley, California, before moving with her family to a small farm in Rough and Ready. She attended school in a one-room schoolhouse in Rough and Ready and graduated from Placer Union High School in 1959. A testament to the value she placed on friendship, she remained close to several of her high school classmates throughout her life, including Ron and Merrilee Swickard.

Shortly after graduation, Coral Lou moved to Utah to attend beauty school, where she learned to cut hair. In September 1959, she married Clarence Roberts, a handsome returned missionary from Tremonton, Utah, who had served in her home ward in California. Together they welcomed seven children into their family. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1972.

In 1976, Coral Lou married Merrill Glenn. Merrill lovingly adopted six of her children and became an important part of their family. Sadly, he passed away in 1978.

Coral Lou believed deeply in the value of hard work and taught that lesson to her children from a young age. Whether it was hoeing sugar beets, picking raspberries, milking cows, babysitting, pulling weeds, or cleaning houses, her children learned that work was a blessing and an important part of life. Many hours were spent tending gardens and preserving the harvest, as she lovingly taught her children the skills of canning, self-reliance, and the importance of providing for those they loved.

Coral Lou never thought of herself as a strong student growing up. She often said that she struggled in school just to earn C's. For that reason, it took tremendous faith in herself and courage to enroll at Weber State University in her early 40’s as a nontraditional student. Refusing to let past experiences define her future, she embraced the challenge with determination and discipline. Through hard work and perseverance, she graduated with honors in 1989.

Her professional experiences included an internship with the Deseret News and later employment in the Continuing Education Department at Weber State University, where she especially enjoyed working with nontraditional students as they pursued their own educational goals. Along the way, she developed a talent for writing that became a source of both enjoyment and satisfaction throughout her life. She took pride in her ability to communicate thoughtfully and continued to use and refine that gift for many years.

Coral Lou had a deep love for the gospel of Jesus Christ and sought to live her faith through service. She especially enjoyed opening her home to missionaries. Whether sharing a meal, offering encouragement, or simply providing a welcoming place to gather, she loved getting to know the young men and women serving the Lord. Many missionaries found a warm meal, a listening ear, and a friend in Coral Lou.

In 2000, Coral Lou moved to Arizona and began another wonderful chapter of her life. Drawn by the sunshine, warmth, and beauty of the desert, she was delighted to leave snowy winters behind and often joked that she never intended to shovel snow again. Arizona suited her perfectly. She found joy in creating beautiful rock gardens, tending her cactus and desert plants, and decorating her yard with whimsical ornaments that reflected her creativity and love of beauty. She treasured the peaceful desert landscape and the opportunities it provided to spend time outdoors and enjoy the sunshine she loved so much.

It was in Arizona that she met the love of her life, Tom Sehara. Their marriage brought her tremendous happiness, and together they shared more than twenty years of companionship, adventure, laughter, and devotion. They loved cheering for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Phoenix Suns and rarely passed up an opportunity to watch a game together. Their home was filled with love and hospitality, and they lovingly welcomed Coral Lou's mother, Adeline Greenwell, into their home, where together they enjoyed many memorable adventures. Coral Lou and Tom shared a love of travel and explored much of the United States together, creating cherished memories everywhere from Hawaii and Alaska to Boston and many places in between. They were true partners in every sense of the word and made a remarkable team.

Faith was an important part of Coral Lou's life and became a meaningful part of her relationship with Tom as well. In 2005, Coral Lou's granddaughter, Brittney, invited Tom to read the Book of Mormon. As he studied and learned more about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, his testimony grew, and he was baptized on Valentine's Day, a fitting reflection of the love he and Coral Lou shared. Together, Coral Lou and Tom developed a deep love for family history and temple service. The temple held a special place in their hearts. Whether serving as ordinance workers, attending as patrons, or participating in family history work, they found great joy in spending time together in the house of the Lord and helping connect families across generations.

Coral Lou was a woman of extraordinary creativity. She loved working with her hands and found deep satisfaction in creating beautiful things. Knitting was one of her greatest passions, and many hours were spent with needles and yarn in hand as she brought one project after another to life. She was also an accomplished quilter and enjoyed sewing, needlepoint, and art. Creativity was woven throughout her life and gave her a way to express herself, solve problems, and find joy. Later in life, she and Tom combined their talents to create Bags by Coral Lou, where Coral Lou hand-knit beautiful wool bags and Tom transformed them through felting into unique works of art.

She was also known for her generosity. Throughout her life, she opened both her home and her heart to those in need. Many found a place of belonging with her, including Jennifer Begay and Carla Nina, who became cherished members of her extended family.

Coral Lou was known for her determination. If she decided to do something, she rarely let obstacles stand in her way. Challenges were simply opportunities to figure out another path forward. Along with her determination came a sense of humor and a love for life's little pleasures. One of her favorite sayings was, “If the shoe fits, buy it in every color.” She happily applied that philosophy to purses, glasses, hats, and bags as well. Shopping was one of her favorite pastimes, and she thoroughly enjoyed surrounding herself with things that were beautiful, colorful, and fun.

One of Coral Lou's greatest legacies was the wisdom she imparted to her children. They learned that there are many ways to gain wisdom in life. Some lessons came through her example, and others came through observing her struggles and challenges. Through both, she taught enduring truths about forgiveness, repentance, accountability, resilience, and love. Her children learned that growth often comes through difficulty, that relationships require grace, and that life's experiences, both joyful and painful, can become powerful teachers. They came to understand that no one is perfect, that change is always possible, and that both our successes and our mistakes can teach us important lessons. These gifts of understanding became part of her legacy and continue to influence her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren today.

Coral Lou lived life on her own terms. Her life was marked by determination, growth, and resilience. Over the years, she embraced many different roles and pursued a wide variety of interests, always willing to learn something new or take on a challenge. She built a life rich with experiences, creativity, friendships, and faith. Whether returning to college, pursuing new artistic talents, traveling the country, or building a life with Tom, she approached each chapter with courage and independence. Those who knew her will remember her strong spirit, her sense of humor, and her remarkable ability to keep moving forward.

Coral Lou is survived by six of her seven children: Tim (LaRae) Roberts, Lyn (Keith) Johnson, Robyn Anne (Darryl) Simmons, Pete (Shannon) Glenn, Daniel (Shelly) Glenn, and Sharon (Chris) Connelly; her brother, Ronald S. Greenwell; her sister, Randee Hamblin; 25 grandchildren; and 48 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Adeline Greenwell; her husbands, Clarence Roberts and Merrill Glenn; the love of her life, Tom Sehara; her beloved daughter, Jenny Lou Truscott and most recently her sister Carla Lee Lewis.

She will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever cherished by those who knew and loved her.