October 30, 1996 – November 7, 2023 (age 27)
We mournfully share the sudden and tragic passing of Elijah Perry DeSimone who passed away on November 7, 2023, in The Dalles, Oregon.
Elijah was born in Olympia Washington, the son of Michael Andrew and Melinda Lee (McArthur) DeSimone and was the youngest of four boys. Eli was raised in Long Beach Washington playing on the beaches and dunes of the Pacific Ocean. Eli attended elementary/middle school in Long Beach and Ilwaco, WA and graduated from Mountain Crest HS in 2015. Eli graduated with two business degrees from Utah State University in 2019 following in the footsteps of the family’s other “Aggie” his grandfather Robin Perry McArthur, who also graduated from USU 60 years ago.
Elijah grew up near the beach but loved spending time hiking or camping in the woods and the mountains with his friends and his dogs. Eli always called the Pacific Northwest home. Eli loved a variety of sports, loved the Seattle Seahawks, and was the only person in our family to run cross country in school. When Eli got his puppy “Bear”, he was having a hard time matching the right name to his new puppy. His nephew Max, who thought Eli was the greatest human ever, told Eli that his new puppy looked just like a bear. So “bear” stuck and he became a part of Eli.
Elijah found the love of his life, Lia Gemar in Logan, UT where they quickly became inseparable. Elijah and Lia moved to Oregon to start a new life together. They landed in the quiet town of Moro, Oregon while Eli worked in Biggs and Lia worked in The Dalles. Elijah was young, but determined, to provide the best life for them. He was a hard worker, well loved, and highly respected by coworkers and friends. Lia’s family, parents Tom and Jodie Gemar of Richmond, UT, and brothers Tyler (Alyssa), Russell and Devon warmly embraced Elijah as one of their own.
Eli is survived by his brothers Tyler (Ashley), Jordan (Johanna), Zachary (Marijayne), parents Michael and Melinda (McArthur), grandparents Karen McArthur and Robert and Gay (DeSimone) Phillippi, his aunt Laura DeSimone, nieces Arleigh, Milena, Nahbi, and Alina, nephews Hudson, Jack, Maxwell, Conrad, Louie, and Asa, and numerous cousins and their spouses, aunts, uncles, and countless friends.
A Memorial service will be held Saturday, November 25 at 11:00 a.m. at the Providence 10th Ward chapel located at 262 Canyon Road in Providence, UT.
There will be a family visitation at the chapel from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. immediately prior to the service.
A celebration of life for Elijah will also be held next August 2024 on the Long Beach Peninsula (WA) with friends and family.
Livestream link: https://zoom.us/j/97106558897?pwd=eFg0YmppNzlZVVlIcFNIZGprWDQvdz09
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation at https://huntsmanmentalhealthfoundation.org/ or The Huntsman Mental Health Foundation c/o Joe Stampe 500 Huntsman Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108.
To honor Elijah and his passion for the outdoors, our family is suggesting that attendees wear a flannel shirt of their choosing in lieu of formal attire.