Lily Clara McClish passed away on Thursday, January 26, 2017, in Moab, Utah. She was 13 years old.
Lily was born in Arlee, Montana, on September 23, 2003. From a very young age, Lily had an unbounded love for animals. She raised chickens, cows, pigs and goats. And she adored her horses and pet rats. Lily was fearless on a horse, earning her the much-deserved nickname “Wild Lily.” Her smile was infectious and her laughter resonant. Lily recently received the “Student of the Month” award from Grand County Middle School for tolerance, which was a very important value that Lily didn’t see enough of in the world.
Lily is survived by her mother Molly McClish; her father Tye McClish; her brother Rowan Antonuccio; her grandparents Sherry Mathson, Jim Mathson and Johnnie Sue Hutchison, Stuart Evers, Helen Antonuccio, Bonnie Corrado, Sondra and Dale Spradlin, and Roger Stevenson; her aunts and uncles Jen Evers, J.R. and Britni Mathson, Justin Mathson, and Stephanie Pierce; and her extended family Marc Antonuccio and Amanda Domenick.
A memorial service for Lily was held at the Grand Center in Moab on Tuesday, January 31, 2017.
Grand County Middle School English teacher Sophia Sopuch and other friends remembered Lily as a kind and compassionate person who cared deeply for everyone.
Sopuch said she tries not to bring her personal issues to school, but sometimes, students understand when something is wrong. On one occasion when Sopuch was going through a difficult time, Lily walked in with a vase of flowers and said, “These are for you.”
“I feel like it was a sign of who she was as a person,” Sopuch said. “This is my second year of teaching, and she taught me the biggest life lesson I’ve ever learned, which is just to love and accept.”
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.SpanishValleyMortuary.com.
