Hali Ann Vanderburg
Hali Ann Vanderburg
December 1, 1987 — July, 20 2021
Born in Mesa, Arizona
Lived and loved in Salt Lake City, Utah for 25 years
How does a parent choose what lasting impression they want the world to have of their child? How can I condense all that Hali is/was in a short paragraph? Above everything, we need the reader to know she is loved.
How can her family put into words what a bright, humble, intelligent; stubborn, strong, funny, beautiful light she was in this world to many?
How cruel is it of this world to expect such things from us? Yet here we are, at the darkest hour a parent can imagine.
Hali was human, as a young human, she was still working on self-awareness and personal growth through life lessons and experiences. Her final lesson, this lesson of all human lessons, was the most heartbreaking experience of her and our lives. Hali handled it with quiet grace, courage, at times humor, vulnerability, and a mighty strength few knew she possessed.
Hali was never a loud, showy, daredevil. She was a quiet, creative, brainy beauty and an introvert. A well read, lover of books, an unapologetic self-proclaimed nerd.
She loved nature, her shelves are lined with rocks, birds nests and interesting seed pods she collected on her walks and adventures. Hali was a lover of all animals and plants, and enjoyed amateur beekeeping with her mother.
Hali was a graphic and managerial talent who was unable to reach her full potential because of metastatic melanoma. We’ll never know the impact she had in her short life, or the impact she would have had had she lived longer. I’ve received messages from all over the world about how Hali’s story touched them, and in some instances saved lives.
She was a 2005 graduate of West High School in SLC, Utah earning AP honors. Hali was first chair cellist in the schools orchestra. She put herself through college and obtained three degrees—a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah, an Associates in Graphic Design, with a minor in Graphic Communications from Salt Lake Community College, receiving high honors and a place on the Dean’s list from both colleges. Hali loved her teachers and her experience at SLCC, becoming friends with many of her teachers.
Hali loved her job at Salt Lake Community College Printing Services as a large format supervisor. She enjoyed her co-workers, some becoming best friends. She never stopped talking about going back, even to the end.
She would want to send a message to anyone who reads this. That message is this: anyone can develop melanoma. You do not have to be in the sun to get melanoma. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma (these two are caused by the sun), the most serious being melanoma. Having an annual thorough body exam is important. She would want to encourage everyone to be an alarmist if they felt something wasn’t right with a mole, freckle, or what she thought was a reoccurring pimple by a mole. I don’t want melanoma to be her story, but she wanted to warn others.
Hali Ann peacefully slipped from this life at 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday, July 20—in her own bed, looking out into the backyard garden she loved so much. Hali is survived by her mother, Kimberly Vanderburg-Murphy (née Bain), her sister Kether Murphy; her father Delmar G. Vanderburg and his finance’ Jana; grandparents Gary Michael Bain and his wife Barbara, and Delmar H. Vanderburg; her favorite great-aunt Melisa Mace, her dog Ellie, and cat, Momi, along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and strangers alike.
Hali did not believe in putting our grief on display in the traditional setting of a funeral. When ready, there will be some structured events connected to a local community non-profit Hali volunteered for, such as a hike with tree planting up in the mountains or guerilla gardening down in the city. Please be patient with my grief.
If you knew Hali, or if her story touches you, please do anything you are moved to do to honor our sweet woman’s impact on you. In lieu of flowers or to honor Hali’s life look to volunteering in your community. Hali’s are: (https://dirt2table.org/dirt2table/the-og-woi-peoples-orchard-and-garden/ (scroll down to donate time or money in her memory) and www.roomtoread.org. Please name Hali in memorial.