Kenneth Chase

Kenneth Wayne Chase, 82, passed away Tuesday, July 23rd, surrounded by family. Ken was born in Los Angeles, Calif, and was the youngest of 7 children. He was raised in a loving home with strong family values and a culture of hard work. From his childhood, Ken loved to fix things! He spent most of his free time reviving home appliances and family vehicles. As proof of his abilities, his ‘83 Subaru is still running!

Ken received a Master’s degree from BYU in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD from U.C. Berkeley. He was then invited to teach at BYU where he had a distinguished career as a professor for 42 years. He influenced thousands of students, both inside and outside the classroom. His dedication to help students succeed often went far beyond his regular office hours and continued past retirement.

He had a passion for stargazing, illustrated by hours of time spent sharing his love of the stars. He had many awards and accomplished great things, but when asked what he wanted to be remembered for, he said, “My sense of humor!” He was the king of ‘Dad’ jokes. He was a faithful leader at home and in church. He spent his life quietly serving, and sacrificed his own comforts to meet the needs of others. His goal was to always be worthy when called upon.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria, and his son, Brent. He is survived by 8 children: Sheri (Dennis) Spencer, Kimberly (Scott) Booth, Wendy (Blaine) Hunter, Julie (Douglas) Nordlin, Kenalyn (Kevin) Gray, Robin (Terrol) Williams, Ken (Loretta) Chase, April (Shawn) Snelling, 49 grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren. Also 2 siblings, James (Carol) Chase and Shirley (Marvin) Stoutsenberger.

Viewings will be held Friday, July 26 from 6-8pm at the Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 S State St, Orem and Saturday July 27, from 11:30-12:30 575 East 800 North, Orem UT Funeral Services: 1:00 PM, 575 East 800 North, Orem UT Grave Site Services: Orem Cemetery 1520 N 800 E, Orem, UT In lieu of flowers, please donate to the LDS Church Humanitarian Aid. Condolences may be expressed to the family at on this page.