Merwin Waite

After struggling with lymphoma for several months, Merwin L. Waite passed away peacefully in his home December 15, 2014 in Orem, Utah. A second-generation Californian, Merwin was the third of five sons born to June Harriman and Noble Waite. Born in Bell, California on August 11, 1928, Merwin attended Bell High School and served in the U.S. Navy from 1946-48. He played in the All Church Basketball Tournament in 1949, where his Maywood Ward won the championship, with Merwin as the MVP. In 1951, he graduated from BYU, majoring in mathematics and English, and then served as an LDS missionary in Belgium and France in 1951 for 2 years, 9 months 3 weeks and 2 days! His love of French, mathematics, literature, and basketball continued all his life. He met his sweetheart at LDS Institute at USC. Merwin and June Moncur, an accomplished actress from Lovell, Wyoming and Salt Lake City, married in the Salt Lake Temple on August 26, 1955. Merwin and June's marriage has been full of romance and adventure, and they were blessed with five children, who have been a source of love and delight, especially their last son, Steven, who had hydrocephalus and died when he was four. Merwin was a math teacher at Gardena High School and professor at East Los Angeles College. He taught math and astronomy, which led to many late nights with the family telescope in the backyard. He received Master's degrees from USC in 1956 and Stanford in 1962. In 1986, Merwin and June spent a year in France where Merwin was a Fulbright scholar at IUT (University) de Rennes. Merwin's unwaivering faith in God was naturally woven into all parts of his life. He nourished his soul with scripture reading and poetry from Milton and Browning. He recorded his life in extensive journals. He and June opened up their home and lives to many souls seeking comfort or just a place to live. Merwin delighted in serving the Lord in all callings, which included Bishop of the Hawthorne Ward in the South Bay of Los Angeles and the Los Altos Ward in Hacienda Heights, California. After a mission to La Reunion and Madagascar in 1996, Merwin and June moved to DR Congo, where Merwin served as the mission president from 1998-2000. Merwin has always tried to "accentuate the positive," as he has often sung at family gatherings. Merwin and June moved to Orem, Utah in 2004 where they have been close to grandchildren attending college. They rejoice in their nineteen grandchildren and their seventeen great grandchildren, whom they love. He is remembered for his violin playing, published family histories, moving talks, powerful teaching, love of ice cream, showmanship, scintillating conversations, hilarious stories, and contagious cheerfulness. He was preceded in death by parents Noble and June Waite; brothers Noble, Richard, and Kenneth; and son Steven. He leaves his wife, June; brother, Wendell; children, Delys (Phil) Snyder, Wendy (Bob) Jensen, Brent (Cheryl), and Clint (Shelly); 19 grandchildren; and 17 great grandchildren. The funeral will be Dec. 20 at 1:00 at 151 W. 1600 S., Orem, Utah with a viewing from 11:45-12:45. A viewing will also be Dec. 19 from 6-8 at Sundberg-Olpin Funeral Home at 495 S. State St., Orem, Utah.

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