Utah Walton Lawrence

Utah Walton Lawrence, 93, of Orem, Utah, transitioned to receive his eternal reward on July 17th, 2024. Utah was born June 17th, 1931, in Grantsville, Utah, the 6th of 8 children, to Victor Walton Lawrence and Lovina Ann Hodgson Lawrence. 

As a son of a cattle rancher Utah grew up around horses, cows, chickens and so forth. He was part of the family's efforts to drive the cattle to higher ground for summers and to the lower ranch grounds for winters.

Later, Utah served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Western Canadian mission. Five weeks after returning home from his mission, he reported to Fort Ord, California, for basic training in 1951/1952. He was then transferred to Fort Lewis Washington in the infantry and field artillery division. His duty assignment was in the 6th Army Honor Guard in Presidio, San Francisco, California, where he represented Honor Rights to KIA and served injured soldiers returning stateside. He would represent the Army Color Guard in state and national parades and events to all army servicemen. Utah was discharged with Honor in 1955. This is where he met his eternal sweetheart, Leila Richan, whom he married on January 27th, 1956, in the Salt Lake City Temple.

He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor's degree, majoring in Physical Education and minoring in Animal Husbandry. As a father of seven children, and being an extremely hard worker, Utah's primary career was in Elementary Education, teaching 18 years in Nevada and 18 years in Utah. However, he always worked a myriad of second jobs including being a ranch hand driving beef cattle at the Bruno River and Skull Valley, fence construction, cement work, custodial services, being a sous-chef, owning a U.S. Postal contracted trucking business, and more. Utah enjoyed deer, duck and pheasant hunting, halibut fishing in Alaska, basketball, racquetball, and was uniquely skilled as a slow-pitch pitcher in softball leaving many batters confused as to how they were struck out in a slow pitch game!

He enjoyed participating in an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. in 2022 with his friend Vic Deauvono. He was a beloved member of the MacPack, a group of friends including Vic, Jerry and Dennis that would meet each day for breakfast at a Provo McDonalds, and continued to visit him in the VA Home.

He was ordained to the office of Seventy by Spencer W. Kimball and later became a High Priest. Utah was an ardent BYU sports fan. He was an excellent Father of 7, Grandfather of 24, and Great Grandfather of 62. He was loved by all!!

Utah is survived by six of his children: Jay (Linda) of Lehi UT., Michael (Jan) of Murray UT., Robin (Jon) of Stansbury UT., Garth (Sherry) of Bentonville AR., Utahna (Don) of Riverton UT., Stephanie (Norm) of Slidell LA., and numerous other posterity. He was preceded in death by his wife, Leila, who departed on March 17, 2014, his son, Johnnie Lane, his parents, and all of his siblings: Robert, Myrtle, Ruth, Clifford, J. Russell, Chester, and Gary. Though we will all deeply miss him, his departure to a happier realm is viewed as a blessing.

The family would like to express gratitude to the skilled and caring staff at the Central Utah Bennion V.A. Home in Payson, who took care of Utah for the last 4 years.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 31st, 2024 at 11 am at the Sundberg-Olpin and Wheeler Funeral Home, 495 South State Street, Orem, Utah. A viewing for family and friends will be held from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. on that same Wednesday, just before the service at the mortuary. The Interment will be in the Orem City Cemetery.

Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.

For those unable to attend the services they will be streamed starting at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 31 via Facebook Live at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/sundbergolpinfuneralhome