William Nevers

Our beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather William “Bill” Nevers passed away on March 30, 2023, at his home in Thousand Oaks, California.  Dad was born on April 12, 1930, in the coal-mining town of Scofield, Utah to Nicholas George Nevers and Salina Ethelyn Green.  When Bill was six years old, his family moved to Copperfield in Bingham Canyon, Utah, where he and his sisters Mary VaLeta and Norma grew up with hundreds of “Bingham guys and girls” whose virtues and accomplishments, as told by Dad, are legendary.  Their parents from many nations worked in Bingham Canyon’s underground and open-pit mines, operated the multi-ethnic stores, restaurants and clubs, and guided, taught and coached a generation molded during the Great Depression and World War II.

Bill married Orlean Warner of Spanish Fork, Utah on May 11, 1951. Orlean passed away on March 19, 2006.  Bill and Orlean are the parents of Kathleen Nevers Smoyer (Dean), Gary William Nevers (Dianne), Steven James Nevers (who died in infancy) and Robert Glen Nevers, who passed away on July 4, 2022.

Bill graduated from Bingham High School in 1948, and from the University of Utah in 1952 with a degree in Business Administration.  He left the good pay and blowing snow of the Kennecott Copper mine after Kathy was born to look for work in Los Angeles.  Bill began his long career in corporate finance and management at Lockheed Aircraft Company in Burbank, California, followed by positions at Thiokol Chemical Corporation and Litton Industries Guidance and Control Systems Division.  In 1967, Bill was named Controller of the Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton in Pascagoula, Mississippi, followed by positions in the corporate headquarters of Litton Industries and Rockwell International.

Bill and Orlean resided in Salt Lake City, Utah, Woodland Hills, California, Pascagoula, Mississippi and Thousand Oaks, California.  Their children fondly remember the family’s annual visits to Spanish Fork and Copperton, Utah, and the visits of dear grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins to our home in Woodland Hills for swimming and barbecues with Uncle Bill.

In the 17 years following Orlean’s passing, Bill was sustained and motivated by his many Oaks Mall walking friends.  We are grateful.

Bill and Orlean’s grandchildren are Kathy and Dean’s son Ted Smoyer (Jordan), Gary and Dianne’s children Shawn Nevers (Mary Lynn), Russell Nevers, Eric Nevers, Mark Nevers (Caroline), Julie Kerby (Tyler), Gregory Nevers (Shaylee), Amy Faerber (Andrew), and Bob and Ann’s children Douglas Nevers (Sherry), Steven Nevers (Kenzie) and Emily Christofferson (Nathan).   Bill and Orlean have forty great-grandchildren.  Bill was preceded in death by his loving and loved wife, two sons, and sisters Mary VaLeta Miller (Leon) and Norma Copeland.

A memorial service for Bill will be held on April 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Sundberg-Olpin & Wheeler Mortuary, 495 S. State Street, Orem, Utah.  Preceding the service, a viewing will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m.