Elvin A. Okerlund was born September 14, 1938 to Rulon Okerlund and Zelda Albrecht Okerlund.
He was the fourth of five children. He grew up on a farm in Lyman, Utah. As a youth, he loved hunting and fishing with his dad and brothers. He liked going swimming at Bicknell Bottoms. He played baseball, tennis, basketball, and ran track.
Every year, he looked forward to staying at the Elkhorn Ranger Station with friends and family on Thousand Lake Mountain for the deer hunt. Everybody called him Red because of his red hair.
He married Marsha Fillmore on October 7, 1961. They had two daughters. They later divorced. He married Susan Goble on May 12, 1973. They raised their two sons in West Valley City and just celebrated their forty-first anniversary. He spent a lot of time with Susan's parents in Nephi and also fishing with her dad.
He passed on his love for the outdoors to his children and grandchildren. His family was never a blended family - it was just one family that included anyone that wanted to join in.
He was always a positive example to everyone. He'd say the rain was going to quit soon anytime when he was fishing, even if it rained for two days straight. If you ever asked him how he was doing, he always said I'm OK and he meant it. He could sit in the forest and just watch wildlife for hours.
He had a great sense of humor and got a kick out of most things in life. He helped with his sons' baseball teams for years - coaching, taking care of the fields, etc. His son carries on that tradition. He tried to always be there to watch their games.
He was the first one to laugh at himself and didn't take very much too seriously. He wanted people to slow down and not hurry through life so much so that they would enjoy all of it like he did.
He was very proud of all of his children. In recent years, he was visited often by his grandchildren and great grandchildren and good friends.
He was a truck driver most of his life and also passed on a legacy of being a very hard worker. His children enjoyed going on his truck him.
He worked through several summers helping his son build a cabin at Fish Lake. The whole family spent many memorable trips there. He was also an avid reader and his favorite books were any on World War II.
He died peacefully at his home.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gerald; and son-in-law, Nathan. He is survived by his children, Julie, Stacy, Ryan (Heather), and Mike (Mindee); nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 6, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Valley View Memorial Park, 4400 West 4100 South, West Valley City.
Published in the Salt Lake Tribune on June 4, 2014.
He was the fourth of five children. He grew up on a farm in Lyman, Utah. As a youth, he loved hunting and fishing with his dad and brothers. He liked going swimming at Bicknell Bottoms. He played baseball, tennis, basketball, and ran track.
Every year, he looked forward to staying at the Elkhorn Ranger Station with friends and family on Thousand Lake Mountain for the deer hunt. Everybody called him Red because of his red hair.
He married Marsha Fillmore on October 7, 1961. They had two daughters. They later divorced. He married Susan Goble on May 12, 1973. They raised their two sons in West Valley City and just celebrated their forty-first anniversary. He spent a lot of time with Susan's parents in Nephi and also fishing with her dad.
He passed on his love for the outdoors to his children and grandchildren. His family was never a blended family - it was just one family that included anyone that wanted to join in.
He was always a positive example to everyone. He'd say the rain was going to quit soon anytime when he was fishing, even if it rained for two days straight. If you ever asked him how he was doing, he always said I'm OK and he meant it. He could sit in the forest and just watch wildlife for hours.
He had a great sense of humor and got a kick out of most things in life. He helped with his sons' baseball teams for years - coaching, taking care of the fields, etc. His son carries on that tradition. He tried to always be there to watch their games.
He was the first one to laugh at himself and didn't take very much too seriously. He wanted people to slow down and not hurry through life so much so that they would enjoy all of it like he did.
He was very proud of all of his children. In recent years, he was visited often by his grandchildren and great grandchildren and good friends.
He was a truck driver most of his life and also passed on a legacy of being a very hard worker. His children enjoyed going on his truck him.
He worked through several summers helping his son build a cabin at Fish Lake. The whole family spent many memorable trips there. He was also an avid reader and his favorite books were any on World War II.
He died peacefully at his home.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gerald; and son-in-law, Nathan. He is survived by his children, Julie, Stacy, Ryan (Heather), and Mike (Mindee); nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 6, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Valley View Memorial Park, 4400 West 4100 South, West Valley City.
Published in the Salt Lake Tribune on June 4, 2014.
Elvin A. Okerlund was born September 14, 1938 to Rulon Okerlund and Zelda Albrecht Okerlund.
He was the fourth of five children. He grew up on a farm in Lyman, Utah. As a youth, he loved hunting and fishing with his dad and brothers. He liked going swimming at Bicknell Bottoms. He played baseball, tennis, basketball, and ran track.
Every year, he looked forward to staying at the Elkhorn Ranger Station with friends and family on Thousand Lake Mountain for the deer hunt. Everybody called him Red because of his red hair.
He married Marsha Fillmore on October 7, 1961. They had two daughters. They later divorced. He married Susan Goble on May 12, 1973. They raised their two sons in West Valley City and just celebrated their forty-first anniversary. He spent a lot of time with Susan's parents in Nephi and also fishing with her dad.
He passed on his love for the outdoors to his children and grandchildren. His family was never a blended family - it was just one family that included anyone that wanted to join in.
He was always a positive example to everyone. He'd say the rain was going to quit soon anytime when he was fishing, even if it rained for two days straight. If you ever asked him how he was doing, he always said I'm OK and he meant it. He could sit in the forest and just watch wildlife for hours.
He had a great sense of humor and got a kick out of most things in life. He helped with his sons' baseball teams for years - coaching, taking care of the fields, etc. His son carries on that tradition. He tried to always be there to watch their games.
He was the first one to laugh at himself and didn't take very much too seriously. He wanted people to slow down and not hurry through life so much so that they would enjoy all of it like he did.
He was very proud of all of his children. In recent years, he was visited often by his grandchildren and great grandchildren and good friends.
He was a truck driver most of his life and also passed on a legacy of being a very hard worker. His children enjoyed going on his truck him.
He worked through several summers helping his son build a cabin at Fish Lake. The whole family spent many memorable trips there. He was also an avid reader and his favorite books were any on World War II.
He died peacefully at his home.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gerald; and son-in-law, Nathan. He is survived by his children, Julie, Stacy, Ryan (Heather), and Mike (Mindee); nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 6, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Valley View Memorial Park, 4400 West 4100 South, West Valley City.
Published in the Salt Lake Tribune on June 4, 2014.
He was the fourth of five children. He grew up on a farm in Lyman, Utah. As a youth, he loved hunting and fishing with his dad and brothers. He liked going swimming at Bicknell Bottoms. He played baseball, tennis, basketball, and ran track.
Every year, he looked forward to staying at the Elkhorn Ranger Station with friends and family on Thousand Lake Mountain for the deer hunt. Everybody called him Red because of his red hair.
He married Marsha Fillmore on October 7, 1961. They had two daughters. They later divorced. He married Susan Goble on May 12, 1973. They raised their two sons in West Valley City and just celebrated their forty-first anniversary. He spent a lot of time with Susan's parents in Nephi and also fishing with her dad.
He passed on his love for the outdoors to his children and grandchildren. His family was never a blended family - it was just one family that included anyone that wanted to join in.
He was always a positive example to everyone. He'd say the rain was going to quit soon anytime when he was fishing, even if it rained for two days straight. If you ever asked him how he was doing, he always said I'm OK and he meant it. He could sit in the forest and just watch wildlife for hours.
He had a great sense of humor and got a kick out of most things in life. He helped with his sons' baseball teams for years - coaching, taking care of the fields, etc. His son carries on that tradition. He tried to always be there to watch their games.
He was the first one to laugh at himself and didn't take very much too seriously. He wanted people to slow down and not hurry through life so much so that they would enjoy all of it like he did.
He was very proud of all of his children. In recent years, he was visited often by his grandchildren and great grandchildren and good friends.
He was a truck driver most of his life and also passed on a legacy of being a very hard worker. His children enjoyed going on his truck him.
He worked through several summers helping his son build a cabin at Fish Lake. The whole family spent many memorable trips there. He was also an avid reader and his favorite books were any on World War II.
He died peacefully at his home.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Gerald; and son-in-law, Nathan. He is survived by his children, Julie, Stacy, Ryan (Heather), and Mike (Mindee); nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 6, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Valley View Memorial Park, 4400 West 4100 South, West Valley City.
Published in the Salt Lake Tribune on June 4, 2014.
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