St. George, Utah – Darwin Gubler, son of Edmund and Eliza Hafen Gubler, was born November 11, 1917 in Santa Clara, Utah. He passed away February 28, 2015.
Darwin attended Elementary School in Santa Clara and High School in St. George. He received his Associates Degree from Dixie Junior College and his Bachelor’s Degree from Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, Utah. Darwin served an LDS mission in the Central States after which he entered the United States Army. After basic training at Camp Grant, Rockford, Illinois and additional training at Camp White, Medford, Oregon, he was sent to England. There he was in charge of an International Cold War Storage near Alton, England, supplying food for the Allied Forces in Europe. At the conclusion of WWII, he was transferred to Cardiff, Wales, where he attended Shrivenham Army University for three months as he awaited his turn to come home. On his return he was discharged from the Army in January 1946 and married his sweetheart, Ora Etta Hoffman in the St George LDS Temple on March 5, 1946. This week they would have celebrated their 69th anniversary!
He earned a teaching certificate from Utah State and began his teaching career that fall in Gunnison, Utah. A year later, in 1947, Darwin moved his wife and baby daughter, Annette, to Wasco, California, where he continued his teaching career at the local high school for three years. He then taught Vocational Agriculture in Woodlake, California for eight years. The final twenty years of his career was spent in Porterville, California teaching Vocational Agriculture, Science and Math.
Darwin was a tireless promoter of vocational agriculture; he was elected President of The California Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association in 1963, and later became President of the Past President’s Club.
Darwin was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and served in many Church positions, including Sunday School President, Young Men’s President and in the High Priest’s Quorum. Additionally, he served as the first President of the Exeter, California Branch for seven years. The Branch has since grown into two wards – one in Exeter and one in Lindsay, California.
After his retirement in 1978, Darwin moved back to Southern Utah and made St George his home. In 1979, he and Ora became Ordinance Workers in the St. George LDS Temple where they served for almost 30 years, taking time out to serve missions in San Francisco and the historic sites here in St George area.
Darwin is survived by his wife, Ora Etta, seven children: Annette Hammer, Linda Frost, Joy (David) Ballingham, Leron (Audrey) Gubler, Gloria (Michael) Kelly, Warren (Alisa) Gubler and Wilma (Craig) DeMille; 29 grandchildren; and 37 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by granddaughter, Katie Ballingham, great-grandson, Bronson DeMille, and two sisters, Wilma Gubler and Vanola Wittwer. Darwin is survived by six sisters: Jewel Frei, Cleopha LeBaron, Linna Rosenlof, Edna Hunt, Fawn Mitchell, and Rita Hansen.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 7, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the St. George East Stake Center, 449 South 300 East, St. George, Utah. A visitation will be held Saturday, prior to services, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Relief Society room. Interment will be in the St. George City Cemetery