Berk Wayne Washburn

Berk Wayne Washburn passed away on January 24th, 2022 in the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah. He was born August 27th, 1950 in Provo, Utah to AlDean & Clara Washburn, the first of 16 children. He married his eternal companion, Carolyn Adams on May 4, 1973 in the Manti, Utah Temple. Together they had 8 children Eliza, Ephraim, Seth, Esther, Isaac, Miriam, Bekah, and Ammon. Berk spent much of his youth in Trona, California, a dry, hot place where it was a challenge to grow grass. Berk loved it. He spent his free time roaming the desert with friends, exploring abandoned mines, hunting jack rabbits, catching scorpions and tarantulas, and finding out the many uses of dynamite. Berk attended Brigham Young University, where he met Carolyn Adams and the two fell in love. At BYU, Berk earned a double degree in economics and finance and continued on to earn his joint MBA and Law degree. After trying to start a law practice in Utah, Berk accepted a position at NCR in Ohio in corporate law, a field he would work in for almost 30 years. Work took Berk and his family from Ohio to Michigan and finally to Colorado. Although law was how Berk supported his large family, sending all eight children on missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and through college at BYU, it was never his true passion. He would joke that his favorite part in the movie Jurassic Park was when the lawyer got eaten on the toilet. During the Great Recession of the late 2000s, Berk switched careers and tried his hand at being an author. Carolyn worked hand in hand with Berk, especially with the character development and editing. They loved the writing process and even published a trilogy with Berk’s younger brother Andy. During this time, Berk and Carolyn realized that Carolyn’s mother, Anna Adams, now a widow, needed someone nearby to help out. The two empty nesters packed up again and moved to St. George to be near her. Berk continued his writing there and became active in writers groups, including sharing his new passion with students at the local Dixie State University. As Berk and Carolyn felt their age finally catching up to them, they moved north to the Salt Lake valley where four of their eight children lived. So in July of 2021 they moved to Magna, Utah where Carolyn now resides. Berk’s life was dedicated to two things: his family and his faith. He was the king of Dad jokes. He loved laughing with his family and watching scary movies. He loved the opportunity to give his children father’s blessings and loved being a grandfather. He knew that the bonds with his parents, siblings, wife, children, and grandchildren were eternal, and strove to strengthen those bonds throughout his life. Berk loved his Savior, Jesus Christ and served him and others wholeheartedly his entire life. Berk served with the young men, as a Bishop in Ohio, and a Stake President in Michigan. Teaching the gospel was always his favorite calling. Berk is survived by his wife, Carolyn, all 8 of his children, and 29 grandchildren including one who arrives in April. Berk is also survived by his step-mother, Luzon Washburn, as well as 13 siblings: Ann Washburn Smith, Allen Broderick Washburn, Linda Washburn Wehner, Lynnette Eyres Christensen, Laurie Eyres Stone, Hugh Dean Washburn, Ruth Washburn Sulz, Todd Alan Eyres, Tracy D Eyres, Samuel Howard Washburn, Sarah Washburn Simpson, Joseph McKay Washburn, and Daniel James Washburn. Berk is preceded to the next life by his parents, AlDean and Clara Washburn and his siblings Andy Washburn and Cathleen Washburn Brown. Services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Chapel at 8059 W 2700 S, Magna, UT 84044 on Friday, February 4th, 2022. A viewing will be held from 9:30-10:30 am with the funeral to follow at 11 am. A service at the grave site at Larkin Sunset Gardens at 1 pm in Sandy, Utah. The funeral will also be shared through zoom (https://zoom.us/j/8012501111?pwd=N09JRFNBRHJWVVAzeERHclk0azJKQT09). We would like to thank Serenity Funeral Home for helping us navigate this hard time and all of the medical staff at Intermountain Medical Center for all the care they gave Berk. Please share memories and condolences at www.serenityfhs.com.

Berk Wayne Washburn

August 27, 1950 - January 24, 2022