Elvin Lee Worthington Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Elvin Lee Worthington, renegade cowboy, avid BYU fan, and down-to-earth John Wayne wannabe, died at his home front in South Jordan, UT on January 20, 2015 while hog-tied by family. Elvin was conceived, born (December 17, 1943) and reared in the Union Fort area. His childhood was marked with much suffering, having endured the constant blows -- or “love taps” -- from his older brother, Larry, and the incessant torturing of his younger sister, Nita. Not to mention the fact that his father, Merl Ison Worthington, a former marine who spent much time on the shores of Iwa Jima during World War II, often forgot that the war was over. His mother, Doris Stradley, did much of the nurturing. Bucking family tradition and defying all expectations of him, he served a two-and-half year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Netherlands Mission. This experience was life changing, as it cultivated a deeper love of the Gospel and tulips (as only found in Holland). He was not only a family man, but a lady’s man as well -- as he ended up marrying two of the four women that he ever dated. (In baseball talk, he batted five hundred.) He fathered five lovely, self-determined and equally hardheaded children with his high school sweetheart, “Joanie”, and reared three compassionate, self-motivated, and driven children with his second wife, Edie, with whom he also fathered two adorable, surprise-we-thought-we-were-done children. (Yes, for a grand total of 10 kids!) He loved get-togethers at the home front, and was renowned for his annual Pioneer Day hoedown, which always ended in a spectacular display of fireworks. He loved people, except those that he did not like (including Democrats, liberals, and Ute fans). His personality was quite charming and likeable, which was problematic for those who disagreed with him. He was a self-made jokester, reciting the same jokes again and again with equal conviction (case and point, Snotty Ol’ Flinnegan). His laughter filled the air and was infectious. He excelled at building breathtaking rock walls, constructing lavish green yards, and designing dazzling flowerbeds with an array of colors, textures and smells. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from Brigham Young University and enjoyed a successful career in landscape architecture and design. It was with this medium (ie, Nature) that his creativity and brilliance flourished. He was a bona fide artist, though he would never admit to this -- for he was a very proud man. He had a life-long relationship with the kitchen, where he mastered his culinary skills in making heavenly homemade ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, Indonesian rice with a generous amount of hot sambal sauce, Sunday evening meatloaf, ebelskivers, and a breakfast fit for a tired wrangler with fresh eggs, hash browns, and crispy bacon. Every recipe required just a dash of pepper -- that is, take-the-top-off-the-pepper-shaker and pour. Perhaps the greatest irony in his life was his love of scouting. While never an Eagle scout himself (nor were most of his boys), he was responsible for helping countless young men achieve this prestigious award. He loved the outdoors. A perfect October weekend for him included time in the mountains with the boys “hunting” -- also known as poker. His life was punctuated with a deep spirituality; he walked the talk. There was no facade or pretense -- as context or circumstance could not change his core values or principles. He was the same person whether standing behind the pulpit delivering a talk or riding his Kubota tractor on a job or sitting on the banks of Strawberry Reservoir casting a line into the water. He is survived by his wife, Edith Wardle, and 9 children, including Denny (Cecylia), Bret (Alisha), Shane (Michelle), Bart (April), DeAnna (Teresa), Coulter (Jenn), Crystal (Ben), Suzanna (Michael), Cheryse (Scott), and 28 grandchildren with two on their way. Those awaiting him with open arms on the other side were his late wife (Joan Nunley), son (Ty), brother (Larry), parents (Merl and Doris), and many other family and friends. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 24, 2015 at Riverview LDS 9th Ward 11400 South 700 West South Jordan, Utah. A viewing for family and friends will be held Friday evening from 6-8:00 p.m. at the Riverview LDS 9th Ward and on Saturday from 9:45 a.m. to 10: 45 a.m. Burial will follow at Larkins Sunset Garden. The family would like to express their gratitude to family, friends, neighbors and members of the Riverview Stake for the outpouring of love and support which has been extended over the past two months.

Elvin Lee Worthington

December 17, 1943 - January 20, 2015