Col. John Udy

Col. John Udy

March 20, 1921 ~ August 27, 2017

Our Dad, John Udy, passed away on August 27, 2017 at the George E. Wahlen Veterans Home, at age 96.  He was born on March 20, 1921, the son of Melvin A. and Phoebe Louise Nish Udy.

Dad served in the Air Force during World War II as a pilot of the B-17 aircraft. He was stationed at Deenthorpe Airfield, England where he successfully completed 35 combat missions in the European Theater. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters recognizing extraordinary achievement as pilot of a B-17 aircraft.  After returning from war he continued to fly transport aircraft until March 1946 when he left the Army Air Force and joined the Air Force reserves where he was promoted to the rank of Colonel in May of 1969. Dad worked as a Supervisor in Materiel Management at Hill Air Force Base until his retirement. Our Dad was our own personal hero.

Upon his return from the war he married the love of his life, our beloved Mom, Nadine Thorpe, on April 8, 1945 and their marriage was later sealed in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on April 8, 1955. Mom passed away on July 28, 2002. They served a special service mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Ogden area from August 1993 to August 1995. Serving the people of Ogden was fulfilling and they both spoke fondly of their experience for years. Dad instilled a love for life and an intense work ethic in all of us but he also taught us how to have fun. He loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren and took us boating or fishing whenever possible. He loved being on the water, joining the Coast Guard reserves at age 75. He learned to downhill ski at age 50 and learned to play bridge at age 80.

Dad had many skills and interests in his life. He was a carpenter where he built several homes for himself and his children. He also enjoyed farming and ran a farm in Bear River City for many years. He was a recreational pilot and owned his own Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft that he enjoyed flying friends and family anywhere they wanted to go.

John is survived by his sons, Randy (Laura) and Kevin (Pamela); daughters, Pam (Greg) Royster, Marilyn (Wayne) Cox, and Tammy (Randy) Richards; 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; and sisters, Elma Mazzola and Joyce (Roger) Bost.  He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and brothers, LeRon, Verl, and Carl.

The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude to all the nurses, CNA’s, and support staff at the George E. Wahlen Veterans Home for their outstanding care of our Dad over the past few years.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may visit with family on Tuesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the mortuary. Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Rd.