Elton Jeffery Carrel

Elton Jeffery (Jeff) Carrel

Elton Jeffery (Jeff) Carrel, 92, died Saturday, November 3, 2012 at Legacy Village Assisted Living, Layton, Utah.

Jeff was born at Fort Douglas, Utah on September 14, 1920 to Elton and Alice Jeffery Carrel. He was the third child of their family of six and the only son. He was raised and schooled in Salt Lake City graduating from West High School with the class of 1938. He was one of the Graduating Speakers at the commencement services. He would work as a printer and enjoyed stamp collecting and acting. He would appear in several productions of the "Pickwick Players" and other local drama groups prior to the World War II. In July 1941, he went to work at Hill Air Force Base being responsible for starting, organizing, and supervising the base Printing and Reproduction Department and was one of the "Pioneers" at the base. In June 1942 he would enlist as an Aviation Cadet and would graduate in October 1943 as a Pilot and Second Lieutenant. By the end of the war he would be a Weapons Controller in the Pacific at Iwo Jima.

In August 1946 he married his sweetheart Lavon B. (Bonnie) Gale and their family would eventually consist of two daughters and two sons. He was recalled to active duty in the Air Force in September of 1950 during the Korean War and would remain active until March 1970 when he retired as a Lt. Col. USAF. He and his family returned to Utah and lived in Layton. He would finally earn his college diploma, graduating with Honors from Weber State College. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for the rest of his employed years. Since then he and Bonnie have enjoyed a life of leisure and travel. They have spent some time in every state in the union and about half that many Countries.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father and four sisters, June Solberg, Ruth Skaggs, Alice Edith Laspee, and Mary Taylor. He is survived by his wife of Layton; four children, Leslie (Dennis) Waters, South Weber; Jeff (Vikki) Carrel, Farmington; Craig (Debbie) Carrel, Marshall, Michigan; Sue (Max) Wilde, Seoul, South Korea. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Amber Waters, Becky Waters, Chris (Melissa) Waters, Megan Wilde, Denise (Ian) Orton, Corbett Carrel, Ryan Wilde, Meredith Carrel, Cason Carrel, Patrick Carrel, Ryan Carrel, one great-grandchild, Jack Orton and one sister, Betty Miller, Henderson, Nevada.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 10 a.m. at Lindquist''s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road. Friends may visit family one hour prior to services at the mortuary. Interment, Lindquist''s Memorial Park at Layton, 1867 No. Fairfield Road where military honors will be accorded by HAFB Honor Guard.