Frank Romney

Frank McAllister Romney

Frank McAllister Romney was born in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico, on April 26, 1928. His parents were Gladys Walker McAllister and Frank Romney. By the time he was 5 years old, Frank was responsible for herding the cows. When he wasn’t working, he and his friend would ride their horses “like the wind, jumping bushes and ditches and going naked swimming in the river” when it was warm enough. Frank’s mother died when he was 7. When Frank was 11, his father moved the family from the Mormon colonies to a farm in Payson, Utah, and raised his children by himself. On the farm, Frank drove a team of “big, bally-faced sorrel horses for many hours, doing the mowing, plowing, hauling, and many other tasks needing to be done on a farm.” He also milked cows and helped his brother, Lowell, take care of the livestock and chickens.

After graduating from Payson High School in 1946, Frank started attending BYU; in 1948, he served a two-and-a-half-years long LDS mission to Mexico. When Frank returned home from his mission, his little sister, Emmy Lou, introduced him to her friend, Barbara Farr. He needed a date to the church dance, so he asked Barbara to go with him. She said yes. Not long after—on May 2, 1951 (67 years ago)—they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple by Barbara’s favorite uncle, Spencer W. Kimball.

Two weeks after they were married, Frank entered the army. He’d been drafted to serve during the Korean war. He was assigned to the Army Signal Corps and was stationed in Germany from 1951 to 1953. After his stint in the Army, Frank returned home to his wife and daughter, Alane (born while he was in Germany), and started attending Brigham Young University. Six months after a second daughter, Peggy Ann, was born, Alane, now 2 ½, was diagnosed with leukemia. She died within a few weeks of diagnosis, breaking her father and mother’s hearts.

While Frank continued his education in accounting at BYU, his family continued to grow—Sheila was born while he was still in school. After Frank graduated, he and Barbara moved their family to California.

Frank, Diana, and Linda joined the Romney clan in California. After spending eleven years in California, Frank was transferred back to Utah. Frank and Barbara built a beautiful home on Mutton Hollow Road in Kaysville, Utah. They raised their family there and grew old together there. They lived in the same home for fifty years—they were heartbroken to have to leave the only home they’d known for most of their lives.

Frank and Barbara often sang beautiful duets in church; Frank loved to perform in church plays and roadshows. In fact, before they got married, Frank and Barbara were performing in a play called “What’s Wrong with Charlie?” Barbara was Charlie and Frank’s character had to kiss her—they didn’t even have to fake the kisses. Frank’s father commented that “the love scenes were getting to be too real”!

After retiring from Associated Food Stores, where he worked as a controller and assistant secretary treasurer for 25 years, Frank kept busy. He served a mission to Mallorca, Spain, with his wife, took guitar lessons (he even had an electric guitar and all the gadgets!), and bought a camping trailer so he and Barbara could finally camp in comfort—and hang out with the Farr family at family reunions. Frank and Barbara bought a fancy travel van with a license plate that read TYME 4 US. They took road trips to a variety of destinations (such as Nauvoo), usually with their brothers- and sisters-in-law in tow.

Frank and Barbara attended countless soccer, football, and baseball games as well as music and dance recitals for many of their 29 grandchildren. They even attended a few for some of their great grandchildren. (And don’t forget those marching band competitions—they couldn’t decide whether they should be loyal and cheer for Davis High School or support their grandsons and cheer for American Fork High School – AF always won…). High school, college, graduate school graduations—they never missed them.

Frank loved having his family around him. He would often watch quietly as all the chaos swirled around him; he would get a grin on his face and then he’d rub his hands together, followed by a quick face rub.  When Dad rubbed his hands and face, we knew he was happy!

Frank and Barbara have six children: Alane (deceased); Peggy Ann (Cody) Huft; Sheila (Roy) Waddoups; Frank (Linda) Romney; Diana (Scott) Fletcher; and Linda (Blake) Swain. They have 29 grandchildren and 46 great grandchildren (and counting…). That’s a lot of sporting events, recitals, and graduations to attend! Frank is survived by a sister, Marilyn (Slim) Nielsen of Mexico; a brother-in-law, Ralph Keller, and a sister-in-law, Joan Romney. Frank is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Frank was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Alane, and two grandsons, Matthew and Tyler Romney; and by his siblings Cecile Keller, Maureen Badger, Gladys Loveless, Lowell Romney, and Emmy Lou Blair.

Funeral services will be held Monday, May 21, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the Kaysville 20th Ward, 855 E. Mutton Hollow Road, Kaysville, Utah.  Friends may visit family Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Kaysville Mortuary and Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.

Interment, Kaysville City Cemetery, 500 E. Crestwood Rd.

The Family would like to thank the staff and administration at Apple Village Assisted Living in Layton and BrightOn Home Health and Hospice for the wonderful care they have given Frank,