Joseph "Jay" I. Rich

Joseph I. "Jay" Rich

Joseph I. "Jay" Rich, of Ogden, Utah, died peacefully in his sleep Friday, October 12, 2012.

Jay Rich was born August 22, 1921, in Morgan, Utah, the only son of Arthur R. and Bertha P. Rich. He was married to Joyce Peterson in 1947. They were later divorced. He graduated from Morgan High School and Weber State University. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corp. from 1940 through 1944, and flew in England, North Africa, the Middle East and Italy during World War II. He was the first serviceman from Morgan to return on leave from a war zone and was the first from Morgan to be discharged from the military during the war.

He was employed from 1945 to 1949 by Ogden City as an Air Traffic Controller. He was employed from 1949 to 1976 by the Civil Aeronautics Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration as an Air Traffic Controller, working in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Ogden, Utah. From 1976 to 1987 he worked in Real Estate and supervised construction, fully retiring in 1987.

Jay was a High Priest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in various Ward and Stake positions, including Stake Missions in the Weber Heights and Canyon View Stakes, and in the Bishopric of the 61st Ward. He also served on the High Council in the Canyon View Stake.

Surviving is his daughter, Marta Mathews (John), of Ogden; four grandchildren, Shawn (Sharlene) Maynard, Pleasant View; Rick (Brandi) Maynard, Ogden; Brian (Michell) Maynard, Pleasant View; and Kellie (Justin) Dye, Chandler, AZ and ten great-grandchildren, and two step-great grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. Thelma Bluhm of Ojai, California.

He was preceded in death by his son, Scott Alan Rich and three sisters, Melba Giles, Lenore Rich and Isla Housley.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 15, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Lindquist''s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may visit with family on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Monday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the mortuary.

Interment, Lindquist''s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd.