Kenneth Bingham

Kenneth D. Bingham

Kenneth D. Bingham, 86, passed away, Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at his residence in Barton Creek assisted living center in Bountiful, Utah.

Ken was born in Ogden, Utah at the McKay Dee Hospital October 12, 1930, to Aranthon and Eliza McFarland Bingham.  He was the youngest in the family.  His siblings were Marion born in 1915, Carlos born in 1917, Bob born 1919, and Lloyd born 1922, all deceased. He is survived by his children; Richard (Vera) Bingham, Curtis (Karen) Bingham, and Marilyn (Jeff) Williams; 18 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren (with 2 on the way).

Ken’s first home was in Ogden, Utah. Then, in 1933 the family moved to Evanston, Wyoming. His childhood friends were called "Rinky Dinks".   After graduating from High School he joined the Navy along with his life-long best friend, Lewis Hunt. He served in the Navy from July 6, 1948 until July 7, 1952, serving during the Korean War.  He went to boot camp in San Diego, California and went every Saturday to get a shave and a haircut.  Ken loved those great shaves in San Diego!  He was in the service school in San Diego for 4 months and was chosen to be the honor man, graduating in electronics. That entitled him to pick which ship he would go out on. He chose the WWII, USS Stickell, it was a 2200 ton destroyer, 300 feet long.  He served on the Stickell for three years and one month, and went all over the Pacific.  He spent time in the Philippines and up the Saigon River and tied up at Saigon in Ho Chi Min City.

While he was in the Navy, Ken made friends with Don Horsley, who enlisted the same day he did. Don introduced him to his sister, Lenore at the Hillcrest Ward in San Diego. They corresponded by mail for about two years.  When Ken came home from the Navy he moved into Veterans Village at the University of Utah campus and attended school there. He and Lenore dated and were married in the Salt Lake Temple, they lived at Stadium Village, and had their first "little cowboy",  Rich, in 1953.

Ken graduated from the University of Utah in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and returned to the U in 1970 to earn his MBA.  After college he worked at Shell Oil in Walnut Creek, California,  Montek Corporation, and finished his career at Hill Air Force Base in Layton Utah.  Ken was a branch chief for the division that designed the guidance system for the “Minute Man Missile” and retired with 28 years in 1994.

Ken and Lenore wanted more children, but it didn't look like it was going to happen so they adopted a little girl, Marilyn.  She was the apple of her Dad's eye - and still is. When Lenore became pregnant with Curtis, it was a miracle.  She was not supposed to have any more children, Curtis became their “Miracle Baby”.

Ken built his first house in 1972 on Lakeview Drive. Bob Horsley helped him frame the house and nailed his fingers to a board. Then he built a second house around the corner and up the hill in 1974.  He built a third house in Farmington in 1995 both with the help of his son, Curtis.

He and Lenore served a mission for the LDS Church in Scotland for 19 months in 1992. They served as ordinance workers in the Salt Lake and Bountiful Temples.  Ken took care of Lenore for over a year before she passed on Nov 19, 2001.

Ken met Carol Steinfort while working at the Bountiful Temple and married her Sept. 4, 2002. They served two missions back to back in the Utah Ogden Mission and lived in the Country Springs Condos. Carol passed away,  June 2, 2017. He was dearly loved by his family and friends and was a strong, valiant servant in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints his entire life.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm Saturday, October 14, 2017 at the Stone Creek Chapel, 1476 N. 300 W. Bountiful, Utah.  Friends may visit family Friday, October 13, 2017 from 6-8 pm at Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary, 727 N. 400 E. and Sat. at the Church from  11:30 am– 12:30 pm prior to services.  Interment Bountiful City Cemetery.