Michael Sperry

Michael Edward Sperry

June 15, 1968 ~ January 18, 2018

Michael Edward Sperry, of Syracuse Utah, passed away Thursday, January 18, 2018 from a valiant battle with metastatic colon cancer. Michael was 49 years old.

He was born on June 15, 1968 in Payson Utah, the first of four children born to Edward George Sperry and Nancy Mae Henline. Michael was a smart child and could often be found taking things apart to find out how they work.  He was caring and nurturing to his younger siblings, and very helpful to his mother. He loved golfing and fishing and spending time with his dad. Mike loved all things math and had an inquisitive mind.   Besides math, Michael was involved in plays and musicals and loved all of his drama classes at Juab High School.  He also ran Cross Country.  He was a straight A student and the Sterling Scholar for Math. Mike was a Brainiac and knew all the random facts a person could know.

Mike graduated from Juab High School in 1986, and served a full-time mission in the Lima Peru East Mission from 1987-1989.  Following his mission, he attended BYU and graduated with a Bachelor degree in Engineering.  Mike met his sweetheart, Jana Jay Cole, at church in Layton Utah at a singles activity in 1998. They began dating a few months later, and following a three-month engagement, they were married in the Bountiful Utah LDS temple on March 26, 1999. Mike was a devoted husband and father, and he and Jana loved to travel and make memories. Some of their most favorite family vacations were their trip to Disneyworld and the cruise to Alaska.  Mike was a faithful member of the LDS church and served in many capacities over the years. He loved the Lord and lived his life accordingly.

Mike worked for almost 24 years for Northrop Grumman (formerly TRW) as a Mechanical Engineer.  He loved his work and the company treated him well. Mike is an avid BYU fan and would cheer on his beloved Cougars any chance he got. He and Jana have resided in Syracuse Utah their entire marriage. They have five amazing children. Mike enjoyed gardening and puttering around outside, as well as playing any kind of game with his kids.  He was competitive and passed that on to them. Their favorite games are Ticket to Ride, and Settlers of Cataan. He loved them with all his heart and one of Mike’s greatest accomplishments was being a dad.

Michael is succeeded in death by his eternal sweetheart  Jana; children, Meghan (soon to be Hermana Sperry in the Peru Lima North Mission), Rachel, Jenny, Jonathan, and Sidney; his mother, Nancy Sperry of Nephi Utah, and by his siblings, Christine Gafa (Clint) of St. George Utah, Dennis Sperry (Christina)of Millville Utah, and  Deanna Erdmann (Justin) of Nephi Utah. Mike is preceded in death by his grandparents on both sides, and by his father, Ted Sperry.

Mike’s family would like to express their most heartfelt appreciation to the doctors and nurses that have cared for him during his battle with cancer, Dr. Stephen Foote & Trina, Dr. Jason Stinnett, Nancy Weber PA-C, Lisa & Debbie.  Also to James, the on-call hospice nurse, who helped us through his passing. We are forever grateful.  They also express appreciation and love to their family and ward family who have cared so deeply and given so generously to them without fail.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 11:00 at the LDS chapel located at 3065 S. Bluff Road in Syracuse Utah.  Friends may visit with family Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 N. Fairfield Rd. Layton, Utah and Wednesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers, Mike’s family requests that donations be made to the LDS Church Humanitarian Fund.