Ralph Henry Jurgensmeier

Our loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Ralph Henry Jurgensmeier, age 93, passed away on August 4, 2013. Ralph was born in Nuckolls County, Nebraska on May 1, 1920. He was the oldest child of Frank and Mary Kohmetscher Jurgensmeier. He married Bonnie Beth Jeppesen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 22, 1945; they were later sealed in the Logan Utah LDS Temple.

Ralph served in the Navy in World War II. He served on the USS Phoenix, USS Marblehead, and USS Oklahoma City. His ship, the USS Marblehead was reported bombed and sunk in the Pacific, but it limped its way back to New York for repairs without a rudder. Ralph joined the Navy when one of the young men who lived near him came home and told him that every day in the Navy was like Sunday''s on the farm.

Ralph grew up on a farm, and loved farming. He homesteaded a dairy farm north of Rupert, Idaho. When he first moved to the farm it was mostly desert and sage brush. He took his small herd of Holstein cows and with hard work created a great place for a family to grow up.

One of his most treasured memories was the mission he and Bonnie served for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the St. George Visitor''s Center, The Jacob Hamblin home, the Brigham Young Home, the tabernacle and the church at Pine Valley. Ralph loved the St. George area and the people he met on their mission. He loved living and growing things in St. George, Utah.

In his later years Ralph loved gardening, if he could have he would have grown a garden full of enough food and flowers to share with everyone.

The greatest gift he gave to his family was the times we would get together. He wanted all of his children and grandchildren to get together and enjoy each other''s company. He spent time and money making sure we had places to go and things to see. He took all of us on a trip to Nauvoo, Illinois and Nebraska where we could spend time together and with our Nebraska family. He is our anchor, the one who always wanted us to love each other and be together.

He has 36 grandchildren, 89 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great-grandchildren. We all called him Grandpa Great, because he was really Great! Ralph is survived by his children, Valerie (Tom) Harward, Linda (Ken) Foit, Barbara (Stephen) Felt, Brenda (Taylor) Bennett, Dee (Karen) Jurgensmeier and Blair (Debbie) Jurgensmeier; two sisters, Frances Schoenrock and Mary Lou (Virgil) VerMaas; one brother, Orville Jurgensmeier; three sister-in-laws, Ruth Larsen, Dorene Jeppesen and Hala Bentzinger. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Bonnie; three brothers, Walter Bentzinger, Jerry Jurgensmeier, and Leland Jurgensmeier; sister-in-laws, Phyllis Jurgensmeier, Darlene Jurgensmeier and brother-in-law Walter Schoenrock; a grandson Russell Perry and a granddaughter Amber Jurgensmeier. Special thanks goes to his "A Step Forward" Hospice caregivers, Judy and Brent; and his special "Comfort Keepers" caregiver Kay.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 16, 2013 at 2 p.m. at the Pleasant View South 8th Ward, 250 Elberta Dr., Pleasant View. Friends may visit with family on Friday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the church. Interment, Ben Lomond Cemetery, North Ogden. Services entrusted to Lindquist''s North Ogden Mortuary.