Rell Rives Jr.

Rell William Rives Jr.

10-18-1923 – 05-03-2015

It is with tears of sadness and joy that we announce the passing of another of the Greatest Generation.  Rell William Rives Jr. was born October 18, 1923, in Manti, Utah, the first child of Rell William Rives Sr. and Muriel Tuttle. Rell grew up in Manti, Kaysville, and Ogden. He attended Davis High School and graduated from Manti High School in 1941. The family moved back to Ogden and in January 1942, Rell began working at Hill Field as an apprentice aircraft repairman. In June 1943, he volunteered for the U.S. Army/Air Corps. He crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary and spent the next two years assembling and maintaining aircraft at Burtonwood and Bishop’s Stortford Air Depots, England.

He married Cathryn (Kay) Whetton on July 18, 1946, in Ogden. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on June 5, 1958.

The family moved to Clearfield in 1953 to be closer to work at Hill Field. He advanced from repairing aircraft to supervision. In 1962, he moved over to the Minuteman Missile program. At the time of his retirement in 1978 he was the Missile Weapons Branch Chief, Maintenance Directorate. He then worked in the credit office at Weinstock’s Department Store for ten years.

In 1972, Rell and Kay moved to Kingswood Road in Kaysville.  Kay passed away on June 23, 1984. He married Karla Povey Anderson on January 1, 1985, in Ogden. In 1995, Rell and Karla moved to Jamestowne Square, near Davis High School. Rell served in many church capacities in several wards in Clearfield and Kaysville, including Young Men’s president, priesthood instructor, ward clerk, finance clerk, ward mission leader, stake missionary, and priesthood leader at Apple Tree Retirement Center.  He and Karla served as service missionaries at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the LDS Bishop’s Storehouse in Kaysville, and the LDS Distribution Center in Layton.

Rell is survived by four children: Susan (Bob) Monson; Steven (Barbara Capelle); Paul (Debi Martinez); and Jolene Hennefer Price. 11 Grandchildren: Ryan (Marlene), Cory (Sana), and Tyler (Aimee) Monson; Nathan (Cami) Rives, Natalie (Brian) Fitzpatrick, and Heidi (Ken) Wolfe; Christian Rives, Tanisha (Ryan) Burnett and Alisha (Jeremy) Bingham; Adam and Jessica Hennefer. 24 Great-grandchildren: Taylor, Emilee, Jadon, Ameilya, McCall, Cole, and Kate Monson; Lauren and Elayne Rives; Cathryn Fitzpatrick; Kylie, Ashley, and Elizabeth Wolfe; McKenzie and Paige Rives; McKahl, Brinley, Lauren, and Aniston Burnett; Kaeden, Brekken, and MaeLyn Bingham; Kolton Hennefer; Madison Hunsaker. Karla’s family: Danny (Mary) Anderson; Jeanette (Lee) Whittle; Greg (Gina) Anderson. 11 Grandchildren: Maren (Andrew) Henderson, Janna (Tony) Long, Mikkel and Amy Anderson; Bridgette (Jeff) Metcalfe, Brandon (Laurie) Whittle, Megan (Jordan) Isbell, and Matthew (Leslie) Whittle; Kelsi (Ty) Flint; Kaytlen (Matthew) Howes; Marissa (Bryant) Woolsey; Miles Anderson.11 Great-Grandchildren: Nathan and Emmelyn Henderson; Cooper and Kian Long; Braxton, Paisley, and Kenzlee Metcalfe; Brayden and Carson Whittle; Houston Isbell; Beckham Flint. Brothers: Frank (Jinx) Rives; Wayne (Ruthmarie) Rives; Sister: Carolyn Glismann.

Preceded in death by his wife, Kay; parents; sisters: Mary Lou Cahoon and Joyce Chadwick Stephens; infant brother Robert Rives.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 7, 2014, at 11:00 a.m. at the Gailey Park LDS Chapel, 331 South 50 West, Kaysville. Friends may visit family Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Kaysville Mortuary, 400 North Main and Thursday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.

Interment, Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd, Ogden, Utah.