Rex Arthur Spackman

Rex Arthur Spackman passed away from natural causes at the age of 88 on March 14, 2024 in Bountiful, Utah. He loved his family, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the outdoors, horses, Blue Spruce trees, cold milk, and vanilla ice cream.

He was born Sept. 23, 1935 in Soda Springs, Idaho and was the son of Edward Arthur and Thecla Lindholm Spackman. His growing up years were spent on the family ranch up Jackknife Creek in Freedom along the Idaho and Wyoming border. After graduating from Star Valley High School, he attended Ricks College and Utah State University before being hired by the Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) as a fish hatchery manager. Early in his career, the Army National Guard assigned him to active duty in Ft. Leonard Wood Missouri and Ft. Lewis Washington. Around this time, on June 8 1959, he married Connie Linford from Afton, WY in the Idaho Falls LDS temple. After completing his military service, he returned to work for the IDFG and they lived throughout central and southern Idaho at fish hatcheries. To this union were born two sons, Ross and Brad.

Upon retiring from IDFG, the family moved back to the ranch in Freedom where Rex did some farming, dairying, and worked for a time at the phosphate mines in Soda Springs. His real love was spending time in the mountains on horseback and camping, fishing, and hunting with his boys. He was more comfortable than most people when sleeping under the stars with a saddle for a pillow.

In June 2006, Rex and Connie served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints working on the Deseret Cattle and Citrus Ranch in central Florida. Connie’s untimely death forced him to return home. Determined to serve the Lord, he volunteered for a short time as a caretaker at a Church summer camp near Evanston WY. He enjoyed being a leader in the Boy Scouts of America program and served faithfully in the Church wherever he was needed.

He is survived by his two sons, Ross (Gaylynn) Spackman of Sugar City, Idaho and Brad (Michelle) Spackman of Bountiful, Utah, 10 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. 

Funeral services will be held Saturday March 23, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. at the Freedom LDS Church located at 1556 WY-239, Freedom, Wyoming. Friends may visit with family prior to services from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Interment will be at the Freedom, Idaho Cemetery. 

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