Robert Thurston

Robert Val Thurston

Robert (Bob) Val Thurston returned to the arms of his beloved wife and his Savior on July 9, 2017.  He passed away at his home in Bountiful due to complications of colon cancer. He was courageous, gracious, and kept his sense of humor to the end.

He was born in Richfield, Utah on February 5, 1928, the 10th son of Edwin Elroy and Nelsine Martena (Sorensen) Thurston.  He was the last surviving member of his family, and is now reunited with his brothers; Ross, Walter, Morris, Nile, Ivan, LeRue, Kimball, Doyle, and Bruce. Dad loved hunting and socializing with his brothers. He also loved spending time with his wife’s family.  Dad served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Seoul Korea. After returning home, he served an LDS mission in Sheffield England.

Dad married Deloa Dawn Glines on May 29, 1959 in the Salt Lake Temple. They had four children; Leigh Ann (DelRoi) Warnock, Kenny (Janeal) Thurston, Katie (Paul) Capshaw, and Mark Thurston. He was a loving Grandfather to fifteen grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.  He was a graduate of BYU in accounting and passed the exams to become a CPA. He spent most of his career working at “The Department” (Utah Department of Employment Security). He was very good with computers and programming and always had some spare punch cards handy for taking notes.

Dad was active in the LDS church and served in many positions including Bishop and High Councilor. He served with Dawn as an Ordinance Worker at the Salt Lake and Bountiful Temples. They also served three missions together for the Church, including two Family History missions in Salt Lake and one Church Education mission in San Francisco.  They loved serving together in the Church and they loved spending time with their kids and extended family.  When the kids were young, they made the life-altering decision to forego a trip to Europe, and bought a boat instead, spending almost every Friday and Saturday thereafter at Pineview Reservoir with his family and/or church groups. Dad helped a lot of people (friends, family and neighbors) learn to water-ski. He spent countless hours in the water helping to steady beginning skiers as they learned to “get up.” Dad loved all kinds of sports and he loved to laugh. He and Dawn created many lasting, wonderful memories through camping, snow skiing, waterskiing, family reunions, BYU football games, road trips, and eventually trips to Europe with Dawn's brothers and their wives.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, July 15, 2017 at the Woods Cross 3rd Ward Chapel, 1450 S. 350 W. Bountiful, Utah.  Friends may visit family Friday, July 14th from 6-8 pm at Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary, 727 N. 400 E. and Sat. at the Church from 9:30-10:30 am prior to services.  Interment Lakeview Memorial Park, Bountiful, Utah.