William Wardle

BOUNTIFUL, UT - William “Bill” Orrin Wardle, age 92, of Bountiful, Utah, passed away unexpectedly at home on January 17, 2025. Our hearts are heavy as we say goodbye to our loving father, grandfather, husband, brother, uncle, and friend to all. He was born in Eureka, Utah in 1932 and at age 2 his family moved to Sugarhouse in Salt Lake City. 

 Bill graduated from South High School in 1951 and attended the University of Utah. He joined the Navy Reserve and then served in the U.S. Army, including two years of service stationed in Germany. He developed a love of Germany and relished the opportunity to speak the language with a grandson recently called to serve an LDS mission there.

 He married Jeanne Blanche Taylor in 1961 and together they raised five children in Bountiful. He lost his sweetheart in 2013. They loved the simple things, including hard work, gardening, and road trips around the western states. Travels often took mom and dad further afield to far corners of the world where they served as tour guides for various travel groups. He missed her dearly but managed to stay busy and independent these last 12 years with travel, attending the activities of grandchildren, visiting his children, and making more new friends. He made friends wherever he went. 

 Bill retired from the US Postal Service after more than 30 years of working there. He enjoyed the many families and businesses whom he associated with during his time there. In addition to the miles he would walk on his route each day, he found time to solve the world’s problems with friends over a cup of coffee at Carmack’s on Main Street in Bountiful each morning. This daily meeting with friends and associates would continue for over 65 years at the local donut shop, bagel shop, grocery store, and most recently the South Davis Senior Center, where he drove each morning to be with friends. He was always able to find the good in people, loving the conversations and company of all he had the pleasure to associate with. 

 Bill never forgot his roots and returned often to the small mining town of Eureka to visit relatives, hunt for pine nuts, or just spend time outdoors. We returned often to Eureka with dad to explore this little town and the surrounding areas, including Topaz Mountain in search of topaz crystals. He was an amateur rockhound and found it hard to pass up unique geological fragments - and many of these stones adorned his yard and home.

 Health was a big priority in his life. He was a weightlifting instructor at the Deseret Gym and relished the friendships formed there and at the YMCA gym in Salt Lake. He lived a life of exceptional health and went to great lengths to stay healthy. These efforts paid off as he enjoyed good health throughout his entire life. 

 He loved the outdoors and spent his life exploring, hunting, fishing, hiking, and drinking in nature any chance he got. He was an outstanding marksman and earned the nickname “Buckshot Bill” by his friends due to his single shot, five-bird duck hunting feat. While he explored the world extensively, the place that called him most was the cabin. He loved hiking and riding

motorcycles, managing to cover almost every trail and road near the cabin with his kids by his side. He would balance work, play, and relaxation by ensuring that most evenings at the cabin were set aside to sit on the deck and take in the peace and beauty that surrounded him. 

 Music was always a part of every day. Whether in the car, at home, at the cabin, or traveling, he was always finding a way to make music a part of the experience, often singing along with the track he was listening to. While he always praised the musical capabilities of his sweetheart, he too was a gifted musician. Though he never sang in a choir, his beautiful vibrato and near perfect pitch always echoed through the home. In addition to his singing, he played the violin and began taking lessons again when he was in his late sixties. 

 Bill was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and spent most of his life among the wonderful people of the Bountiful 33rd Ward. The service assignment he loved most was home teaching or ministering each month with Dick Wheelock. They ministered side by side for decades and never missed their monthly visits. He loved the ward and neighborhood and was always grateful for the love of the ward and the impact it had on his family. 

 Bill was loved by those who knew him, including his grandchildren, and they have been heavily impacted by his passing. He always retained a youthful vigor as he associated with the people he loved most and could connect with each of them individually. He had nicknames for everyone and took creative license to modify these names at will, depending on the circumstances. This creativity would spill over into his letters, the notes he would leave in the house, and through his texts. These treasured moments and communications with Bill will be sorely missed. 

 He is survived by his children; Rick, Heber City; Kathy Cortez (Jerry), Barre, MA; Lisa, Portland, OR; Heidi Mease (Brian), Kaysville; Brad (Sarah), Kaysville; 14 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren. Also survived by his brother; Don Wardle (Gay). He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jeanne Taylor Wardle, his parents, and a grandson, Tristin.

 Funeral services will be held at 12 noon on Friday, January 24, 2025 at the Bountiful Tabernacle 55 S. Main Bountiful, UT where friends may visit family from 10:00 - 11:30 am prior to the services. Interment Bountiful City Cemetery.