The following obituaries appeared in the December 6, 2023 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
For more area obituaries, please visit Schwab Mortuary.
For more resources including headstones, please visit the Star Valley Historical Society.
Garth Turner
Garth H. Turner, passed away on November 30, 2023 in Brigham City, Utah at the age of 89. He was born February 26, 1934 to Edmund Deloss Turner and Agnes Elnora Hokanson in Turnerville, Wyoming.
He was the second of four boys Lowell, Wendell, and Bruce. He spent his early years on the small farm in Turnerville, Wyoming where he also attended grade school in a one-room school house, grades 1-6.
Garth helped his father on the farm and with stacking shingles for the family shingle mill up Willow Creek.
Garth was a four-year seminary graduate as well as a high school graduate. He graduated in 1952 from Star Valley High School in Afton, Wyoming. After graduating, he served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Great Lakes Mission.
Shortly after returning from his mission he joined the Army, where he was stationed in Fort Ord, California, Ft. Sam in Huston, Texas and then to Ft. Lewis in Washington. After his discharge he joined the National Guard to complete his Active duty.
He was then, once again, sent to Ft. Lewis in Washington.
He married Deon Godfrey on June 5, 1964 in the Idaho Falls temple. The first home they lived in was his childhood home in Turnerville, Wyoming. In the following years they had all four of their children; two boys and two girls. During this time Garth worked as a welder at Call Air until they moved out of the valley. He also worked the family farm until he got a job at the Lower Valley Power and Light as a journeyman – lineman. In June 1972, his family bought a new home and moved to Osmond, Wyoming. He lived there until He could no longer be on his own. He lived out his last months in Brigham City, Utah near his son Terrel and daughter Lynette.
One of Garth’s great loves and hobbies has been wood-working. He loved to bless others’ lives with his wood creations. He loved making and gifting wood items to friends, family, and neighbors. It brought great joy to the recipient of the gift and to Garth.
Garth held many positions in the church and worked hard at all of them. One of the positions he held was a counselor in the Osmond ward bishopric where he served for nearly seven years.
Garth had a heart of Gold and was always willing to do things for other people and preferred no recognition for doing so. He was a kind and loving father and husband. He is held in the highest esteem by his family and loved ones. He was truly a Christ-like person and regarded highly by all who knew him.
He is preceded in death by his parents Agnes Elnora and Edmond Deloss Turner, his three siblings: Lowell, Wendell, and Bruce Turner, along with his wife Deon G Turner.
He leaves behind his children (Spouse): Nathan (Danyel) Turner, Lynette (Shawn) Smith, Terrel (DeAnn) Turner, and Kaylene (Shaun) Anderson, also 17 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren with an additional great grandchild due in April.
Stanley Thurman
Stanley Ray Thurman passed away suddenly in his home on November 27, 2023, at the age of 84. Minutes earlier he was doing what he loved most—spending time with his wife and grandchildren and joking with them in his kind, good natured way.
Stanley was born in 1939 in Afton, Wyoming to Adell Humpherys Thurman and Stewart McCombs Thurman. His parents raised him in Grover, Wyoming where he was taught to work hard, love family, and have fun. Stanley played many sports—including basketball and football on the Star Valley High School team—and loved to fish and spend time in the beautiful mountains. He also learned to play the piano and developed his artistic talents. He enjoyed making sketches of the famous basketball players he liked to watch on the television.
After graduation from high school and two years of undergrad education at Utah State University, Stanley served a full-time mission from 1959-1961 for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Great Lakes Mission where he had much success and loved to share his testimony of Jesus Christ with others. After his mission he returned to finish his education at Utah State University.
Stanley met the love of his life and eternal companion, Joanne Hempel, at the university in 1964. He was smitten by Joanne’s beauty, intelligence, and kindness, and he quickly fell in love. They were married in the Los Angeles temple in July of 1965.
Shortly after the marriage, Stanley obtained his Masters of Fine Arts degree focusing on graphic art at Utah State University, graduating the same day as Joanne. After a few years of working for well-known graphic design firms in Chicago and Los Angeles, Stanley embarked on a long and prestigious career for LDS Curriculum in downtown Salt Lake City. There he worked for 34 years and became the manager for the General Publications Graphics Section. His projects included work on many church publications and materials. He was especially proud of his work as the lead designer on the Children’s Songbook and Family Home Evening manual. Stanley was recognized by many for his talent in graphic art and design and won national awards. When he retired in 2005, he continued to use his talent to design birthday cards for his family and t-shirts, posters, and other printed materials for his local ward, among other graphic art projects.
Stanley was a kind and good natured man with many talents and interests. He loved to visit in person with his family and friends. Later in life with his physical limitations, he would spend hours each day calling as many of his loved ones and friends as he could. He leaves a legacy of kindness, devotion, integrity, and honor.
Stanley is survived by his wife of 58 years, Joanne, sister Marcia Higa, five children—Richard (Renee), Lorrie Castleton (Clief), Christopher (Mandy), Kevin (Kitty), and Karren Whitney (Matthew), twenty grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
A viewing will be held at the Pinecrest Latter-day Saint chapel at 2080 East Pinecrest Lane, Sandy, Utah on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, from 6-8 pm. A viewing for close family and friends will also be held at the same location on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, from 10 am to 10:45 am, followed by celebration-of-life services at 11 am in the chapel. Graveside services will take place at the Grover, Wyoming Cemetery on Thursday, December 7, 2023, at 1 pm.
If you would like to share a favorite memory, send condolences of Stanley or to watch the services online please visit larkincares.com.
