Wendell O’Neal Rich died Oct. 19, 2001, from complications associated with his age – 91 years.
He was born Oct. 27, 1 91 0 in Paris, Idaho, to Earl O Neal and Flora Shepherd Rich-their eldest son. He married Pearl Fant Jenkins on June 16, 1936, in the Logan Temple. He graduated from Pocatello High, as valedictorian, received an A.A. certificate from the University of Idaho, southern branch, and earned B.S., M.S., and Ed.D. Degrees from Utah State University. After teaching high school math and science for two years, he worked for over 30 years in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church Education System (C.E.S.) as a teacher and administrator.
He taught seminary at Logan and was principal of seminaries in Panguitch. Utah; Grace, Idaho and Malad, Idaho. His Seminary teaching was interrupted during World War II, when he served as a U.S. Army Chaplain. After his honorable discharge, he was VPBBI a member of the faculty and Associate Director of the Institutes of Religion at USU, the University of Utah, and Director, Seminaries and Institutes, Southern California. In 1959, he was appointed Director of the USU Institute of Religion, where he was also an advisor to Delta Phi and Lambda Delta Sigma, and First Counselor in the USU student stake presidency. He was a member of the Rotary Club.
A talented writer and gifted speaker, he expressed his testimony and love for the gospel in his teaching, speaking, and by co-authoring Oil for Our Lamps, and authoring Distinctive Teachings of the Restoration and Our Living Gospel – which was used as a church-wide priesthood course of study text. He served on several C.E.S. curriculum committees and represented the church at Ivy League and other university religious forums. In 1967 he was appointed Executive Vice President of the L.D.S. Student Association (L.D.S.S.A.), which he helped found.
In Dec. 1 967 he suffered a stroke, which robbed him of his brilliant speaking and writing ability, but not his talents. He became an accomplished landscape painter and continued working as a family genealogist. He served a mission with his wife in the New England States at the Joseph Smith Memorial. Despite the afflictions of his disability and age, he continuously sought ways to use his creativity and remain productive as an active, life-long learner to the very end.
His beloved wife, sweetheart, and inseparable best friend, Pearl, who passed away in January of this year, an infant son, and his brothers, Don, Harold and Ralph, and his sister. Flora preceded him in death.
He is survived by his brother, Max (June) Rich, Roy, Utah; children, Carl (Blanche) Rich, St. George; Kenneth (Margie) Rich, Littleton, Colorado; David (Betty) Rich, Syracuse, Utah; Ralph (Darlene) Rich, Green Bay, Wisconsin; Joanne (James) Duncan, West Valley City; 24 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Sat., Oct. 27, 2001, 12:30 p.m. at the Taylorsville 4th Ward, 4310 South 3200 West. Friends and family may call Friday, 6-8 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 S. Redwood Rd and Sat. at the church, 1 1:30 a.m. -1 2:1 5 p.m. Graveside services will be held at 4 p.m. at the Logan City Cemetery.