V. Dennis Wardle

V. Dennis Wardle 1920 ~ 2007 Vernal Dennis Wardle, age 87, passed away Sunday morning, Dec. 23, 2007, while visiting his daughter in Springville, Utah, for the holidays. He was born Nov. 22, 1920, in Victor, Idaho, to Vernal Haston Wardle and Lucy Jane Hansen Wardle.Raised in Pocatello, Idaho, he served his Lord as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Southern States Mission (in Florida and Mississippi), and then served his country during World War II as a US Navy aviator. Assigned for flight training to Atlanta, Georgia, he met Mary Evelyn Thompson at church there; they were married May 3, 1945, in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he was stationed, and were sealed in the Idaho Falls LDS temple seven months later. Together they raised six children: Lynn (Marian), Provo, UT; Marie (Al) Mosher, Springville, UT; Marlene (Richard) Elsmore, St. George, UT; William (Mari), Laie, Hawaii; Stephen (Judy), St. George, UT; and John (Michelle), Bountiful, UT. He is also survived by 25 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren. After he graduated form Brigham Young University, Dennis and Mary moved to San Bernardino, California where they raised their family as he worked in several jobs, eventually being elected for 25 years as County Clerk. He also served in the LDS church in numerous positions, including Bishop of the San Bernardino Second Ward and President of the San Bernardino California Stake. He always loved to associate with the wonderful San Bernardino saints. After his retirement in 1981, he and Mary were called to serve as Director of the Hawaii Temple Visitors' Center. Following their mission, they moved to Orem, Utah in 1982. A year later, Dennis was called to be the Coordinator of Church Service programs for the Finance and Church Records Department. They resided in Orem for the remainder of their lives. Dennis loved and served his family, his Savior, and his country. He was unabashedly patriotic, and tried always to have a good influence upon the public policies and leadership of his nation, state and county, serving in several public interest groups. He had a deep, personal testimony of Christ, and of the restored gospel, which he willingly and openly shared in word and deed; he loved to study and discuss the gospel, and had served for years in the Provo and American Fork Temples. He was committed first to his family; he cherished his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, relished being with relatives; he often said that family matters most. He also enjoyed golfing - he particularly mastered the Cascade Golf Course where he had been a marshal; he enjoyed watching sports (especially golf, basketball and BYU football); he read widely; he liked to eat out; he was a great communicator and truly dependable man. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; brother Jack, and sister Norma Sorensen; and a great-grandson, Justin Skanchy. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 28, 2007, at the Suncrest 10th Ward Chapel, 600 W. 100 N., Orem, UT. A viewing will be held Thurs. evening December 27, from 6:30-8 p.m. at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 S. State St, Orem, UT, and Fri. morning from 10-10:45 a.m. prior to the services at the church. Interment will be at the East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo, UT.