Joseph Rickards

1943 - 2021

Joseph Michael Rickards

1943 ~ 2021

Joseph Michael Rickards, beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away at age 77 on Friday, May 21, 2021 at Riverton Hospital in Riverton, Utah from heart failure. He was born on November 17, 1943 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Joseph Guiard Rickards and Mary Virginia Buehler. He married LeeAnne Clark on June 19, 1969 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. His early boyhood days were spent in mining towns in Nevada, and at his grandfather Buehler's farm in Midway, Utah. He has many fond memories of boyhood adventures in the wide open desert hills of Nevada.

He later moved to Kearns, Utah and lettered in basketball and track while at Kearns Junior High. Following that, he was on the basketball team and graduated from Granger High School in 1961. He then graduated from BYU after serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in the North British Mission. He later obtained his Masters degree at BYU in Education.

He taught School at Brockbank Junior High, and Milwaukee Junior High in Oregon where he also coached basketball. Years later, he taught at John F. Kennedy Junior High in Kearns. In between the years of teaching, he also worked for the Utah State Board of Education. He has been the school principal in Manila Utah, and a school counselor in Garfield County School District. He has worked for Granite School District in Community Education at Cyprus High School. After retiring from education, he began a brief career in real estate, before being diagnosed with dementia. He suffered from dementia for 14 years prior to his death.

He and his wife have been married 51 years and have been blessed with 5 children and 8 grandchildren. The majority of their marriage was spent in South Jordan, Utah where they have lived for 33 years. They have many friends and loved ones nearby and LeeAnne is grateful for the support and love that has been expressed. Joe has served in 3 bishoprics, and as an Elder's Quorum President. He has a great love for family history and was a Family History Specialist for many years. He enjoyed studying the gospel, and has written 2 study guides for the Book of Mormon, and a Family Home Evening manual based on the Book of Mormon.

His favorite sports were basketball, fishing, golfing, and watching the Utah Jazz. He is survived by his wife LeeAnne, daughter Julie Anne Tanner (Mike), son David Rickards (Jessica), son Michael Rickards (Lexie), daughter Kelli Rickards, daughter Kasie Matson, and his grandchildren. He is also survived by his stepfather and mother, Dale and Mary Wheeler, sister Jill ZelIer (Karl), sister Susan Fereday (Andre), and brother Todd Wheeler. He is preceded in death by his father, sister Sheila Greer, and brother Ken Rickards.

There will be a family viewing on Tuesday June 1, 2021 at 3 pm and a public viewing that evening from 6-8 pm at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home, 1007 W. South Jordan Parkway (10600 S), South Jordan, Utah 84095.

There will also be a viewing from 10:00-10:45 am on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 and the funeral at 11:00 am at the LDS South Jordan Highland 6th Ward, 10115 S. Yorkshire Drive, South Jordan, UT 84009. The burial will be at Elysian Burial Gardens, 1075 E. 4580 South, Millcreek, Utah 84117.

The family wishes to express thanks and gratitude to the doctors and nurses that attended to Joe and LeeAnne at the hospital with such dedication and compassion. Online condolences may be shared at www.jenkins-soffe.com. -