David Brighton Timmins

1930 - 2008

David Brighton Timmins, 78, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 16, 2008.
He was the son of William Montana Timmins and Mary Brighton Timmins, born in Salt Lake City on May 21, 1930.
He was an Eagle Scout and loved working as a counselor at Boy Scout summer camps.
After graduating from East High School in 1947, he attended the University of Utah, with one year at Utah State University. He earned both a BS and MS from the U, where he was elected to Pi Sigma Alpha, the international political science honorary society and Omicron Delta Epsilon, the economics honor society. He was a Littauer Fellow at Harvard where he earned an MPA and Ph.D. with honors.
David served from 1949 to 1951 in the British Mission, where he was president of the Scottish District. His first professional job was as statistician for the State of Utah in the administration of Governor J. Bracken Lee.
David married Laurel Mae Nelson of Morgan, Utah, in 1952. They had four children. They were later divorced. In 1978, David married Lola Ann Gygi of Salt Lake City.
David spent most of his life abroad as a career officer in the U.S. Foreign Service with postings to the UK, France, Iceland, Madrid, Morocco and Guatemala. He had several assignments at the State Department in Washington, D.C., including a tour as a member of the Board of Examiners.
During a two-year leave of absence from the State Department, Dr. Timmins organized and staffed an independent Department of Economics at Weber State University, achieving accreditation by the American Academy of Collegiate Schools of Business.
Following his retirement, he accompanied Lola on her Foreign Service assignments to France, Mexico, Beijing, Romania, and Geneva, Switzerland. He enjoyed teaching International Finance and Economics at universities in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Guatemala, Mexico and Geneva. Upon their return to Utah, he taught at BYU-SLC for several years. In 1996 he ran for Congress from Utah's Second District.
He was an active member of the LDS Church, and had many opportunities to serve in various capacities overseas, including serving in several bishoprics, district presidencies and high councils, in the stake presidency in Guatemala, and as a counselor in the mission presidency in Romania. He also served on the high councils of Boston, Washington, D.C., Guatemala and Paris.
Dr. Timmins was an able toastmaster. He and his wife have been active participants in the Boyer British Mission reunions, in the Ensign Club, and as members of the Foreign Service Retirees of Utah. He participated regularly in meetings of Swiss, Chinese, Romanian, and Scottish groups, and a monthly luncheon with a group of University of Utah Kappa Sigma brothers.
David was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, William Montana Timmins, Jr.; brothers-in-law, Wallace N. Gygi and Dr. Paul M. Smith; and sister-in-law, Devin Timmins. He is survived by his wife, Lola; sisters, Margaret Bailey (Robert B.) and Verna Smith; a brother, James Stuart Timmins; children, Mark David, Robert William (Karen), Karen Marie Brown (Blaine), Catherine Margaret McGreevy (Patrick); 16 grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 21, at the Ensign Peak Ward at 125 N. Sandrun Road (East Capitol Blvd and 940 North) on Capitol Hill in Salt Lake City. Viewings will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Larkin Mortuary at 260 E. South Temple, and at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Ensign Peak Ward. Interment will be in the family plot in the Smithfield City Cemetery.