Roger Frank Rawson

Roger Frank Rawson HOOPER -- Roger F. Rawson, age 70, completed his mission on earth December 19, 2009 and passed away peacefully at his home from complications of liver disease. He was surrounded by his family, including his 97-yr-old mother. Roger was born on May 19, 1939 to Frank V. and Della Hull Rawson of Hooper, Utah. As a young boy he had Scarlet Fever and was confined to bed for six months. The rest of his life was spent in sharp contrast to that as he went on to become a notable athlete, tireless public servant, hard-working farmer, and successful businessman. Prior to serving an LDS mission to Nova Scotia and New Foundland, Roger attended Utah State University on a basketball scholarship. He married Kay Thompson on October 6, 1961. They were married for 37 years and raised six children together. An original staff member when Roy High School opened, Mr. Rawson taught history, political science and economics, and was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year. He received his Master of Education Degree in Economics from the University of Missouri - Columbia. His passion for education and public policy led him to run for political office at the young age of 33. He served five terms in the Utah Legislature where he was Majority Whip, Majority Leader and Minority Leader. Representative Rawson received numerous awards for his work within the Utah Democratic Party as well as promoting and improving education in the State of Utah, which included sponsoring the bill which resulted in the establishment of the Master's of Education Program at Weber College in 1978. Ever working to enhance his community and state, he served on the Utah State Retirement Board and various other civic committees. He served as ward and stake Sunday School President and as a High Councilman in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also served a four-year term as Weber County Commissioner, championing causes to help senior citizens and the underprivileged which culminated in the building of a new Human Services Building and facilities for Weber County. As president of Thompson-Rawson Company, Rawson Insulation and Rawson Management, he has provided affordable housing to thousands of families in Northern Utah and Burley, Idaho over the past four decades. In recent years, he co-founded Rawson Development Company with his son, David Rawson. He married Sheryl Stevens Seifert on November 3, 1998. Together they served in the Special Needs Program and in the Ogden LDS temple. In his "spare time" Grandpa Roger has developed and cultivated his family homestead: Raw-Ute Ranch in Hooper. He enjoyed raising Charolais and Gelbvieh cattle and collecting Allis-Chalmers tractors and miniature trains. He had a great love for music, ballroom dancing with his girls, and playing the saxophone. We will miss his beautiful tenor singing voice. He is survived by his wife, mother, and sister, Belva (Richard) Moyle of So. Ogden; his children, RaDene (Harlan) Hatfield of Provo, Tana (Gary) Gooch of Hooper, Kamie (Garff) Hubbard of Hooper, LaDawn (Darryl) Sheets of Navarre, Florida, David (Amy) Rawson of Hooper, and Rochelle (Damon) Martin of Heber; the mother of his children, Kay T. Swan of Roy, 25 grandchildren and a large extended family. He was preceded in death by his father and many loved ones. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 23rd at 11:00 a.. at the Hooper 2nd Ward Building, 5000 S. 5900 W. Friends and family may call on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Myers Roy Mortuary, 5865 South 1900 West, Roy, Utah and from 9 to 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment, Hooper Cemetey.