Photo courtesy of CLOSED-Russon Brothers-Salt Lake
Bountiful, Utah
Jan 12, 1921 – Jan 4, 2011
Garth Gardner Myers, M.D.
Garth Gardner Myers passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on January 4, 2011 at the age of 89. He was born in American Fork, Utah on January 12, 1921 to John Whiting and Emma Gardner Myers. Garth grew up in a home full of love and support from his parents and family. His Gardner grandparents were special to him. His parents taught him to work hard and to accept responsibility for his actions. Honesty and integrity were expected.
Garth graduated from American Fork High School and attended Brigham Young University, the University of Utah and the University of Southern California. He met his future wife, Leah Dance, at BYU. After serving faithfully in the California LDS mission, he married his sweetheart and eternal companion in the Salt Lake Temple on June 27, 1944.
Garth served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He graduated from the University of Southern California School of Medicine and specialized in Pediatrics. During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Public Health Service. He was a Fellow in Pediatric Neurology with the National Institute of Neurology at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
After living in California, Georgia, Louisiana and North Carolina, Garth and Leah settled in Salt Lake City. Garth practiced as a pediatric neurologist and developed the Pediatric Neurology and Rehabilitation programs at Primary Children's Medical Center. He developed the Birth Defects Clinic at Primary Children's Medical Center over forty years ago. He was very dedicated and committed to the children with special healthcare needs in Utah and the Intermountain West area. He worked with the Handicapped Children's Service of the Utah State Health Department and also had a private practice in pediatric neurology.
Garth was continuously active in the LDS Church and had a firm testimony of the gospel. He served four missions, three of them with his wife, Leah. He was very happily married for sixty-six years to a wonderful, devoted wife. He was the father of six children who he loved dearly: Leah Marie (deceased), Suzanne (Richard) Hammond, SLC; Karen (Thomas) Farmer, St. Louis, MO; Marilyn (Andrew) Smith, SLC; John (Cherilyn) Myers, SLC; and Laurie (Mark) Peterson, Antioch, CA. He had twenty-one grandchildren and twenty-five great grandchildren.
Garth is survived by five of his children. He was preceded in death by his wife, Leah; daughter, Leah Marie; parents; brother, Kenneth Myers; sisters, Helen Baxter and LaPriel Poulson; and son-in-law, Kenneth Yoho.
The family would like to thank the staff at Spring Creek Healthcare, Intermountain Hospice, especially Sunny, and Joyce, Stephanie and Sharon at Arbor Senior Care for their kind and loving care.
Funeral services will be held Monday, January 10, 2011 at 12:00 noon at the Foothill 7th Ward, 2215 Roosevelt Avenue, Salt Lake City, UT. Friends may call at the church Monday morning from 10:30-11:30 A.M. prior to the service. A visitation will be also be held Sunday, January 9 from 6:00-7:30 P.M. at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 255 South 200 East, Salt Lake City. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery. Online guestbook at www.russonmortuary.com
In lieu of flowers, donations may be ma
Dr. Myers changed my life. He treated me and talk to me like I was his son. His Plan of treatment controlled my Seizures, that his respect for me as a person was something I hadn´t Known before. I did not realize that he had passed. He told my parents he would be glad to take me as his son. That meant everything to me.
Robert J Nelson
December 30, 2024
I am so blessed to have known such a wonderful, kind, and loving man! It was an honor to spend time in Garth and Leah's home and witness such a beautiful love story. My life will be forever changed. I will miss Garth and Leah very much...
Stephanie Foster
January 11, 2011 | UT
I had the opportunity of working with Dr Myers in the late 1960s and early 1970s at PCMC in the Child Development Clinics--not only at PCMC but also some outlying clinics he visited. He was always a most caring and compassionate individual who sought the best for the children he saw. I made a sign for his cabin that I thought was an appropriate pun on the family name, "Myers' Bedside Manor". Truly, it was my pleasure to have worked with Dr Myers in assisting him with some of the social...
Gary Bird
January 10, 2011 | Salt Lake City, UT
We have been blessed to live in the same ward with all of you, Garth, Leah, and family. We have grown old together. The snow, this morning, has confined us two old people to our home. Sorry we must miss the viewing and funeral.
Much love,
Byron & Midge Gibbs
January 10, 2011 | Salt Lake City, UT
Garth was very special to our family. It began almost 50 years ago when Cherie's handicapped sister was born. Garth was there to support JuneAnn and her mother. Cherie's brother was named after the dear doctor who helped Carolyn through the tough times.
Many years later we moved down the street from Garth. He has been wonderful to our family. He then helped us with our son who has learning challenges.
Garth was a dear man. We love him and will him, but we are...
Brent Maxfield
January 10, 2011 | Salt Lake City, UT
The best years working at PCMC was working with Dr. Myers. We had a good working relationship. He was a gentle, kind, caring person and always loved the children with their special needs. May God Bless his family.
Jean Welch, Utah
January 09, 2011
OUR SON WAS TWO YEARS OLD WHEN HIS SIEZURES BEGAN. UP TILL THEN HE WAS IN GOOD HEALTH. DOCTOR MYERS BECAME A SPECIAL PERSON TO US. HE WAS TRULY A PATIENTS DOCTOR IN EVERY WAY. HE TRIED EVERYTHING HE COULD TO HELP. WE TRIED SPECIAL DIETS, MEDICINES AND HE TRULY CARED. ONE TIME THEY TOOK HIM TO LDS HOSPITAL FOR A SPECIAL TEST. IN A FEW MOMENTS HE CAME TO THE WAITING ROOM ALMOST IN TEARS. DURING THE PROCEDURE HE STARTED TO HAVE SEIZURES AND THINGS CAME TO AN ABRUPT END. HE SAID HE WAS AFRAID...
ROD & ANN STEED
January 09, 2011 | SALT LAKE, UT
Your dad was my teacher, my friend, my confidant. Your parents eminated love, patience and kindness.
I will miss them terribly...
Barbara Good
January 09, 2011 | UT
My fondest memories of your dad and our friend. I was privileged to work with Dr. Myers at PCMC and enjoyed him tremendously. Then my brother moved in just down the street from he and his dear wife, and we were able to see them in church meetings and activities. He was always happy and very friendly and kind to me and my family. He was a very good man and a blessing in the lives of many!
Cynthia Linton Swenson
January 07, 2011 | Kingman, AZ
