Leon R. Hartshorn

1929 - 2015

1929 ~ 2015
Leon R. Hartshorn, 86, passed away peacefully at his home in Alpine, Utah on August 11, 2015.
Our beloved husband and father was born in Lehi, UT on January 16, 1929. He grew up in American Fork, Utah as the youngest of three children of Robert and Esther Irene Roundy Hartshorn. While in high school, he was a guard on the basketball team that went to the state championships. A teacher also told him that he did not have the requisite ability to attend college. He later received his doctorate from Stanford University in Education Administration.
He served in the Northern States Mission from 1949-51. He attended Brigham Young University where in the library, he met his best friend and eternal companion, Beatrice Scoville. They married in the Salt Lake Temple on August 17th, 1951.
After graduating from BYU, he began his professional career as a seminary teacher. Later he served as Director of the Institute of Religion at Boise State, Chairman of the Department of Religion at the Church College of Hawaii (now BYU-Hawaii) and ultimately a Professor of Religion and Chairman of the Church History and Doctrine Department at Brigham Young University.
He was a highly regarded author of Church instructional materials as well as editor of best selling collections of stories and other books. His achievements were numerous but his most important achievements came in working with individuals.
His counsel, advice and instruction blessed and changed the lives of countless students, ward members as a Bishop, and missionaries he worked with in the Missionary Training Center where he served for six years. He also served as Mission President in the Missouri St. Louis Mission, alongside his wife Bea.
But to his family, his greatest achievements were in the home. Our parents were kind, refined in their speech and conduct, and deliberately set out to raise their children to be independent thinkers. Dad encouraged us to ask questions about everything and patiently endured spirited discussions. However, he always insisted that all questioning and discussions be done in the light of faith.
He is survived by his wife Bea, and children; Scott (Janice), Mark (Ann), Julee Clegg (Karl), Jeanne Allen (Richard), and Chris (Erica), 25 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.
His wisdom, counsel, instruction and friendship will be deeply missed.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday August 15, 2015 at 11:00 AM in the Alpine Stake Center (98 E Canyon Crest Rd). A viewing will be held Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Anderson & Sons Lone Peak Chapel, (6141 West 11000 North, Highland) and Saturday from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. in the church prior to the services. Burial in the Lehi Cemetery. Please share a memory at andersonmortuary.com