Karac Bronyraur

Karac "Rac" Bronyraur returned to his Father in Heaven on August 30, 2024, following a brief illness.

He was born on November 1, 1952, in Rigby, Idaho, to A. DuWayne and Lida (Browning) Fife. His given name was Russell Aaron Fife. He was the second of eight children.

Rac attended Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He transferred to Idaho Falls High School for his senior year. Following graduation, he married Christine Leavitt. They had three beautiful daughters: Heather, Amber, and Brooke. They later divorced.

Rac served in the US Navy. Following discharge he attended Brigham Young University, receiving a BA in Psychology.

He moved to Alaska in 1979 to homestead. He built and lived in a cabin without electricity or running water. While in Alaska he had his name legally changed to Karac Bronyraur.

He received a Master of Education and Counseling Psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He worked for the State of Alaska as a Guidance Counselor, flying to various cities around the state to recruit applicants to fill positions in state government.

After he retired, he relocated to St. George, Utah, to be a support for his father. They spent a lot of time together making up for all the years Rac lived in Alaska.

He was a huge BYU football fan and bought season tickets every year while he lived in St. George. He knew every detail about BYU football.

Rac kept very busy being of service to others. He participated in a mentoring program that helped locate jobs for high school students nearing graduation. He would then accompany them to their first few days of work to help ensure their successful transition. The students he worked with loved him and were very sad to hear of his passing.

Through his involvement with the Shriner's, he started a Books for Bikes program in which students at local schools could earn a bicycle by reading the required number of books. He solicited donations from local businesses to pay for the bikes, and then worked with Wal-Mart to purchase sometimes a truckload of bikes at a time at cost or less than cost. When a student earned a bike, it was awarded to them at a school assembly. This was a great motivator for other students to read. One of the secretaries from the school district stated that reading scores in Washington County had increased by 25% due in part to the Books for Bikes program.

At the time of his passing, Rac was presiding as the Worshipful Master of St. George Lodge No. 33 of the Free and Accepted Masons of Utah. He was serving as the USA Secretary of the Southern Utah Scottish Rite Club. He was also a charter member and officer of Patrick F. Bailey Council No. 585 of the Allied Masonic Degrees, USA, and a member of the Silver Reef Chapter of Craftsman Riding Association.

Rac was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in numerous callings, including as a counselor in a stake presidency while in Alaska. He enjoyed spending time in the temple and attended regularly.

He is survived by his daughters: Heather Edwards, Baton Rouge, LA; Amber Emmert, Beaumont, TX; and Brooke Causey, of Idaho Falls, ID. He is also survived by four sisters: Lyn Hansen, Patti Guymon, Shannon Ferguson, and Brenda Cox; and two brothers, Kelly and Lee Fife. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Randy.

He will be laid to rest in Fielding Memorial Cemetery in Idaho Falls.