Daniel Topham

Daniel Pratt Topham, 87, passed peacefully from this life on November 23, 2025 in American Fork, Utah from complications of diabetes. Dan was born June 17, 1938 in Salt Lake City to Merlin June Topham and Dorothy Giles. He and his 6 brothers were raised on the Avenues of Salt Lake City. He attended Ensign Elementary, Bryant Junior High School, and West High School. While attending both junior high and high school, Dan played violin and viola in the school orchestra. He had a deep bass singing voice and sang with the Sacra Dulce Chorus.

Even to the end, Daniel was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As a young man, he served a mission for the Church in New Zealand from 1958-1961. This experience helped mold Dan into the man he would become. In addition to his missionary service, he was a ward missionary, Elder's Quorum Secretary, and Primary/Sunday School teacher. But his favorite calling was Ward Choir Director.

He married Janette Slagowski in the Salt Lake Temple on February 17, 1963. They are parents of 4 children: Lorie Kay Softeland, Brenda J. Child (Marc), Daniel Pratt, Jr., and Glen Michael. They divorced in 1979. Daniel married Cheryl Topham in the Salt Lake Temple on November 7, 1980. Together they had 3 daughters: Jenny R. Topham, Elizabeth A. Elliott (Alexander) and M. Jelaire Golightly (Justin).

He earned a degree in Electric Engineering from Salt Lake Community College. With that, he worked for Sperry Univac, where he helped build missiles in the 1960s. After funding dried up because of the Moon Landing, Dan pivoted to banking, where he would remain for the rest of his career. In the decades that followed, he worked for Zions National Bank, First Security National Bank, and American Express. The latter would lead him to briefly live in New York City.

Dan possessed a unique gregariousness and love of life. He had the ability to turn any situation into a joke, especially dad jokes and puns. He also had an affinity for Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

Dan is survived by his wife Cheryl, brothers Paul (Anne) and Stephen, sister-in-law DonnaRae, 5 children, 22 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents, brothers Evan, Karl, Larry, and John, ex-wife Janette, daughter Lorie and son Danny.

Please check back later for details regarding the memorial service for Daniel.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com.