Ernest John Stokes

Beloved father, husband, friend and long-time resident of North Salt Lake; E.J. Stokes, 86, passed away peacefully on December 19th, 2024 after a brief battle with cancer. He was loved by all who knew him.

EJ was born to Glen Stokes and Clara Wilhelmina Steinfeldt Stokes in Ogden UT in 1938 and grew up on a dairy farm in Kanesville (now West Haven), with his siblings Erma Montierth, Paul Stokes, Joyce Wall, Don Stokes, Ann Rackham, Jean Gilbert, and Dale Stokes. 

He served a faithful mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Eastern States Mission, where he even appeared singing on a television broadcast as part of his service.

After his mission, he attended Brigham Young University in Provo, married, and welcomed his first son, Bryant. He graduated with a degree in accounting and moved to Southern California, working in that field, where Kevin was born. He worked in Santa Barbara for seven years, then moved to Georgia to start their own dairy farm where Steve and Shauna were eventually born. After ten years working on the farm, he and the family returned to Utah, where he became a landlord and successful Real Estate Broker. 

After the end of that marriage, he met and was sealed to Betty (Nelson) Stokes, to whom he's been happily married to ever since. 

Throughout his life, E.J. was the definition of who we should all want to be: kind, helpful, good, warm, smart, and gentle. He would remember and greet everyone by name with a handshake or a hug, always with an infectious smile on his face. He was knowledgeable, helpful, and could fix almost everything. He weathered life's trials with eternal optimism. He was the calm in the storm of life. His family will always cherish and remember him. We will miss him tremendously. 

He was preceded in death by his sons, Bryant and Kevin, stepdaughter Dody Burnett, stepson Gary Long, brother Paul Stokes, sisters Erma Montierth and Jean Gilbert and parents Glen Stokes and Clara (Steinfeldt) Stokes.

He leaves behind his wife of 41 years, Betty Stokes, and two living children: Steve Stokes and Shauna (Brian) Harrel. He also leaves behind three living stepchildren, Steve (Coleen) Long, Bill Bloodworth, and Margie (John) Talcott, as well as 14 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. 

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 28, 2024 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel, 351 Lofty Lane, North Salt Lake, UT., where a viewing will be held from 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. prior to services.