Gary Guymon

Gary Guymon, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, teacher, artist, and friend, returned home to his Heavenly Father on December 5, 2025, passing peacefully while listening to his favorite hymn, "How Great Thou Art." His testimony of Jesus Christ was unwavering throughout his life, and even in his final months, as cancer weakened his body, his faith remained absolute and untouched.
Gary was born on December 13, 1938, in Murray, Utah, the fourth child of Ervin and Beth Guymon. He spent his early childhood in Murray before the family returned to Blanding, where he grew up working alongside his brothers on the ranch-milking cows, tending the large family garden, putting up hay, building fences, and doing all the tasks ranch life required. Those years were full of adventures and close calls, the kind of childhood miracles that should have ended his life many times but instead became the stories he loved to tell.
A gifted artist from a young age, Gary painted signs and murals throughout high school, eventually saving enough money to help build Gary's Trailer Court with his father. He graduated from San Juan High School in 1957 and later attended the University of Utah, where he discovered a deep love for learning. After two years at the U of U, Gary served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the North Central States Mission. He later finished his degrees at the U of U, completing a master's in math and science, along with a minor in art.
Upon returning to the U of U, Gary met Sharon May Fackrell, the love of his life, at a dance on October 31, 1961. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 18, 1962, beginning a beautiful and devoted life together. They welcomed their children: David, Mark, Paul, Daryl, Shannon, Bruce, Jon, and Laura.
Gary spent decades teaching art, science, and math-first in California, then in Moab, and later at Whitehorse High School in Montezuma Creek-where he became widely respected for his creative, individualized teaching methods. His innovative program drew educators from across Utah who came to observe and learn from his approach, and he was honored as the Utah Rural Teacher of the Year. He concluded his teaching career at San Juan High School, where he eventually retired. Teaching was never just a job for him; it was a calling, and he dedicated his life to making a meaningful difference for every student he taught.
Sharon passed away in 1987 after a long battle with cancer leaving Gary with 5 young kids. Gary later married Sharon Myron, and they were sealed in the Manti Temple in 1988. She became an essential part of his life and of their family's story.
In Gary's later years, he and Sharon traveled to many parts of the world. They stood in front of the Egyptian pyramids, walked the old streets of Cuzco, visited Machu Picchu, watched warm sunsets in Hawaii, explored Petra, and wandered through Rome. They spent time in Mexico and Argentina, enjoyed the fall colors in New England, and visited more museums than they could ever count. These trips were some of his favorite experiences, and he loved coming home and telling stories about the places they had seen and the people they had met.
Throughout his life, Gary remained a builder, a dreamer, and a creator. He painted hundreds of landscapes of the San Juan County region in places he hiked, studied, and knew intimately. Rarely was he seen without paint on his clothes or a brush in hand. He also designed and built a collection of cabins and hogans near Recapture Reservoir, a dream project he worked on well into his 80s. He recently received architectural plans for the museum he longed to create. It had been his dream for almost 20 years, and if you want to see into the mind of a brilliant man, you should see the hand-drawn sketches.
Gary loved people and loved Blanding. He served faithfully in the Monticello, Utah, Temple, rarely missing a week until just two months before his passing. He cherished weekly phone calls with family, remembered every birthday, and delighted in sharing stories, sometimes true, sometimes folklore, and sometimes a little of both.
In his final months, cancer softened him and brought out a gentle sweetness that his family will never forget. The hours spent caring for him, listening to his stories, and feeling his love became sacred memories. On Thanksgiving, just days after stopping treatment, he bore a powerful testimony to a nurse, lifting his head with strength and joy as he proclaimed his love for his Savior. "I am ready to meet my Savior," he said.
Gary is preceded in death by his first wife, Sharon Fackrell Guymon; his sons, David William Guymon and Paul Gary Guymon; his parents, Ervin and Beth Guymon; and his brothers Richard and Park.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon Myron Guymon; his children Mark (Kim), Daryl (Shanna), Shannon (Rodney), Bruce (Amy), Jon (Lexie), and Laura (Charles); his siblings Bonnie, Lawrence, and Kathleen; as well as 23 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, with two more on the way. He also leaves behind countless loved ones who were blessed by his faith, his art, and his friendship.
Gary loved deeply. He would talk to anyone he met and was always willing to share his testimony. He created endlessly and believed with his whole heart. He was a man tall in both stature and in faith. His legacy lives on in his paintings, his stories, his teachings, and the family he adored.
Family and friends are invited to a viewing Wednesday, December 10 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., followed by a funeral service celebrating Gary's life at 12:00 p.m., held at the South Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 260 S Main Street, Blanding, Utah.
We will miss you, Dad. We will miss your stories, your steady example, and your absolute faith in God.