John David Dell

DELL, John David

John was born August 7, 1931 in Oakland, California, son of John E. Dell (previously Giovanni Delligatti, last name changed about 1920) and Mary Elizabeth Gill Dell. John graduated from Piedmont High School in 1949, after which he enrolled in the US Marine Corps, where he served from 1949-1953 was stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii, Barstow, California and in Korea during the Korean War.

In 1953 John attended the California Art Institute in San Francisco, California where he met and married Dorothy Evalyn Menhenett in April 1954 in Vallejo, California. From this marriage four children were born, Diana, David, Wesley and Christina. John attended Humboldt State University and majored in the Forestry Program. He worked for the US National Park Service for several years and then for the US Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest Regional Office in Portland, Oregon from 1966-1981. John and Dorothy Dell joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Riverside, California in 1965 and the family was active in the church while residing in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

John and Dorothy retired in 1980 and moved to Provo, Utah where John obtained a bachelor's degree in English writing and Dorothy completed a degree in Costume Design & Theatre make-up from Brigham Young University. The couple then moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1986, where Dorothy completed a master's degree in Fine Arts (Theatre) and John developed a hiking and touring business in collaboration with Pima Community College. John and Dorothy went on a 2-year full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Milan Italy from 2003-2005. Dorothy passed away in 2007 in Tucson and John resided in Tucson for many years. In October 2019 John moved to Gilbert, Arizona where he resided until his death on February 28, 2022.John is survived by four children, Diana (Robert) Tacey of Queen Creek, Arizona, David (Sheryl) Dell of Mesa, Arizona, Wesley (Carole) Dell of Mesa, Arizona and Christina (Jeff) Wilson of Canby, Oregon. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren, Erin (Trent) Robinson, Terry (Marlena) Dell, Jessica Dell, Danielle (John) Corrigan, Greg Wilson, Heather (Dustin) Ripley, Kelly Dell, Alyssa (Zac) St Martin, Shannon (Derek) Bickmore, Jamie (Justin) Wesolowski, Megan (Jacob) Sorenson, and Traci Dell. He is also survived by 16 great-grandchildren and one due any day!

Funeral Services are Sunday, March 13, 2022 at the GILBERT MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY AND FUNERAL HOME, 2100 E. Queen Creek Road, Gilbert, AZ, 85297 with the Viewing at 10:00 a.m. and the Funeral Service to follow at 11:00 a.m. A graveside service will take place at Binghampton Cemetery in Tucson, Arizona at a later date.