Lawrence Aurelius Miner

Lawrence Aurelius Miner, aged 75 years old, passed away on February 28, 2026 at the William E. Christoffersen Salt Lake Veterans Home in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Born on November 11, 1950 in Ephrata Washington as the first child of Richard Adams Miner and Frances L. Armstrong Miner (Fleming), Lawrence was the big brother to David, Melinda, Douglas, and Lisa. He spent his early years in Ephrata Washington and San Bernardino California, before moving to the Canyon Rim area of Salt Lake City Utah. He felt a deep connection to his school and community in Canyon Rim, where he grew up through his elementary, junior high, and high school years and attended Skyline High School where he participated in music playing trumpet, baritone, bass, and tuba. His schooling also included attendance at the University of Utah where he gained insights in the Islamic civilization, Native American Indians, Hebrew and German language among many other studies of American history and Government processes.

He had a great love for the surrounding mountains (Mt Olympus, Wasatch, and Uinta mountains), which were the playgrounds of his youth. He loved participating in Boy Scouts. He had fond memories of attending the National Scout Jamboree and was the Deseret News reporter at the Third National Explorer Delegate Conference in Bloomington, Indiana.

At age 17, motivated by a desire to serve his country, Lawrence enlisted in the US Marines. His military training was as an Ammunition Technician in Quantico, Virginia and he received a National Defense Service Medal.

Lawrence’s interests included a love of nature, the outdoors, and gardening. As a young man, Lawrence also enjoyed bodybuilding and trained with “Mr. Utah” Mike Sill. Lawrence had very close friends that were dear to him and stayed in contact for over 50 years.

Lawrence was strong in his faith of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. He served an LDS mission in Indiana. His mission calling took him to a part of the United States where he had ancestral connections, and he developed a deep knowledge of the history of the area and his ancestors who had lived there and in surrounding states.

In 1978, Lawrence married Kirsten Mortenson in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they had one daughter, Annie Laurie. They later divorced.

In 1984, Lawrence married Sun Bock Kim Through their joining together, Lawrence was stepfather to Serena Jung Ran Kim and Sa Jin Kim The name Sun Bock means ‘Great Blessing’ in Korean, and Sun Bock was truly a great blessing in Lawrence’s life. Lawrence and Sun Bock loved and supported each other through life’s hardships. Particularly difficult for Lawrence was the passing of his brother David in 1984. Lawrence and Sun Bock also shared a love of the gospel and were sealed together for eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. Even as their health declined in their later years, Lawrence wanted to be near Sun Bock and stayed in the same care center with her until she passed on March 21st 2025.

Lawrence worked honorably in multiple jobs throughout the years, but his life’s work was as a genealogist and historian. An avid and skilled genealogist, he dedicated many decades to research and could regularly be found at the Family History Library on Temple Square. He possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of the people, places, and stories of his life, ancestors, and pioneer history as well as native American and early American history.

Larry was a man of deep contemplation, reflection, and integrity. He was a humble man but stood for truth and was bold to make correction if the occasion called for it. Though often misunderstood, he was a man of great emotional strength, devotion, patience, forgiveness and fortitude. He sought to follow proper guidance. He was one that came to the aid of others when asked or as he felt prompted. By nature, he showed no partiality, favoritism or biases towards his fellow mortal travelers and looked at the heart of their intentions. He was referred to as a “gentle giant” among those who truly got to know him.

Family was important to Lawrence. He loved his parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, wife, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Meaningful to Lawrence was making connections across time and space – to past, present, and future generations. At his passing, he is also bringing family together – from Missouri, Alaska, Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and New Zealand.

Lawrence is survived by his siblings Melinda Main (Don), Douglas Miner (KaLyn), and Lisa Croft (Scott); children Annie Laurie Candland (Ryan), Serena Jung Ran Kim, and Sa Jin Kim (Reanca); grandchildren Seraphine Candland, Benjamin Candland, Jonathan Jin Kyu Kim, Michael Jin Ho Kim, Andrew Jin Soo Kim, Asia Mercedes Kim, and Kaylin Ji Yeon Kim; a great grandchild Amelia; and his many nephews and nieces whom he loved dearly.

Lawrence was predeceased by his parents Richard A. Miner and Frances L. Armstrong Miner Fleming; wife Sun Bock Miner; brother David R. Miner; and many ancestors with whom he was connected.

The family wishes to thank those that so patiently and tenderly cared for Lawrence over the final seven years of his life.

A viewing will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Friday, March 20, 2026 and from 12:00 to 1:45 pm on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Memorial Mountain View Mortuary and Cemetery at 3115 East 7800 South, Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121.

A funeral service honoring Lawrence's life will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Memorial Mountain View Mortuary and Cemetery at 3115 East 7800 South, Cottonwood Heights, Utah 84121. Condolences may be shared with the family on this page.

To plant trees in Lawrence's memory, donations may be made to the Native Forest Restoration Trust in New Zealand, where he has grandchildren

https://www.nfrt.org.nz/make-a-donation/

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