Leonard J Rees

Leonard (Lenny) J. Rees passed away peacefully on January 2, 2023, after a short illness, his way at home and in his own bed in Roy, Utah.
He was born on November 2, 1946, to Marion M. and Hanna Jones Rees in Salt Lake City, Utah. He spent his childhood in Hunter, Utah. He had the ideal life as a child with his horse and his dog.
He married Cynthia Rushton on April 15, 1966. They later divorced. Lenny and Cynthia had two daughters, Catherine (Cathy) and Elisabeth (Libby). He married Sonja Rees on December 8, 2001, and added four more daughters to his family, Ronda, Rebecca (deceased), Raelyn and Renae.
Lenny was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as High Priest Secretary and as a Primary teacher. Lenny and Sonja served a three year LDS mission at the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, giving tours.
He had several careers that he loved. He worked for Kennecott Copper as a train engineer for 20 years. When Kennecott closed down, he felt lucky to get a job with the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources for the next 24 years. He worked as the Hunter Education Assistant Coordinator and then became the Hunter Education Coordinator. He loved holding meetings with Hunter Education instructors throughout the State and also working as a Game Warden. While he worked as coordinator, he had the opportunity to be an event director for the Youth Hunter Education Challenge sponsored by the NRA alternating each year between Mansfield, Pennsylvania, and Raton, New Mexico. He also attended POST and retired from DWR in December 2007, as a Lieutenant. He then went to work for 10 years at Browning Arms in customer service and as Browning's historian. He had a wide range of knowledge of guns and their history and loved visiting with other gun lovers. Lenny was also a firearms instructor for POST (another career he loved).
He made friends all over the country and has fond memories of everyone he associated with.
He loved taking cruises, going to Wendover every chance he got, taking road trips and listening to books on tape (specifically Louis L'Amour's Sackett series). One of his dreams came true in September when he accompanied a grandson and a great-grandson to Alaska to hunt for black bear.
He is survived by his wife Sonja; daughters: Cathy (Hal) Rees-Armstrong, Libby (Mitch) Monson, Ronda (Jim) Moyer, Raelyn (Shane) Groskreutz and Renae (Rod) Thomas; 16 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Also, sibling Don (Carol) Rees.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister and brother-in-law Lou Gene and Blaine Grant.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 2:00 pm with a viewing prior from 12:00 pm to 1:45 pm at Valley View Funeral Home, 4335 West 4100 South, West Valley City, Utah.
Anyone who wishes to donate to "The Lenny Rees Memorial Fund for Youth Shooting Sports" may call the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources information desk in SLC at 801-538-4700 to donate with a credit or debit card or a check may be mailed referencing that account name to:
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
1594 West North Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
Attn: Lenny Rees Memorial Fund
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ValleyViewFuneral.com for the Rees family.