Stanley Larson Welsh

Orem, UT - Dr. Stanley Larson Welsh, Ph.D., passed away on January 30, 2025, at the age of ninety-six. He was a devoted father, grandfather, husband, brother, uncle, son, and friend.
Stan was born in Rockport, Utah on September 7, 1928 to David and Amanda Welsh. He married Stella L. Tree on June 23, 1949, in the Salt Lake City Temple. They had eight children and lived in Orem since 1960.
After a short enlistment in the Army and service in Japan at the end of WWII, Stan pursued two great passions in his life: his love for learning and his sweetheart, Stella, who would be by his side for over 74 years. In spite of traveling the world and offers to pursue careers elsewhere, Utah was his home and he was strongly bound to his beloved "mountains to the East" and the family legacy he enjoyed there.
Stan, above all, was an educator and had a prolific memory for details, which served him well as he earned a doctorate in botany from Iowa State University and in a 47-year career as a professor of botany and plant taxonomy at BYU. His contribution to the herbarium at BYU, which grew under his leadership from humble beginnings to one of the premier herbariums in the world, was recognized and memorialized with his name. In addition to teaching thousands of students, naming previously-unknown plant species, and writing influential works in his field, he also published books on other topics of interest, including his worldwide travels, hunting trips, and memoirs about growing up in rural areas of Rockport and Peoa, Utah.
Stan is survived by his children – Julie Swenson (Bill), Kent Welsh, Ruth Chatterley (Matt), Blaine Welsh (Blythe), Kathy Welsh, Jean Pope (Brent), Martin Welsh (Angie), and Eric Welsh (Jessica), his brother, Richard (Artie), 33 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by Stella, his parents, his brothers (David, Don, and Floyd), his sister, Elna Hendricks, his grandson, Tyler Swenson, his great grandsons, Justin and Clay Landeros, and his daughter-in-law Laura Lee Welsh (Kent).
A viewing will take place at the LDS church located at 481 E. Center Street, Orem, Utah from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on Monday, 3 February 2025. The funeral service will be held at noon at the same location. Interment will follow in the Peoa, Utah cemetery at approximately 3:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Habitat for Humanity, Kids on the Move of Utah, or Utah Community Action.
to view the service online for Stan please click this link. https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTczODM0Mjk1MjM0ODAwOCZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==