W. Lynn Richards

W. Lynn Richards was born Feb 29, 1928, in Garland, UT to Wilford Woodruff Richards, Jr. and Elfrieda Stucki Richards. Lynn was a leap year baby and would have had his 24th real birthday in 2024.

Lynn grew up in Logan, Utah, but started elementary school in Minneapolis, where his father was serving as president of the North Central States Mission. He attended Logan High School and graduated in 1948, having already completed multiple college courses. At age 18 he joined the Army Air Force. After his military service, Lynn returned home and attended Utah State University, majoring in Zoology, and graduating in 1951. He married Claire Maughan on Sept. 12, 1951. They were married for 48 years, and together they had six children: Randy, Todd (Alicia), Scott (Jamie), Mark (Amy Beal), Paul (Stacey), and Joy Baron (Michael). Lynn’s dear wife Claire passed away in 1999.

On May 27, 2000, Lynn married Beatrice Louise Hawkes.

He attended medical school at the University of Utah, graduating in 1955 as a Doctor of Medicine.  He continued his residency training in OBGYN and Anesthesiology at the University of Utah. He had a great love for the work of anesthesiology, and practiced for 44 years, from 1957 to 2001, at Salt Lake LDS Hospital, Davis County Hospital and Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful. After his retirement from anesthesiology, Lynn spent 15 years working as a physician at the Military Entrance Processing Station.

He loved riding horses and loved spending time at the family’s cabin at Bear Lake, which he and his sons helped build.  He loved going to the beach at San Diego, sailing, skiing at Park City, and jogging. Lynn enjoyed a full life.

He was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had a firm belief in Jesus Christ and felt the love of our Heavenly Father and Savior. He loved helping others and referred to himself as “a work horse for the Lord.” He served a mission in the North Central states from 1948-1949. He and his wife Claire served as missionaries in San Diego, California from 1998–1999.  He and Bea served as missionaries in the Asia North Area (Japan and Korea) from 2001-2003. He served in two bishoprics, as a High Priest Group Leader and as a Stake Clerk. He and Bea spent 25 years serving in the Salt Lake and Bountiful temples as ordinance workers. Since 2003, Lynn has been a volunteer in the LDS Missionary Department.

Lynn passed away peacefully on December 19, 2023. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Grant (1965) and his wife Lucille, Ruth (2000) and her husband Clair, and Jean (2013) and her husband David.

He and Beatrice have a combined family of 9 children, 24 grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren. In his final days, he voiced a desire to express love and appreciation to all his family, friends, and associates.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 29, 2023, at the Bountiful 50th Ward, 33 South Moss Hill Drive, Bountiful, Utah.  A viewing will be held Thursday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, Utah, and Friday morning from 9:30-10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment- Memorial Lakeview Cemetery

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Brothers Mortuary Facebook page and on this obituary page.  The live stream will begin about 10-15 minutes prior to the service and will be posted below.