Roger John Elwell

1937 - 2024

Roger John Elwell passed away in his home in Beaver, Utah, on Thursday, July 4, 2024, at the age of 87, while surrounded by family. Happy to finally return to his beloved home in the mountains, John spent his final day doing what he loved most - fishing, telling jokes, and enjoying the outdoors with his loved ones.

John, affectionately known as "Johnny", was born on April 26, 1937, in Petaluma, California to Homer Orville Elwell and Mary Muriel Cook Momsen. John was lucky enough to have been raised in a large family in Petaluma, California. His stepfather, Grandpa John Momsen, taught him and his siblings to enjoy abalone diving, fishing, and introduced him to practical jokes and brought laughter into his home. John was heavily influenced by the positivity that Grandpa Momsen brought to the Elwells. Johnny would share stories from his younger years of having fun with his friends or siblings in the neighborhood, whether it was playing "Army", going swimming in the Petaluma River, hiking barefoot through the mountains, or developing his love for the ocean while participating in the Sea Scouts. In high school, he played football and ran track, where he broke local and state records (although he would never tell you about it, he was a tremendous athlete). John graduated high school in 1955 from Petaluma high school and would go on to join the United States Army, where he served honorably in the Signal Corps, stationed in Korea.

After completing his tour in Korea, John attended BYU in Provo, Utah, where he majored in Geology. He shared his love for the Earth and his interest in rocks, caves, and the mountains with his family while he continued to work and study. John would then return to California to complete an apprenticeship as a journeyman butcher. He worked as a butcher in California until he retired at the age of 65.

Upon his retirement, John bought a house and relocated to Beaver, Utah, where he lived happily for the remaining years of his long and healthy life. His family and friends all knew Johnny best for his kind heart, sense of humor, and his willingness to always show up with pure generosity for whoever called on him. After nearly 50 years of having not painted, he was able to recapture his love for painting, where he would go on to win First Place and Grand Champion prizes in the Beaver County Fair art contests. He was a talented painter and would give personalized paintings as gifts to friends and family. His paintings touched the hearts of many and will continue to be cherished for the years to come. He would take on even more hobbies in his retirement, such as canning foods, drying apples from his tree (competing with his neighbor Ron for who makes the best apple crisps) or giving apple and peach pie fillings, and pickled beets for loved ones to make their own Grandpa John pies, delicious salads and treats from his trees and abundant gardens.

John's incredible love for the outdoors was shared with his family and friends whenever possible. His loved ones will remember the times where he brought them along for a hunting or fishing trip, or a long hike in the mountains, where he patiently taught them to rig a fishing pole, and cast out their first line, or proctored them through gun safety etiquette. Until the very end, John would consistently make road trips out to visit family members. It did not matter if it was a 12-hour drive to California or Arizona, or a 2-day trip to Missouri; he would always arrive with a smile on his face, ready to tell stories and excited to share pictures from his latest adventures.

John Elwell was a loving and genuinely kind man, who would try to bring out a smile from everybody he would come across. His sense of humor is passed along to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who all share the same funny facial expressions and aim to tell a joke at any chance they can get. He will be remembered for his generosity, love, laugh, and genuinely pure heart.

John is survived by his son, Tracy Elwell, his daughters, Jane Elwell, Shawnie Elwell, Katie Fisher; 13 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; his sister Tina Momsen Ellwanger, numerous nieces, nephews and a large extended family. He was predeceased by his daughter, Sherry Elwell, and several other beloved family members and genuinely great friends.

The family wants to thank his good friends Ron, Jan, Roger, Bev and Bruce for being his extended family while he was living in Beaver. Thank you for loving him as much as we did.

The memorial and graveside service for John will be held at the Tulocay Cemetery Chapel in Napa on Friday, July 26, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. There will be a reception following the service, details will be provided by the family at the service.