Melvin LaVar Turpin

After two years without the companionship of his loving wife of 68 years, he is now reunited with her. Our loving father and grandfather, Melvin LaVar Turpin, 91, of Thomas, passed away at his home Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, from natural causes.

He was born Feb. 13, 1921, in Thomas, Idaho, the son of Edward Richard and Dora Emma Noack Turpin. He attended school at Wilson and then Thomas.

He married Zola Porter on Jan. 26, 1943, in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple. They made their home in Thomas.

During World War II, he was drafted into the Army, where he fought in the Pacific theater. Upon returning from the war, he became a farmer for a while and then was taught the plumbing business by his uncle and started his own plumbing business called LaVar Turpin Plumbing.

He was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he has served faithfully in many positions. He and his wife served in the Idaho Falls temple for 12 years. He also served three missions for the church with his wife as his companion. One was a Blackfoot South Stake Mission, another to the Fiji Suva Mission from 1987 to 1989, and finally to the Family History Center Mission in Salt Lake City from 1995 to 1996.

LaVar loved spending time in Island Park, and upon returning from their missions would spend summers at the cabin in Island Park and winters at the home in Thomas, and later at their home in Ammon.

His family was most important to him and he enjoyed spending time with each one. He tried to attend all his children's and grandchildren's special activities and programs.

He is survived by his children, Zoanne (Kent) McGarry of Pingree, Larry (Cherie) Turpin of Thomas, Steven (LeeAnn) Turpin of Pocatello, Kayleen (Rick) Miller of Ithaca, N.Y., Randy (April) Turpin of Thomas and Kevin (Daurene) Turpin of Orem, Utah; 36 grandchildren; 59 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Zola; his parents; three grandchildren, Mark, Michael and Merilee Murdock; a son-in-law, Denis E. Murdock; great-grandson, Ryker Taylor; his brother, Donald Turpin; and sisters, Marva Turpin and Valene Bithell.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8, at Hawker Funeral Home, 132 S. Shilling Ave. in Blackfoot. The family will meet with friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home and again for one hour prior to services Monday. Interment will be in Riverside-Thomas Cemetery.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, a memorial be made to the LDS Humanitarian Fund, 50 E. North Temple St., Floor 7, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-6890.

Condolences may be sent to the family at hawker@hawkerfuneralhome .com.