Varrell K. Lyman Sr.

Varrell Kay Lyman Sr., 78, of Thornton, passed away from natural causes Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls.

He was born in Burton, Idaho, on Feb. 20, 1932, to Eric Ambrose Lyman and Margaret McCulloch Lyman. He was the youngest of six siblings: two brothers, Leorn and Gary Dean Lyman, and three sisters, Luella (Bill) Hadden, Flossie (Archie) Jensen and Margaret (Dean) Cutler. Varrell graduated from Madison High School in 1950. He joined the United States Navy and worked as an aviation electronics technician and was honorably discharged after four years of service.

In 1954, Varrell and Joyce Randle were married and later solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple; they later divorced. Varrell and Joyce had eight children together. He married Gail Hess and later divorced; he had four stepchildren he loved. In 1993, he married Ruth Wolfe in Las Vegas, Nev.

Varrell was employed by Teton Communications for more than 40 years as a master technician until he retired Sept. 1, 1999. Varrell loved to play music on his one-of-a-kind organ, piano and accordion. He also enjoyed repairing, collecting and using ham radios. He loved using his ham radio, in which he checked into the Farm Net every night at 8 p.m. as W7UAA.

He is survived by his children, Debbie Bingham, Linda Valencia, Carol (Royce) Douglass, Pamela (Jim) Fisher, Sandra Lyman, Becky Jewkes, Varrell Lyman Jr. and Erichia (Darren Judd) Sloan; 31 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; his first wife, Joyce Randle Lyman; and two boxer dogs, Max and Rufus.

He was preceded in death his parents; wife, Ruth Lyman; grandchildren, Bridget Marlow and Manual Valencia; siblings, Leorn and Gary Dean Lyman, Luella Haddon, Flossie Jensen and Margaret Cutler; and his best friend, Lady, his boxer.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13, 2010, at the Lyman LDS Chapel with Doug Jacobson officiating. The family will visit with friends from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Eckersell Memorial Chapel in Rigby and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. prior to the services Friday at the church. Burial will be in Annis-Little Butte Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com.