Jerry Elwood Romney

1929 - 2025

Jerry Elwood Romney

1929-2025

Santa Clara, UT-Jerry Elwood Romney, 96, passed peacefully on November 23, 2025, returning to the loving arms of his sweetheart, Lucille. Born in Santa Clara, Utah, on September 27, 1929, to Elwood Snow and Ruth Hafen Romney, Jerry lived a life shaped by discipline, purpose, and unwavering devotion to family.

Jerry's childhood took him across the West as his father coached at various colleges. In Colorado and New Mexico, he worked a variety of jobs far beyond his years-lifeguarding and managing the Golden Plunge rink, driving miners to remote canyon sites, working as a dynamite cap boy, tending a freedom garden miles outside town, and even driving a Brigadier General around Albuquerque. These experiences built the work ethic that defined his life.

A gifted athlete, Jerry became the never-subbed-out starting guard on his high school basketball team and continued his athletic career at Modesto Junior College and Brigham Young University. At BYU, he was a starting guard on the 1951 National Invitation Tournament Championship team, one of the university's proudest achievements. He graduated in 1952 with a degree in Business.

At BYU he met Lola "Lucille" Green, the love of his life. They married on May 2, 1952, in Phoenix, Arizona. Soon after, Jerry served in the U.S. Army, where he qualified as a sharpshooter, taught at Counterintelligence School, played Army basketball, and coached women's teams.

Though drafted by the Rochester Royals of the NBA, Jerry chose the path that best supported his young family. He and Lucille raised seven children in Olympus Cove, Salt Lake City. Jerry worked as a sports broadcaster, served on several business boards, founded the University of Utah Boosters Club, and built a distinguished career with John Hancock Life Insurance, earning Salesman of the Year ten times.

Jerry cherished time outdoors - boating at Lake Powell on the family yacht, the Why Not?, jeeping Southern Utah's trails, and traveling with his family. In 2009, he and Lucille returned to Santa Clara.

He is preceded in death by Lucille; sons Charles, Jerry Jr., and Jeffrey; and daughter-in-law Melinda. He is survived by children Jill (Greg) Ence, Jan (Stephanie) Romney, Jackie Peterson, and Jennifer Romney; two sisters; and a large posterity.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., at the Santa Clara Valley Chapel 3040 Santa Clara Drive, Santa Clara, Utah. Visitation will be held Friday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Metcalf Bonzo Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah and on Saturday, prior to services, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment will be in the Santa Clara City Cemetery.

Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Bonzo Mortuary, (435) 673-4221. Please visit our website at www.metcalfmortuary.com for condolences, complete obituary, and funeral listings.