Loras Burke Tangren

1930 - 2014

1930 - 2014
Loras Burke Tangren left this life on June 14, 2014 surrounded by his wife and children. He was born February 13, 1930 in Price, Utah to Loras G. Tangren and Miriam C. Redd. After serving a mission to Argentina in 1951, he attended Brigham Young University. In 1952 he met Ruth Lamar, fell in love with her Southern accent and they were married on July 31, 1953 in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. Burke and Ruth graduated together from BYU in 1954, Burke among the first graduates of the newly established ROTC Program. He entered the United State Air Force as a 2nd LT and retired twenty years later as a Major. Life in the Air Force afforded Burke and Ruth opportunities to live in five different states, in Japan and in the Azores Islands, giving them the privilege of making lifelong friends and the blessing of serving in many capacities in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After retirement, Burke accepted a job with the Finance Office of the State of Utah. There he and Boyd Wagstaff created what was then called the "Gotcha" program which recouped millions of dollars for the state. Burke was devoted to his church and served in many callings, including a Bishop twice, a member of the High Council, Counselor in a Stake Presidency and at the time of death had served thirteen years in the Primary, first as a teacher and then as the Reverence Ranger. He loved the many children who shook his hand each Sunday as they entered the Primary room. In addition to his first mission, he and Ruth served as missionaries in Nauvoo, at the Joseph Smith Birthplace in Sharon Vermont, and in Toronoto, Canada with the CES program. He enjoyed driving the Courtesy Van from the airport to Temple Square, making 4,700 round trips before his health began to decline. Burke was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and his oldest child, David Loras.
He is survived by Ruth, his five living children - Linda and Steve Morgan, Cyndi Tangren, Donna and Kevin Waters, Douglas and Michelle Tangren, and Amy and Steve Herold. He leaves his much loved grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren with three yet to arrive, and a brother Boyd Tangren. Burke will forever be loved and missed by those of us who will one day be reunited with him.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 21, 2014 at the Barton Creek Chapel, 640 South 750 East, Bountiful, where a viewing will be held Friday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. and Saturday morning 9:30-10:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment-Salt Lake City Cemetery. Online guest book at www.russonmortuary.com.