Fred N Thurston

Fred N Thurston passed away comfortably of natural causes at his home on December 23, 2022. He had been experiencing general decline and a weakening heart for quite a while and looked forward to his next adventure being reunited with his sweetheart Jean. Fortunately, he was able to leave this life on his own terms with a sharp mind and an opportunity to spend time with many family members and friends during his final weeks.

Fred was born on September 8, 1928 at his grandmother's house in Milton, Utah to Glen Harris Thurston and Ada Myrtle Giles and lived his whole life in Morgan, Utah. 

He graduated from Morgan High School where he was active in sports, including football and basketball. He loved watching sports in person or on television whenever he could find the time. He was thrilled to watch the Morgan High football team win the State Championship last month!

His true passion was farming. He had a diversified family farm where he loved to raise beef cattle, pigs, mink, chickens, and a few milk cows, goats and sheep. He loved driving the tractor for hours on end, plowing, planting, cutting, baling, or hauling. He was active in conservation efforts, serving for decades on the Morgan Soil Conservation District and receiving the Leopold Conservation Award in 2017, something he was very proud of. He loved fishing and hunting, spending as much time as he wanted in the great outdoors and could talk for hours about his successful trips. He welcomed fishermen and hunters on his land as long as they respected his property. 

He married Verna Jean Ball of Henefer on October 10, 1952 in the Salt Lake Temple and they built a home next to his parents' home on the Thurston family farm, where he lived the rest of his life. She was the love of his life and he did his very best to cherish and take care of her for the next 63 years until she passed away in 2015. 

He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served in various callings, including serving for 18 months with Jean in the Ogden Inner City Mission. He loved giving back to his community and served on the Morgan County School Board.

Fred is preceded in death by his parents, brothers: Steve and Dale, sisters: Connie and Sally, wife Jean and four great-granddaughters - Faith, Hope, and Charity Garfield and Pepper Hall. He is survived by his seven children: Marilyn (Jay) Garfield, Charlene (Blayne) Hall, Pamela (Alvin) Jensen, Howard (Kelly) Thurston, Kevin (Tracy) Thurston, Janet (Kerry) Call, Norman (Maria) Thurston, twenty-six grandchildren, and a large number of great-grandchildren. Also his sisters: Nell (Jim) Nickerson, and Ann (Mike) McMillan.

Funeral services will be held on Friday December 30, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the Field Street Chapel (240 S 300 W, Morgan UT) Viewings will be held on Thursday at Walker Mortuary (45 W 200 N, Morgan, UT) from 6 to 8 p.m. and Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 at the church prior to the services.

Interment will follow at the Milton Cemetery

In lieu of flowers take your sweetheart out for a malt.