Donald Child

Donald Manning Child
1919-2013

Donald Manning Child, age 94, peacefully passed away November 19, 2013.  He was born September 10, 1919 in Price, Carbon County, Utah to James Oscar Child and Blanche Emily Manning.  He was the 6 ^th of seven children.

He grew up in Hooper, Utah and Price, Utah, graduating from Carbon High School in 1937.  He worked for Mountain Bell for 42 years when he retired at age 62.  He started for the phone company as a Western Union messenger and then worked as a telegraph operator for a few years.  Most of his career he was an engineer where he worked with independent phone companies throughout Utah. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific.  He was on the islands of Guam and Tinian.

He married Dorothy Virginia Jones on August 16, 1940 in the Salt Lake Temple.  Dorothy was the love of his life.  She died on June 4, 1994 after nearly 54 years of marriage.  They have four children, Virginia (Carl VanLeeuwen – deceased), Gary (Jil Jelosek), Roger (Maria Dea Ortiz Lopez “Cristina”), and Warren (Lynnette Sims).  On October 7, 1997 he married Colleen Helgeson Clyde.

Don was an active member of the LDS Church, serving as an Elders Quorum President, Ward and Stake Clerk, Bishopric, High Councilor, ordinance worker in the Jordan River Temple, and Stake Patriarch.  Don was a life-long Scouter receiving the Silver Beaver award.  Many summer vacations were spent at Scout Camp.

Don loved to work in wood.  He made furniture, dollhouses, miniature furniture, and anything with wood.  He shared his talents with many people over the years.  His family will forever cherish his creations.  He loved poetry and had a memory that never failed when reciting poems.  His family loved to listen to him tell the Cremation of Sam McGee and Paul Revere’s Ride.  He played the guitar and sang. They would beg him to sing Utah, Ha, Ha, Ha! and Don’t Make Me Go To Bed and I’ll Be Good.

All those who were fortunate enough to know Don, know how he loved to serve others.  He always put other’s needs – family, friends, neighbors – ahead of his own wants.  His life was a tribute to selfless service.  He was a kind and compassionate man and he always tried to ease the burden of others.  He was very patriotic and instilled in those he knew the love of country.  He will be missed by all of those whose lives he touched.

Don is survived by his wife Colleen, his four children, fifteen grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and Colleen’s children and their families – Randy Clyde (Becky), Melinda (Joe Johnson), Marshall Clyde (Rinda). Don is preceded in death by his wife Dorothy, his parents, all of his siblings – Vaun, Olive Phillips, Eva Moss, Harold, Viola Fletcher, and Norma Jackson, and his son-in-law Carl VanLeeuwen.  He once said he felt like the wind was blowing pretty hard and he was the last leaf on the tree.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. at the Top of the World Chapel located at 8100 South Top of the World Drive.  Viewings will be held Friday, November 22, 2013 at Cannon Mortuary from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., and prior to the service from 10:00 -10:45 a.m.  Interment Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.

The family expresses their gratitude for the great care Don received from Millcreek Home Health especially Juan Ibarra his aide and Lisa Barr his nurse.  He looked forward to their visits every day.  Also, the family is grateful to the staff at Sunrise of Sandy for the care they gave Don over the past few months.