On Sunday, January 28, 1996, LaMar Stevenson Williams passed peacefully away while attending church services.
He was born December 4, 1911 in Groveland, Idaho, to Peter Joan and Elosia Call Williams. He married his sweetheart, Nyal Bowen, in the LDS Logan Temple. Nyal preceded him in death on April 25, 1993.LaMar received his B.S. and Master's Degree from BYU in 1949. Following an initial career in education, he accepted a position in the Missionary Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under direction of Gordon B. Hinckley, and spent the next 27 years helping to build and expand that department.
His first international assignment was to respond to inquiries about the church, coming from such countries as Nigeria, Ghana, and India. In 1961, the First Presidency called him to be the first presiding Elder of Nigeria, thus opening the door for the church in West Africa.
In 1969, LaMar realized a dream of many years and founded the Mormon Youth Choir, and, several years later, the Mormon Youth Symphony. Church service and callings include: bishop's counselor, bishop, stake high council, stake mission president, and mission president. LaMar and Nyal served together in the following callings: president of the Louisiana-Baton Rouge Mission; Northeastern States Mission; Salt Lake Temple Square Mission; Nigeria-West Africa Mission; Salt Lake Vietnamese Mission; and temple workers in the Salt Lake Temple.
LaMar was a loving husband, devoted father, grandfather, and a friend to all he met.
He is survived by daughters, Marilyn Brady (Don), Gloria Yeates (John); sons, LaMar B. (Mary Kay), Bruce C. (Anita), Roger L. (LeAnn), Michael J. (Tammy), Steven E. (Lana), Jerry L. (Kaylene); and "adopted son", Behrooz Fehrangi; 35 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; brothers, Peter J. Williams, Fredrick Willyerd;, sisters, Vesa Babcock, Alta Beran, Ada Marie Mabey, Margaret Gooch, Patricia Pedersen.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 3, 1996 at 11 a.m. at the LDS Salt Lake 14th Ward Chapel, 142 West 2nd North. Friends may call at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple, Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. and at the ward on Saturday, 10-10:45 a.m. Interment, Lakeview Memorial Estates in Bountiful, Utah.
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