Carlos Egan Asay, President of the Salt Lake LDS Temple and emeritus General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away on Saturday, April 10, 1999, in Bountiful, Utah. He was 72 years of age.
Born June 12, 1926, in Sutherland, Utah to A.E. Lyle and Elsie Egan Asay. He was reared in Monroe, Utah, and attended South Sevier High School. Upon graduation from high school, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Following his release from the military, he enrolled at the University of Utah where he was a member of the varsity basketball team. His boyhood dream of playing in Madison Square Garden was realized when the team won the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) in 1947.He married his childhood sweetheart, the former Colleen Webb of Monroe, Utah, on October 20, 1947, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
He served in the Palestine-Syrian Mission for the LDS Church from 1947-50, speaking the Armenian language. After returning from the mission field, he continued his education, receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Utah, master's degree from Long Beach State College, and doctorate from the University of Utah.
Professionally, he was a teacher and administrator in public schools for several years prior to entering higher education. He was a professor of education at Brigham Young University and served as an assistant dean on BYU-Hawaii Campus. At the time of his call to be a General Authority, he was working as an assistant to the Presiding Bishopric of the Church.
He served as bishop of the South Cottonwood Sixth Ward, a member of the Sunday School general board, president of the Texas North Mission (1970-73), and Regional Representative. He was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1976, where he served until he received emeritus status in 1996. He served twice in the Presidency of the Seventy. He also was the Executive Director of the Correlation, Curriculum, and Missionary Departments; Area President of the Europe Area, and president of the International Mission. Since 1996 he and his wife, Colleen, have served as president and matron of the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
He considered his greatest achievements to be his family, involvement in missionary and temple work, daily exercising, writing of four books, and his beautiful gardens.
He is survived by his wife, Colleen; and seven children, Marcianne, (Mark) Cannon, James Edward (Toni), Marcus Webb, Brent Ellis, Clair Fred (Jill), Timothy Lyle (Jennifer), and Carleen (Gary) Seljaas; 37 grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Marsella, Fred, Val and Lila Jean. Preceded in death by son, Carlos, Jr.; parents; and brothers, Lyle and Ellis.
Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, April 13, 1999, at 12 noon at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square. There will be no public viewing. Interment will be in the Monroe City Cemetery, Monroe, Utah.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the General Missionary Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.