1921 ~ 2003
Leroy Chester "Bud" Witt passed away peacefully at home in Orem, December 14, 2003, surrounded by loved ones.
He was born June 20, 1921, to Leroy Chester Witt, Sr., and Sarah Clarissa Dewey in Grace, Idaho.
Following a six-year courtship, he and Claire Clinger were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple September 6, 1943, just prior to Bud being shipped overseas for military service. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, spending the major part of his service duty in the China-Burma-India theater of war in the Signal Corps.
Bud attended school in Glendale, California, and graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Petroleum Engineering.
His professional career included positions with various oil companies in Utah, Oklahoma, and California. He also spent several years as a general contractor in Ventura, California, with his lifelong friend, Pete Schlange.
He is survived by Claire, his wife of 60 years; his three sons, Gregory (Elain) Witt, Steven (Janet) Witt, and Bradley (Cherryl) Witt; his brother, Robert (Marilyn) Witt, and sister, Joyce Cannon; 11 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
Bud served the Lord faithfully throughout his life including three full-time missions:
Philippines Ilagan, California Ventura, and Salt Lake City Temple Square. He was called as a Stake Patriarch in 1972 in the Huntington Beach California Stake. He also took great joy in family history work, devoting much of his retired years to extraction, research and temple work. His Christlike service has blessed the lives of his family, neighbors and ward members. He was loved deeply by his family and will be missed greatly.
Throughout his life he enjoyed golfing, fishing, cheering on the Los Angeles Lakers, and playing games with his family. He and Claire had the privilege of traveling throughout much of the world including Europe, Asia, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and extensively throughout the United States.
They especially enjoyed visiting LDS temples throughout the world.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, December 19th, at the Suncrest 10th Ward chapel, 90 North 600 West, Orem. A visitation will be held one hour prior in the Relief Society room.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Perpetual Education Fund.