Kieth Parley Gillen 1925 ~ 2010
Our cherished father, grandfather, and friend, Kieth Parley Gillen, passed away at home on August 29, 2010.Kieth was born on February 8, 1925 to David and Anna O. Gillen. He spent his life in Sandy and Myton, Utah. He married Elda Barney on June 25, 1946 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They made their home in Sandy, Utah and spent their later years in South Jordan. He attended UCLA and graduated from the University of Utah. He was an early pioneer in computer programming and was skilled in carpentry and woodworking. He was a veteran of World War II. Kieth loved Scouting and made an impact on the lives of many young men through the Scouting program. He was an Eagle Scout and received many awards for his service. He was a member of the LDS Church and served in many organizations, including several Bishoprics, Stake Presidencies, and Quorums. He especially loved family history and temple work. Kieth was always positive and saw the good in everyone and showed unconditional love to everyone. He loved gardening and sharing his land and produce with others. He is survived by daughters, Karen (Marc) DiFrancesco, Carla (David) Dalton; sisters, Jewel Black (Idaho) and Gloria Atkinson (Oregon); nine grandchildren and 13 great-grand-children. He was preceded in death by his sweetheart Elda; parents and brothers, Orval and Ray. The family wishes to express their thanks to Robert Weir for his special assistance and to Hospice for Utah for their compassionate care giving. We would especially like to express our gratitude to Claudia Beagley who was an angel for our entire family as she cared for Kieth the last two years of his life. A viewing for family and friends will be held on Wednesday, September 1, 2010, at Goff Mortuary 8090 So. State Street from 6-8 p.m. and on Thursday from 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the South Jordan 1st Ward Chapel, 2450 West 10400 South, with funeral services starting at 11:00 a.m. Interment, Sandy City Cemetery.