Clarence “Bud” Cannon Neslen, Jr.

Bud was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend.  He died peacefully on January 21, 2021 surrounded by his devoted wife and family.  He kept his sense of humor and serenity to the end.

He was born August 14, 1938 in Washington, DC to Clarence (Clarey) Cannon Neslen and Leone Rockwood Neslen.  He married the lovely and talented Nila Rae Thatcher on September 28, 1967 in the Logan Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He often told the children that marrying Nila was the best decision of his life.

Bud loved his wife, family, church, and life itself.  He left a legacy of hard work, pursuit of excellence, love, integrity, service, and appreciation for good friends, generosity, and devotion to his family.  He often said, “It is all about faith, family, service to others, living the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and loyalty to dear friends.”  He always maintained that his proverbial glass in life was always full.  Because of his good cheer and kind soul, he always thought the best of people.  He taught that the difference between a stranger and a friend is merely a short conversation.  And because of that, he made friends with everyone, everywhere he went.

He was a wonderful family man and loved his 4 daughters, 2 sons, 26 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.  He enjoyed family gatherings and vacations.  He was an avid golfer, BYU and University of Utah sports fan, and enjoyed his beautiful yard, garden, and neighborhood.  He loved spending time at the old Neslen Family Cabin in Brighton.  He enjoyed many choice experiences and outings there.  He also loved serving in various responsibilities in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).  Bud and Nila taught their six children many life skills.  To name just a few, Nila taught them tennis and vocal and Bud taught them to ski and play golf.

Bud grew up on the Avenues in Salt Lake City, Utah and went to Ensign Elementary, Bryant Junior High, and graduated from East High School, Class of 1956.  He received a Bachelor of Science degree in History with a minor in Marketing from the University of Utah in 1964.  While there, he was a member of the Delta Phi Kappa fraternity of returned missionaries.  He then was a MBA student at UCLA in 1965 and 1966.

He served in the United States Army in field artillery for 8 years with the 6214th Station Complement Reserve Unit at Fort Douglas, Utah and obtained the rank of Sergeant (E-5).  This included six months of active duty at Fort Ord, California and Fort Chaffee, Arkansas.

 Bud began his career as a Marketing Representative with Standard Oil Company of California in Los Angeles.  He then moved back to Utah where he worked for ZCMI Department Store for 33 years including 3 years in the Ogden store as a Sales Manager and 30 years in Salt Lake City as a Buyer of linens, domestics, floor coverings, and bath shop.  He traveled the country to various markets and trade shows buying merchandise for the company.  In this position, he was a member of the National Bed Bath and Linen Association and the American Marketing Association.

He worked 5 years as a Professional Scouter for the Great Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) as a Camp Director and Senior District Executive for the Red Butte and Wasatch Peaks Districts.  He also worked as an Adjunct Professor of Marketing and Office Administrator for Salt Lake Community College at the Library Square Campus.  He also worked with Main Street Investments and Hess Travel Agency in Bountiful as Logistics Coordinator.

Bud volunteered in the community all of his adult life, but particularly in Scouting.  He served as the Assistant Scoutmaster and then later Scoutmaster of Troop 112 of the Bountiful 25th Ward.  As Scoutmaster, he saw 33 of his own young scouts achieve the Eagle Scout Award.  He also served as the Ward Unit Commissioner and Stake Eagle Board of Review Chairman.  In doing so, he personally helped many young men reach the rank of Eagle Scout.  He grew to absolutely love the Scouting movement.

He was invited to attend the Leadership Course at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico with his family in July 1990.  This was considered one of his best ever vacations.  This was a hallmark event in Bud’s life!

He was very active in the Stone Creek District having served as a Roundtable Commissioner and Vice Chairman over Varsity and Venturing for which he received the District Award of Merit.  He also served as the Advancement Committee Advisor and Assistant Commissioner for the Great Salt Lake Council.

He graduated from the Varsity Wood Badge Leadership Course at Camp Travis, Utah where he received his beads with the Bobwhite Patrol.  He also served on the camp staff in the Eagle Patrol for another Wood Badge course at Camp Tracy in August 2001.

Bud’s greatest achievement in Scouting was receiving the Silver Beaver Award.

In addition to his countless hours with the Scouts, he served as a member of the Lions Club in Ogden and Salt Lake City.  He was on the Bountiful City Board of Adjustments for 10 years.  He was also the Vice President of the Mueller Park Baseball Little League as well as an assistant coach for his sons’ baseball and Junior Jazz basketball teams.  Bud was active in the Davis County and Utah State Republican Party serving as a convention delegate.  He also volunteered to host the German athletes at the Olympic Village for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

Bud was an avid golfer for over 70 years.  He loved playing with “The Group” once a week when the weather permitted.  He shot a hole-in-one at Wasatch Mountain State Park Golf Course in May 1991.  He also had the wonderful opportunity to play 18 holes with Gary Player, a famous professional golfer in the Senior PGA Tour ProAm at Jeremy Ranch and caddied for Dow Finsterwald in the Utah Open.  Golf was a real joy in his life!

Bud was a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He served The Church in many capacities his entire life.

He was a young missionary in the West German and South German Missions for 30 months from 1957-1960.  One of the highlights of Bud and Nila’s life was to return to the country where he served his first mission.  They served as full-time missionaries in the Germany Berlin Mission as Directors of the Young Single Adult Center in beautiful Hamburg, Germany from 2011-2013; and also served a service mission at the Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.  He remained fluent in the German language for almost 65 years.  He loved the people, culture, and food there.  He read and prayed in German regularly and wrote yearly letters in German to the Kleiner family, whom he baptized, his entire life.

While he was a graduate student, he served in the Elders Quorum presidency for the San Marino Ward and as the Stake Young Men’s President for the Pasadena California Stake for which he received the Master M-Man Award.

After turning down more lucrative career opportunities, he returned to Utah to be close to his family.  Family was more important to him than anything else in life.  It was there where he met and married Nila, his eternal companion.  They lived in Ogden as newlyweds and then moved to Bountiful.  After a short time in a small apartment, they built a new home on Emerald Hills Drive.  This has been a very special home with a beautiful yard, view of the mountains, valley, lake, and temple.  The park just behind the house was like an endless backyard where so many memories were made during one-on-one and family activities including tennis and baseball to name just a few.  But most importantly, this home was a safe place of peace where the Spirit of the Lord was so strong.  Bud was an incredible Provider and Protector.  He Presided over his family with unconditional love and righteousness.  He was a most-exemplary son of our Heavenly Father.

Bud was a member of the wonderful Bountiful 25th Ward for almost 50 years and has served in nearly every capacity.  He loved all of his callings in the Church and served with great obedience and joy.  He served many families as a faithful Home Teacher.

His callings in the ward, to name a few, included Primary Teacher, Ward Mission Leader, High Priest Group Presidency, and Executive Secretary.  But most of his time serving in the Church was in Scouting and with the Young Men, whom he dearly loved.

He served many years in the Bountiful Utah South Stake as well.  His callings included Stake Missionary, Stake Mission Presidency, Stake Seventies Quorum, and Counselor in the Branch Presidency at the Heritage Place Retirement Center.  He also served on the Stake High Council for six years.  He spent the last many years of his life as an Ordinance Worker at the Bountiful Utah Temple.

One of his most memorable callings was serving as the Stake Young Men’s President for three years.  He planned and directed Pioneer Treks.  This also included a High Adventure River Trip with 48 boys and leaders floating down the Snake River from Jackson Lake to Alpine Junction, Wyoming.

Bud was a fine teacher.  He had no problem speaking to large groups.  Even more, he loved sharing his endless stories and experiences through one-on-one conversations.  He was friendly and social to all.  He remembered names and faces amazingly well.  It seemed that he knew everyone and they knew him.  He made each person feel loved and important.  Because of this, so many people knew and loved him.  He had many friends.

Bud was a faithful Priesthood Holder.  He loved the Church and the Servants of the Lord, the Prophets, Apostles, and General Authorities.  He loved the Word of God.  He studied the scriptures and Church News diligently.  He poured out his heart to Heavenly Father in prayer every day with humility and meekness.  As a result of this, The Spirit was with him and he radiated the Light of Christ.  Bud was so kind and forgiving.  He loved the Savior and had an unwavering testimony of Him his entire life.

Bud knew with a sure knowledge that through his Savior, Jesus Christ, the legacy he left would endure and his family would be together throughout all eternity!

He is survived by his beloved wife, Nila, of 53 years of marriage, and his 6 children:  Heidi Rae (Jeff) LaPerle of Lake Stevens, Washington; Gina Marie (Weston) Harris of Lindon, Utah; Clarence (Cannon) III (Valerie) Neslen of Perry, Utah; Gregory Thatcher (Rebecca) Neslen of Pleasant View, Utah; Natalie Dianne (Doug) Nielsen of Eden, Utah; and Melissa Katherine (Will) Watson of Ramstein, Germany.  He is also survived by 26 grandchildren; Tyler (Brianna) and Madeline LaPerle; Jacob (Ashlee), Brady, Caleb, and Jack Harris; Jackson, Jordan, Sydney, Tanner, Eli, and Annie Neslen; Timothy, Clara, and Paul Neslen; Stratton (Erin), Kyrian, Ambryan, and Taggart Nielsen, and Colby and Logan Cacioppo; and Michelle, Zachary, Sam, Cody, and Rachel Watson; and his first great grandchild, Paislee Harris.  He is also survived by his sister, Betsy (Russell) Jones of Saratoga Springs, Utah.

He was preceded in death by his father, Clarence Cannon Neslen, mother, Leone Rockwood Neslen, brothers, Richard (Dick) Rockwood Neslen and Roger Hill Neslen, and by Nila’s parents, Ray Alden Thatcher and Alda Kendrick Thatcher.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, January 28 from 6:00-8:00 pm at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main Street, Bountiful, Utah.  Funeral services will be held also at Russon Mortuary in Bountiful on Friday, January 29 at 10:30 am following a viewing from 9:15-10:15 am.  Interment will be at the Bountiful City Cemetery, 2224 South 200 West, Bountiful, Utah.

We would like to express sincere appreciation to the nurses and staff at Creekside and Welcome Home Assisted Living facilities and Symbii Hospice Services for their constant care and love towards Bud.

The funeral service will be limited to 99 people respecting social distancing and local health department regulations.  It may be viewed live online or a recording of the services will be available anytime on the Russon Brothers Mortuary Facebook page at www.facebook.com/russonmortuary.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Boy Scouts of America or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints General Missionary Fund.