David Gaylord Elgaaen

David Gaylord Elgaaen passed away March 11, 2020 in Roy, Utah after a long battle with declining health.    He was born on March 23, 1948 in Pocatello, Idaho to Floyd and Margaret Elgaaen.  He is the 3rd of 11 children.  David has 2 brothers and 8 sisters.  David lived mainly in Idaho, Scotland, Virginia Beach, and Utah, but traveled extensively through his military career.

In 1967, after graduating from Highland High School in Pocatello Idaho, David joined the Navy.  His prayers to not serve in battle were answered and he was stationed in Scotland working as an operating room technician.  Scotland is where he met and married his first wife, Elizabeth (Betty) Stewart.  David and Betty moved to Pocatello where David worked as a carpet installer and later as a night nurse at the Blackfoot Idaho State Psychiatric Hospital. They lived in Boise where he worked in a Federal Accounting Office.   David and Betty had two children, Rachel and Michael.  Betty moved back to Scotland and after a long separation they divorced. 

While living in Layton, Utah, David reunited with a longtime friend, Marlene Mecham Yocum.  When David was age 11 and Marlene was age 5, the Elgaaen’s moved to Tyhee, Idaho.  The two families became friends.  Their grandmother’s quilted together and their fathers hunted together. David did Scouting with Marlene’s brother, he danced in a church dance with Marlene’s older sister, and Marlene was good friends with David’s sisters. 

David and Marlene were married in August 1998 and were later sealed in the Ogden Temple.  Together they were foster parents for 14 years with many youth coming and going from their home.  After Marlene took a job outside the home, David retired from carpet installation and became a full-time foster parent.  They were together for 21 years at the time of David’s passing.

David was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He enjoyed serving as a Primary Teacher and served 3 years in the Ogden and Bountiful temples as an ordinance worker.  David and Marlene took three cruises, two to the Western Caribbean and one to Alaska.  David took an interest in quilting and made several quilts as gifts for his family.  David was always quick to offer advice or help to anyone who needed it.  He enjoyed reading, camping, chopping wood, gardening, riding horses, shooting, boondoggle, photography, western movies, stained glass, Scuba diving, emergency preparedness, antiquing, and conveniently disappearing when it was time to pay for lunch.

David is survived by his wife, Marlene Elgaaen.  A daughter, Rachel Elgaaen Kerksiek, a son, Michael (Lanette) Elgaaen.  Two step sons, Joshua and Bryce, two step daughters, Jana and Stacy.  9 grandchildren, 22 step grandchildren and 1 great granddaughter.  He is also survived by sisters, Ellen Jensen, Naomi Kimbell (Craig), Julia Bradshaw (Reid), Patricia Ransom (Joel), Arlene Anderson, Kristi Elgaaen, Donna Westergard, Becky Allen (Dean), and 1 brother Shawn Elgaaen (Christine).

David was preceded in death by his parents, an older brother, Richard, and step son, Leo Yocum.  

A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 pm on Sunday, March 15th, 2020 and 10-10:45am Monday, March 16th, 2020 at Russon Mortuary, 1941 N Main, Farmington, Utah. 

Funeral services will be held at 11am on Monday, March 16th, 2020 at Russon Mortuary, 1941 N Main, Farmington, Utah.

Internment, Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park in Bluffdale Utah.

A special thanks to Heritage Park and Bristol Hospice for their kind care to David.