Dean Schulthies Stahle

Dean Schulthies Stahle, writer, photographer, family man, naturalist, civic and church leader, died April 2, 2016, five days before his 89th birthday from conditions incident to age.

Born April 7, 1927, the second son of John and Lucile Stahle in Woods Cross, Utah, Dean was a skinny youth who was raised in a home of high ideals. With his siblings he learned to work long hours, sometimes at the family newspaper or caring for farm animals. Many late nights were spent driving the family car across icy Davis County roads to haul large projectors to show the latest Hollywood movies to wards and civic groups.

He enlisted in the Air Force in July 1945 at age 17 near the end of World War II. When the war ended several months into his flight training, he was reassigned to teach radar repair.

Dean was called to serve an LDS mission to France. He served for 33 months from September 1947 to March 1950. In some ways, he never fully returned. Much of his heart remained with a people whose goodness and war-ravaged poverty captivated him.

After marrying Maurine Barlow on Sept. 18, 1950, in the Salt Lake Temple, and graduating from the University of Utah in journalism with two children in tow, he found intense satisfaction in writing about the people and issues of Davis County as editor of the Davis County Clipper where he worked for 35 years. Some of his best stories were picture stories told through wide-angle and telephoto lenses.

After years of sitting through dusty city council meetings and reporting on events, the mayor appointed him to fill a sudden vacancy in the council. He expected his three-and-a-half year term as councilman to end his political aspirations when personal feelings and key people urged him to serve as mayor. After losing his first election, he won consecutive terms to serve for eight years. Led a campaign to redesign downtown Bountiful. He also established Sister City relationships with cities in New Zealand and Bethlehem, Israel, a feat, according to the Bethlehem mayor, that countless other cities couldn’t accomplish.

Dean was happiest with family. As father to seven children he was often playing catch with a softball in the front yard or pruning trees in the back. He sang funny songs about shortn' bread and little fishes. He told stories from scripture and folklore. He had boundless energy to hike in the mountains and revel in sunsets.

To his children he was bigger than life. They were so “glad when daddy came home." In their eyes, there wasn’t anything he couldn’t or wouldn’t do, like playing Santa Claus on Christmas Eve when he needed to race home from the hospital to spread presents under the tree after a son was born.

When he spoke, people listened. He shared thoughts from a treasure trove of insights and thoughts gleaned from reading hundreds of books. He replenished by reading and learning much.

Above all, he treasured two things, his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served as bishop, high councilor, teacher and as a senior couple missionary to French-speaking Ivory Coast; and second, his wife Maurine, who he esteemed as queen of their home.

His needs were simple and his ambitions were down to earth, as evidenced by his pumpkin-orange Saab. Despite loss of sight in one eye and years of insomnia, his only lament was that he never ate enough chocolate.

He is survived by his wife, Maurine; seven children, Francine (Jim) Haskett, Rebecca (Ken) Jamieson, Shaun (Becky) Stahle, Lesa (Don) Christensen, Noel (Becky) Stahle, Colette (Keith) Duncan and Sara Ann (Scott) Burgess, 20 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren with another to arrive in July. He is also survived by brothers, Larry (Joyce) and Gail (Shirley).

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Merna; and brothers, Howard and Niles.

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 8, 2016, at 11 a.m. in the Bountiful Tabernacle, 51 S. Main, Bountiful. A viewing will be held Thursday, April 7, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 N. Main, Bountiful.

A viewing will also be held at the Bountiful Tabernacle from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the funeral. Interment will be in the Bountiful City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the LDS Church Perpetual Education Fund.

We express thanks to friends and caregivers at Avalon, Lakeview and South Davis Hospice for their thoughtful care.