Harold Roberts Tomlinson, Jr.

Harold Roberts Tomlinson, Jr. was born July 28, 1926 in Anaconda, Montana to Marguerite Emily Johnson and Harold Roberts Tomlinson, Sr. His life was a love story and a story of patriotism, family and dreaming big and reaching higher.

Hal was working at Trolley Square in SLC when at 17 he saw a beautiful girl walking down the street.  His friend knew her and Hal said, “That’s the girl I’m going to marry.”  He fell in love with her the minute he saw her and was in love with her still at his death, October 27, 2018.

They were part of the Greatest Generation, and Hal had a love of his country and joined the Navy to fight for our freedom at age 17.  He served on the USS Abatan as Radar Man, installing and running all of the radar for the ship.  He served in the Pacific Theater, which included Okinawa, Leyte, Phillipines, Ulithi and then Shanghai.  He was discharged in July 1946 and married Margaret Phillips on September 18, 1946 in the Idaho Falls Temple.  They were married for nearly 72 years until her death May 11, 2018.  He died of a broken heart.  He could not go on without the love of his life.

Together they built a life and lived the American Dream, raising 9 successful children.  He started as a traveling salesman and then joined New York Life Insurance where he quickly became a top salesman, qualifying for the Million Dollar Round Table of top salesmen in the country for many years – at one point being 5th in the country.

Hal and Margaret were extremely hard working people who kept going even during hardship.  Nothing kept them down.  In addition to providing well for his family, he worked with the City Council, getting them to build more needed schools for the Baby Boom after WWII.  He also served in the Bishopric as Counselor for many years.  They helped their children get through school and Hal also served as a Boy Scout Master for years.  He loved the Scouts.  He served in his church and they also taught their children to work hard.

But they also had fun.  As a family they took many road trips to Idaho, the Pacific Northwest and California.  Hal taught his children to appreciate the beauty all around them of the earth as well as man-made things.  Later on he indulged his love of the sea and boats at Lake Powell with his family every weekend.  He kept his boats in immaculate condition, prompting some to ask, “are we in the Navy?” because of all the hard work everyone had to do on the boat.  Hal and Margaret also traveled to many wonderful places on business and later with some family to Europe and back to Hong Kong.

He also loved horses and kept some, teaching his children to love riding and to take care of the horses.  There was brutal ping-pong, tennis, skiing, diving.  He kept us busy and made many sacrifices for his children.

His love of life, family and country led his life and his belief system.  He was an optimist who tried to put a smile on everyone’s face he greeted.  He is survived by his 9 heartbroken children: Christine Stein (Jeff, deceased Dec. 10, 2017), Wendy and Craig Thomas, Randalyn Foster (Michael), Robyn Leigh (Robert), Jana Turner (Bill), Kimberlee Papadakis, Mitchell Tomlinson, Brooke Bolton (Kelly), and Sean Tomlinson (Annette Wilson), many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Our beloved Father is reunited with his Sweetheart.  Funeral services will be Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 11:00 am at the Mount Olympus Ward, 4635 Lanark Dr. (3315 E.) 84124.  The family will be greeting friends and family at the ward on Friday evening, November 2nd, from 6:00-8:00 pm and again from 9:30-10:30 am prior to the service on Saturday.  Online guestbook available at www.russonmortuary.com