Lanny Frank Myers

Lanny Frank Myers, a resident of Bountiful, Utah for 52 years, passed away peacefully, with his daughter by his side, at Lakeview Hospital, on August 4, 2020, after a brief but very courageous fight against Covid.

Lanny was born on February 18, 1939, in Worland, Wyoming. He was the son of Frank Elmer Myers and Nella Zelma Mills-Myers. He grew up in Worland, Wyoming. He lived, for 1 year in Roswell, New Mexico, in the late 40’s. Lanny’s father worked for the United States Postal Service, and was sent to be the Roswell Post Master, after the famous 1947 UFO crash. After a 1 ½ years in Roswell, the Myers family moved back to Worland, where Lanny’s father worked as the Worland Post Master.

After moving back to Worland, Lanny’s father built a cute little white house, on the corner of Culbertson Avenue and 15th Street in Worland. The construction started in 1948, and the family of four lived in the basement, while the main floor of the house was being finished. Construction was completed in 1956.

In June of 1954, a farming family, from rural Worland, moved into town. The family, named the Huffman’s, had a total of 4 girls. They moved right next door to the Myers family. Later, Lanny would ask one of the girls, named Doris, out on a date. Lanny and Doris had their first date in August of 1955. They went to the drive-in theater to see a Disney nature film.

Lanny and Doris began dating regularly and went to the Worland High School Homecoming Dance in September of 1955-1956 school year, which was the beginning of Lanny’s Junior year and Doris’ Senior year. They dated that entire year and went to Doris’ Senior Prom in April of 1956. For Doris’ graduation gift, Lanny gave her a bracelet, which also served as a symbol that Lanny had asked Doris to go steady and be promised to him.

Lanny attended school in the Worland School District. His interests, during his school years were the Boy Scouts, track and field, wrestling, rabbit hunting, pheasant hunting, target shooting, fishing the Big Horn River, riding his bike around town, helping his father with his mail route and delivering newspapers. Lanny was often seen with his many friends around town. His loyal dog, which was an Irish Setter named Colonel, was always with Lanny or his father. Colonel dog was a town favorite and was often seen around town with Lanny or his father while on the mail route or during Lanny’s newspaper route. Lanny started delivering newspapers during his Freshman year. He also worked at the gas station and garage on Big Horn Avenue as well as the Sulphur Plant located North of Worland in rural Washakie County. During the summer, after Lanny’s Senior year, he worked for the USGS taking core samples, near the Red Canyon on Highway 28 near South Pass City in Fremont County, Wyoming.

Lanny graduated from Worland’s Washakie County High School in 1957. The mascot for Washakie High School is the Warrior. The mascot was meant as an honor for the Brave Warriors from the Shoshone Indian Tribe, under Chief Washakie. Upon completion of high school, Lanny was enrolled at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming. The U of Wyo mascot is the Wyoming Cowboy. Lanny enjoyed going to the football games with his college friends and fraternity brothers. He was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Chapter, the Gamma-Alpha Colony, at the U of Wyo and still held a Lifetime Alumni Membership at the time of his death. While at college, Lanny was also in the Air Force ROTC, 940th Cadet Wing, which is an educational program designed to give men and women the opportunity to become an Air/Space Force officer, while completing a degree. Lanny and Doris went to the formal ROTC dance in the Spring of Lanny’s Senior year at the U of Wyo.

While on Spring Break, on 29th of April 1961, Lanny went home to Worland. It was there that he asked Doris to marry him. Of course she said yes, and they headed right down to Swenson’s Jewelry to pick out an engagement ring and wedding bands.

Lanny graduated from the University of Wyoming in May of 1961. He graduated with honors and a degree in Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He had a full time job lined up upon his graduation from the U of Wyo. The job was at the Hercules Powder Plant located in Magna, Utah. After his college his graduation, Lanny headed home to Worland to marry his high school sweetheart.

Lanny and Doris were married at the United Methodist Church in Worland, Wyoming on the 9th of June, 1961. His best man was his long time friend Jerry Busch. Their wedding colors were white and lavender. They spent their honeymoon night at the Yellowstone Motel in Greybull, Wyoming. Then they continued their honeymoon into Montana and Canada. After a 7 day honeymoon, they returned to Worland to open their wedding gifts and then they packed up their cars and moved to the Salt Lake City Valley. They stayed in a hotel for 1 week while looking for an apartment. They also became members of the United Methodist Church in downtown Salt Lake City. Lanny and Doris found an apartment near their new church and they lived there for 5 years. Lanny loved his job at Hercules and Doris worked as a telephone operator for Mountain Bell Telephone until 1967.

In 1966 they moved to a little house on Indiana Avenue on the West side of Salt Lake City. It was there that they welcomed their daughter, Julie Elizabeth Myers, into the world. Julie is their only child. The little family lived in this house until 1970, when Lanny and Doris bought a home on the Bountiful City mountain bench. They moved into their new home on 1 Dec, 1970. Lanny and Doris have lived in that same Bountiful home right up to the time of Lanny’s death in August.

In the Fall of 1974, Lanny joined the Gideon’s International and Doris joined the Gideon’s Auxiliary. They were very active and held several different positions in the Gideon’s for over 40 years. They placed many Bibles in hotels and went to several International Conventions overseas as well as National Gideon Conventions. Lanny had many friends in the Gideon’s.

In 1980, Lanny and Doris left the Methodist Church and began going to the Layton Hills Baptist Church. After a short time, Doris found her church of choice, while Lanny stayed at the Baptist church. Lanny became a Deacon at his church and also taught a Bible Study class. He had many friends at his church. Lanny and Doris were very active on several work and witness trips. (similar to a short mission) These trips allowed them to travel extensively.

Some of the places they traveled together; Egypt, Israel (Holy Land), the Sahara. They rode down the Nile River and rode a camel in the Sahara. They also traveled to London, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy and Greece. They went to China in Peking, Hong Kong and Singapore as well as South Korea and Japan.

Lanny worked for Hercules for 29 ½ years, during the Cold War. The projects he worked on were the Minute Man Missile, The Peace Keeper Missile and the Solid Rocket Booster for the Space Shuttle Program. He was involved in the mixing of the chemicals used in the missiles and rockets and oversaw many of the controlled burns of rocket test fires done up in Tremonton, Utah.

Lanny also worked on the nozzle and guidance systems as well as the solid rocket fuel. The year before the Challenger Disaster, the contract for the solid rocket booster had been awarded to Thiokol in Ogden, Utah. Shortly after the Space Shuttle disaster, the Cold War came to an end. In the Spring of 1990, Hercules began downsizing and Lanny was laid off. Lanny had interviews at ATK and several other locations, but was unable to gain employment for the reason that he was “he was over-qualified” for the job.

Lanny began work at the new Super Target in Centerville, Utah in 1991. He eventually was able to obtain a job at the Davis County School District as a custodial engineer in 1992. He worked at several different schools within the Davis County School District, ranging from elementary to high school. Lanny worked at Bountiful High School for the longest period of time. He retired from the School District, after 23 years, in September of 2014.

After retirement, Lanny stayed busy with the Gideon’s, his church and his friends from Hercules and the Davis County School District. He always loved and totally enjoyed spending time with his family. Lanny missed his calling, he loved food and should have become a food critic. His favorite restaurants were buffets and Chuck A Rama was his absolute favorite. He also loved to gather at his daughter and son in law’s home for family dinners, holidays, and celebrations. In August of 2016, Lanny and Doris became great grandparents. They now have 3 great grandchildren.

In 2011, Lanny and Doris celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. The celebration was held at the Layton Hills Baptist Church and they also went back to Worland, Wyoming for an all-class high school reunion and a small family reunion. They had a small ceremony at the Worland Senior Citizens Center. For their anniversary, Lanny and Doris traveled to Kaui, Hawaii, with Doris’ sister, brother in law, another sister and a niece. They loved Hawaii so much they went back to Kaui the following year. They were able to go one last time, to the big island of Hawaii in 2019.

They traveled through the USA extensively as well. NYC, Detroit, Dallas, San Antonio, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Coos Bay, Las Vegas, Reno, Fargo ND, Sturgis, The Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Denver, Phoenix, Saint Louis, Chicago, Columbus, Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and Orlando. They also traveled to Tijuana, Nogales, Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada, and by Disney Cruise ship to Nassau, Bahamas and Disney’s Castaway Key.

Lanny was preceded in death by his parent’s Frank Elmer Myers and Nella Zelma Mills-Myers, stepmother Nina Baird-Myers and stepmother Myrtle Bailey-Myers, as well an infant sister Caroline Sue Myers and older sister Shirley Lee Myers-Goodman. Lanny was also preceded in death by father in law Ohmer William Huffman, mother in law Elsie Ruth Reed-Huffman, sister in law Shirley Ann Huffman-Marietta, brother in law Gerald Lee Goodman, brother in law James William Russell and sister in law Linda Rose Huffman-Russell.

Lanny is survived by his wife of 59 years, Doris Eileen Huffman-Myers. Lanny is also survived by his only daughter Julie Elizabeth Myers-Stier and son in law David Alan Stier of Syracuse, Utah. He is also survived by grandchildren Justin (Mariel) McCorkle of Clearfield, Utah, Tyler McCorkle of Clearfield, Utah, Erin Steele of Eden, Utah, Ashley McCorkle (fiancé Brian Foxworthy) of Syracuse, Utah. He is survived by great grandchildren Madeline Olivia McCorkle, Sophia Rose McCorkle and Carson John Foxworthy. Lanny is also survived by sister in law Gladys Shires (Bill Shires), nephews Keith Russell, Cheryl Myers, Mark Russell, Jonathan Shires, Nathan Shires and Marci Kern, as well as many great nephews and nieces and many second cousins.

Cremation will take place after the viewing. Due to Covid concerns a Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at a later date, most likely sometime in