Rodney Harrison Showalter

On December 23, 2021, the world lost Rodney Harrison Showalter, a man who made the world a better place. He was born in Lovell, Wyoming on February 23rd, 1931.

His father, Victor Stonewall Showalter, “ran sheep” up on the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming. Victor married Rod’s mother, Fern Harrison, who was his third wife, after losing his first wife in a tragic house fire and his second wife to complications from appendicitis. Victor passed away while Rod was a young man in 1954. Rod was Fern’s only child and she was a devoted mother to him. She taught him to read, which was a skill and occupation that he greatly enjoyed the rest of his life. He is survived by his brother, Lee Showalter, living in Crozet, Virginia.

Rod was an industrious, spiritual, intelligent, curious, and extremely kind human being. Rod served in the United States Navy from 1950-1953 in Hawaii, where he worked on airplanes. He loved serving in the Navy, and especially loved being in Hawaii. While there he met friends who helped him become active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints again. His love for the gospel grew while reading the Book of Mormon sitting on a barrel next to the airplanes. He did this often enough that his Navy friends nicknamed “Deak”, as in “Deacon Showalter”.

After his naval service he wanted to serve a mission for the church. He was called to serve in Mexico when the entirety of the country was a single mission. After his three years in Mexico, Rod went to Brigham Young University and there met his first wife, Annette Oaks. They were blessed with seven children: Mark, Rozan, Terie, Jill, Aaron, Steven, and Keven. The marriage later ended in divorce. After 10 lonely years and attending many church dances for singles, he met his second wife, Geneva Snow Holt, who also had 7 children. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on July 14th, 1984.

During his life, Rod traveled with Geneva to many places throughout the world. One of their favorites places to visit was Cascade Springs near Heber City, Utah. This was their favorite spot to reconnect on their anniversary as sweethearts. Another highlight was visiting the World’s fair in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1986. One of Rod’s favorite events was a recent reunion in Lovell where he reconnected with his high school and childhood friends.

Rod has 31 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren. Rod loved the babies. He looked so comfortable carrying one of them snuggled against his chest. He also took many of the grandchildren fishing and patiently baited endless numbers of hooks. He loved the outdoors and loved to take his children on camping trips, especially in the Uintas.

He was always a hard worker. He drove a taxi in Oakland, California, taught high school Spanish and science, worked in a mine, drew blood in a hospital, felled trees for the forest service, worked in the rocket fuel division at Thiokol, sold real estate for Century 21, and ended his career as an equipment specialist at Hill Field Air Force Base. He especially loved the friends he made at Hill AFB.

At home, Rod was an all-around handyman and carpenter who built his own house, lay patio stone, managed any kind of electrical wiring, planted gardens, felled trees, and restored his mother’s player piano.

The main joy and driving force of his life was the love for his wife, Geneva. This was mutual between them. They loved each other with all their hearts. His favorite expression of love was to purchase a lovely sentimental card. He would take hours shopping for just the right one. Rod was a good dancer, and he and Geneva went to a lot of church dances. His favorite step was the “Wyoming Shuffle”.

Rod loved the Savior and was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He loved to serve wherever he lived in the church, but he especially loved to serve his family. He devotedly cared for his mother until her death in 1969. In his church service he had the opportunity to teach Gospel Doctrine, minister to many people, and serve 4 missions. In addition to his first missionary service in Mexico, he served three others with his dear companion, Geneva. These later missions included serving as Conference Center guides, proselyting in Fresno, California, and serving a public affairs mission in the Caribbean. The public affairs mission took them to Trinidad, Guyana, French Guiana, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Haiti, plus work with all the islands down the chain from Florida to South America.

Rod was close to his own children and grandchildren and was also dearly loved and respected by Geneva’s family. We will miss him terribly and look forward with anticipation to our future reunion with him.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 4, 2022 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 720 East 550 North, Bountiful, Utah, where a viewing will be held from 9:45- 10:45 a.m. prior to services.
Services will be streamed live at: http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/Events/bountifulutahheightsstake
(Bountiful 24th Ward link)

Interment will take place at Lakeview Cemetery

Contributions requested to be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary fund.