W. Dean Belnap

Wilford Dean Belnap, a heroic soul devoted in service to God, family, and community, passed from this life on January 27, 2017 at the age of 90.  

The eldest of two sons, Dean was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, August 19, 1926 to Wilford Belnap and Ebba Louise Oscarson. His early years were spent developing strong family bonds with his parents, grandparents, and younger brother, Hal, with whom he shared a deep and abiding friendship throughout his life. Together, they have done much to promote family history work. From childhood, Dean was a gifted artist, winning numerous state and national art awards before the age of 14. As a freshman at West High School, he won an award with an accompanying scholarship to attend a prestigious art school in the Eastern United States. However, Dean’s life course changed after taking a national exam in which he demonstrated high aptitude in medicine. At age 15, he enrolled at the University of Utah, first completing a bachelor’s degree, and then a degree in medicine at the age of 20. Subsequently, he completed his internship and residency at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.

Dean met Mary Elen Bennett on a blind date. After two more dates, they were engaged and completed their courtship through letters between Cleveland and Salt Lake City. They were married a year later in the Salt Lake Temple, July 7, 1950. They had a strong and loving partnership, exemplifying devotion to each other through trial and triumph for over 60 years. Emulating our Savior’s example, Dean and Elen went about their lives doing good.

In 1953, Dean and Elen moved to Virginia where Dean served as a medical officer during the Korean War. As a returning Veteran, he moved his family to Bountiful, Utah where he practiced pediatrics and later psychiatry. He cared for thousands of patients in his lifetime. Dean and Elen’s home was generously open to guests, including those needing medical care. Among those were Cambodian refugees who lived in their home for two years.

Manifesting the gifts of a keen mind and intellect, Dean pioneered diagnostic and treatment techniques in pediatrics and developmental disorders. He authored or co-authored five books and numerous magazine and journal articles. He spent his final professional years promoting mental health among LDS missionaries, serving on an interdisciplinary team pioneering missionary clinics for LDS Family Services and the Missionary Department.  In all, Dean practiced medicine for 65 years and was featured in Who’s Who Among American Professionals. He retired at age 85.

Dean served in public roles promoting the treatment, protection, and education of children and adolescents.  He served on the boards of numerous professional organizations, tasks forces and advisory councils including the Governor’s Advisory Council on developmental disabilities and the Utah State Board of Regents. He was also a member of the Davis County and Utah State Boards of Education and was later appointed to the national board of state boards of education, serving as chairman, under President Jimmy Carter.

Dean’s lifetime of dedicated church service took him throughout the world. He served on the Church Correlation, General Priesthood, and Genealogy Committees in the 1960s. From 1969-1972, he presided over the England East Mission in London. Dean and Elen also served two missions as a senior couple, first in Jakarta, Indonesia where Dean joined the Jakarta Medical School Faculty. He was instrumental in working with the Indonesian government, facilitating permission to resume missionary work in that country. Their second mission was in Frankfurt, Germany serving missionaries with mental health needs in the European Area. Dean’s love of missionaries and missionary work was unfailing. Among many stake and ward callings, he was also a faithful home teacher for 76 years.

His greatest joy was imbuing his family with a love of the gospel. Dean’s teaching and insight left a legacy of faith for his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His was a solid foundation from which they have gleaned testimony and learned obedience, dedication, and hard work.

He is survived by his six children and their spouses, Rosann B. Balmer (Jared); Paul M. Belnap (Elizabeth); Elen Louise B. Jorgensen (David); Eric D. Belnap (Laura); Grant B. Belnap (Carol); David O. Belnap (Tina), his brother and sister-in-law, Hal Ross and Maxine Driggs Belnap, 24 grandchildren, and a growing number of great-grandchildren. His wife, parents, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren preceded him in death.

The family wishes to give special thanks to the administration and staff at Barton Creek Assisted Living and to the Montiel family who provided loving care to Dean the last years of his life. Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 1:00 pm at the Kaysville West Stake Center located at 1035 South Angel Street, Kaysville, Utah. Friends and family may call at Russon Brothers Mortuary located at 1941 North Main Street, Farmington, Utah on Friday evening, February 3 from 6 to 8 pm and 11 am to 12:30 pm at the Stake Center prior to the funeral service. Internment in the Bountiful City Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers please donate to the LDS General Missionary Fund.