Austin Lamont Tyler

July 21, 1936 - May 8, 2022

Austin Lamont Tyler was born on July 21, 1936 in Provo, Utah, and passed away peacefully on May 8, 2022 in his home in Millcreek, Utah following a brief illness. Lamont is the eldest of 5 children born to Austin and Emily (née Wright) Tyler. He is survived by three of his siblings, John Tyler, Steven Tyler, and Jean Harper. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Rosemary Mackay. After graduating from Provo High in 1954, Lamont left the shadow of Y Mountain to enroll at the University of Utah. He would spend 41 of the next 48 years at the “U” and was a true Utah Man from that time on. He preferred red to all other colors. He interrupted his studies to serve a 2-year plus mission in Australia from 1956-58. In the 1950s, travel time was not included in the 2-year commitment and he traveled to and from Australia by steamer ship before trans-Pacific air travel was common. Lamont often told stories to his children about these long ship voyages and his time in Australia. After returning from Australia to the U, he met Carol Waddoups at a dance at BYU, where neither was enrolled as a student. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on March 21, 1960. Nine months later they welcomed the first of seven children. Despite a growing family, Lamont continued his Chemical Engineering studies and graduated with a B.S. in 1961 and a Ph.D. in 1965 by which time he had become the father of 3 daughters. After completing his studies, he moved his family to Allentown, PA where he worked at Bell Laboratories. In Allentown, a son and fourth daughter were added to the family before he accepted a faculty position and returned to the U in 1970 where he remained until 2002. Highlights of his faculty career included serving as Department Chairman from 1981-1994 and receiving the College of Engineering Outstanding Teacher Award. In 1970 Lamont and Carol purchased a home for their family in the East Millcreek area on the east bench of Salt Lake valley and he lived there for the remainder of his life. A fifth daughter and second son completed the family. The home in East Millcreek included a large garden with irrigation rights and Lamont enjoyed planting and growing fruits and vegetables, particularly sweet corn, potatoes, peaches, raspberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, and beans. He strictly forbade planting vegetables he disliked such as zucchini. A man of many talents, he canned raspberry jam and made peach and raspberry ice cream which were favorites at family gatherings. He used his engineering skills to design and build his own concrete delivery system for irrigation water. Lamont liked staying physically active. He played church basketball into his sixties, refereed county recreation basketball, and enjoyed hiking, skiing and backpacking. He played tennis until he was too weakened by his final illness. Lamont served eight years in the Utah State House of Representatives from 1995-2002. Public education was an important issue to him while in the legislature, and he bestowed upon his posterity a love of learning. All seven children graduated from college, four with advanced degrees. One of his retirement goals was to establish college savings to pay tuition for each of his 23 grandchildren and he has helped fund each of their education, including bequeathing funds for those yet to pursue higher education. Post retirement from 2005 until his death he taught classes at Salt Lake Community College in subjects ranging from Algebra to “Material and Energy Balance” (if you know, you know) to keep his mind sharp and because he enjoyed associating with the students. He continued community service and campaigned to establish Millcreek as an incorporated city. Lamont loved traveling and enjoyed exploring the world with Carol from Europe to Asia, Israel, Russia, the Caribbean, New Zealand, and Australia. He encouraged his children to take advantage of any opportunity to study, live, or travel abroad and viewed traveling as an enriching and educational experience. From 2002-2004 he served a Senior mission with Carol and was thrilled to have been assigned again to Australia. This time he was able to travel there by plane in under 24 hours. They spent two years in the small college town of Armidale where he was the Branch President. Shortly after returning from Australia, he began serving as an ordinance worker in the Salt Lake Temple. Following the Salt Lake Temple's closure for renovation in 2019, he accepted a call to work in the Jordan River Temple, leaving home at 4:30 a.m. for the early shift every Thursday morning until just weeks before his death. Lamont was motivated in life by duty, loyalty, service, trustworthiness, and love for his family and faith in God. He was a problem solver, a planner, and an extremely practical man. Although his large stature and gruff manner could be imposing, he had a tender side that manifested itself especially with babies and a playful side seen while splashing, jumping and squealing down the water slide into his eighties at family pool parties. During the last 5 years Carol became physically limited by a brain tumor, and he showed he could be a dutiful and compassionate caregiver as well. He was a great example to family with his patience and concern for her. He learned many new domestic skills during these years. As he approached death he frequently said he thought it would be an “interesting experience”, and his only concerns in death were for Carol’s well-being. He had great faith in the reality of the resurrection and was looking forward to seeing his parents again and being in the presence of the Lord. Lamont will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He remained in love with and devoted to his wife of 62 years. He demonstrated his love daily in his words and actions. They provided companionship to each other until the very end of his life, even having a date night at the ballet together the weekend before he was hospitalized and diagnosed with his terminal illness. Late in their lives, they would often hold hands and talk fondly of their courtship and early lives together. In addition to his wife Carol, he is survived by his posterity numbering 67 which includes his seven children and their spouses, Linda & James Thompson, Bonnie Tyler & Richard Peterson, Kathy and Steve Hawkins, Matthew and Judy Tyler, Jeanene and Michael Pope, Emily Tyler and Armen Khachatryan, and Christopher and Melissa Tyler, as well as 23 grandchildren and their 13 spouses, and 15 present plus 2 expected great-grandchildren. As Carol says, we bid him not farewell but instead we say “We’ll see you again soon.” All services will be held at East Millcreek 2nd Ward Chapel at 3750 S 2500 E (Hillside Ln), Millcreek, Utah. Visitations will be held Friday, May 13 from 6-8pm, and Saturday, May 14 at 10am. The funeral service will follow commencing at 11am.