Nephi Ray Fitzgerald

January 29, 1937 - August 18, 2016

Nephi Ray Fitzgerald 1937 - 2016 Born January 29, 1937 in Draper, Utah to Printess Fitzgerald and Ruth Anderson. Passed away Thursday, August 18, 2016, from natural causes. Nephi married Leona Leonard on August 18, 1961 in the Salt Lake Temple. They were married for 55 years. They had 7 children, 35 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. Lenny (Tammy), Denece (Hiley Kitto), William (Alison), Beatrice (Linden Holloway), Sheri (Steve Nelson), Elizabeth (Micah Ladle), and Daniel (Krissy). Funeral services will be 11:00 am, Saturday, August 27, 2016 at the Sharon Park 1st Ward, 310 North 100 East, Orem, UT where a viewing will be held Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and Saturday prior to services from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Interment at the Orem City Cemetery. Nephi Ray Fitzgerald Born January 29, 1937 in Draper, Utah to Printess Fitzgerald and Ruth Anderson. Passed away Thursday, August 18, 2016, from natural causes. Nephi came from a family of 16 children. His father, Printess Fitzgerald, married Beatrice Murphy and they had Gail (Hill). Soon after Beatrice passed and Printess married Jane Roberts Kimball. Together they had Printess K., Gerald, Maydell (Ellswood), Bliss, James Walter, Leah (Smith), Paul, and Crozier. Jane passed and Printess later married Ruth Anderson. Their children were Betty Ruth (Bell), Nephi, Perry Glenn, and Orene. Later Printess passed and Ruth married his second cousin, Arellius Brown Fitzgerald. Their children were Brian, Colleen (Winkler), and Katherine (Fullmer). Later, A.B. died and Ruth married Eric Bennison (who became the grandpa to all of Nephi’s children.) Because Nephi’s grandparents had passed before he was born, Crozier Kimball (the father of Jane) told Nephi that he was as much his grandson as all his older brothers and sisters. He also gave Nephi his Patriarchal Blessing. Nephi loved all athletics and sports and especially loved playing baseball. While growing up he was a BYU football fan because his uncle, Eddie Kimball, was the BYU head football coach. And his other uncle, Rodney Kimball, was the BYU Athletic trainer, and another Uncle was the BYU quarterback during WWII. They were all brothers to Jane Kimball. Nephi grew up working on his family’s dairy farm from 1937-1959. He went to Draper Elementary School, Draper Junior High, and Jordan High School, graduating in 1955. (Go Beetdigger’s!) He loyally served on the Northern California Mission from December 1957 - December 1959 and had 65 baptisms. After his mission he attended Utah State and Weber State Universities. Nephi married Leona Leonard on August 18, 1961 in the Salt Lake Temple. They were married for 55 years. They had 7 children, 35 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. Lenny (Tammy), Denece (Hiley Kitto), William (Alison), Beatrice (Linden Holloway), Sheri (Steve Nelson), Elizabeth (Micah Ladle), and Daniel (Krissy). Nephi joined the Army Utah National Guard 144th Evacuation Hospital in 1954. He took basic training at Fort Ord in California. From Fort Ord he was sent to Fort Sam Houston, in Austin, Texas. He trained as a Medical Corpsman. Then his unit was activated and evacuated and called to the Berlin Crisis when the communist overtook East Germany. He was sent to Fort Leonardwood, Missouri for one year active duty. He became a Sergeant in the medical unit and honorably finished his 8 years of service in 1962. Nephi began his working at Draper Feed and Egg, Hercules Powder Company in Magna, and retired from New Skin International in 2005. He received the Aaronic and Melchizedic Priesthood, and later became a High Priest. Nephi and Leona served two missions together, one at the Provo, Utah MTC in the call center where Nephi had 16 baptisms, and the second was in the employment center at the Deseret Industries in Provo, Utah. Nephi and Leona also served together for a few years in the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork. Funeral services will be 11:00 am, Saturday, August 27, 2016 at the Sharon Park 1st Ward, 310 North 100 East, Orem, UT where a viewing will be held Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and Saturday prior to services from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Interment at the Orem City Cemetery. A special thanks to Provo Rehabilitation and Nursing and Mountainland Aging for taking such good care of Nephi, especially during his last few days. We also thank all family and friends who showed their love for Nephi through visits and/or letters.