David John Ballstaedt Jr.'s Obituary
David John Ballstaedt Jr., age 77, passed away on December 23, 2021. He was born on Sunday, November 5, 1944, the second of the six children of David John Ballstaedt and Helen Taylor.
David spent his early years in Buena Vista, a rural community in Salt Lake City. After the old three-room Boone School closed, he finished grade school at Glendale Elementary School. He graduated from Glendale Junior High School and attended West High School. After the family moved to Fisher Lane in the Canyon Rim area in September 1960, he graduated from Olympus High School. David was a hard worker, was always interested in cars, and was an excellent auto mechanic, a trade he learned from his maternal grandfather, Alfred Christensen Taylor, one of the first diesel mechanics in the Utah.
In September 1963, David moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he met Sheila Estella Meikle. They were married on June 12, 1965. His father, David, Senior, conducted the ceremony. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and Sheila were the parents seven daughters and five sons. In Cedar Rapids, David acquired and operated his own service station where he bought and sold used cars. He eventually owned and operated successful Ford dealerships in the area. He was known for his generosity and willingness to help those in need, including many strangers. David and Shiela divorced in 1994, and David was married to America Portela for a time.
David spent his last years in Salt Lake City.
David is preceded in death by a son, Jessie Taylor Ballstaedt (1985-2016), and a great-grandson, Odin Phillip Emelianinko Rodriquez (August 14-28, 2010).
David is survived by eleven children––Wendy Kay (Bradley) Wright, Marcy Ann (Peter) Marcy, Lara Lee Churchill-Hinkle, Natasha Marie (Christer) Sponbeck, Courtney Lynn Ballstaedt-Edwards (Brian Muhammad), David John Ballstaedt III, Joshua James Ballstaedt, Zachery Paul Ballstaedt, Taylor Cody Ballstaedt, Noel Meikle (William) Baker, and Reille Lauren (Troy) Worby; 39 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; a sister, Kathleen Taylor (Richard) Halverson, and four brothers––Mark Taylor (Judith Ann Marriott) Ballstaedt, Rock Taylor (Terri Lyn Smith) Ballstaedt, Noel Taylor (Linda Sue “Susie” Post) Ballstaedt, and Paul Taylor (Rebecca Luella Townsend) Ballstaedt.
A funeral service will be held in David’s honor on Thursday, December 30, 2021, at 12:00 noon in the meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 7035 South Nutree Dr, Cottonwood Heights, Utah.
Interment will be in the Elysian Burial Gardens located at 1075 East 4580 South in Millcreek, Utah.
Mortuary service provided by Premier Mortuary Services, Salt Lake City, Utah
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