David LeRue Thurston's Obituary
David LeRue Thurston
December 13, 1946 – October 23, 2017
Dave Thurston died in his home in Herriman, Utah during the early morning of Monday, October 23rd 2017, surrounded by his five children and his wife of just five months, Bette Amundsen Romano Thurston. Dave was a big man. He had a big personality, a big heart, and he made a big impact on a lot of people. He will be deeply missed.
David LeRue Thurston was born on December 13th, 1946 in Richfield, Utah to LeRue E. and Idell Warnock Thurston. Dave was the second of four siblings. A fun-loving and outgoing child, Dave had lots of friends and was always at the center of activity in neighborhood and school activities. The Thurston family moved to Provo around 1948, and Dave attended Grandview Elementary School and then Brigham Young Junior and Senior High Schools, graduating in 1965. Dave was very social and athletic. He lettered in football and wrestling, played the trombone in the Concert Wind Ensemble, and was elected Senior Class Social Chairman. He loved being a founding father of the Sons of Brigham and was always a boisterous sport, on and off the field.
After high school, Dave served a successful mission in the Central British Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After returning from his mission, Dave continued his studies at BYU. He married Colleen Danielson on June 6, 1969. His college career was interrupted when Dave enlisted for military service and was sent to Germany from 1971 to 1973. During this time, the family grew, and their second child, Jeff, was born in Stuttgart, Germany. Dave and Colleen are the parents of five children.
Dave graduated from BYU in Family and Child Studies. He embarked on a career as a seminary teacher at several high schools throughout Utah and served for 23 years. Dave loved being a seminary teacher. He had a special way of expressing unconditional love and acceptance that made students trust and open up to him. He went the extra mile to gain the confidence of those students that felt marginalized or troubled. He made connections with young people that lasted long after they left his class. He was exceptional as a teacher, a father, and a compassionate human being.
Dave had a second career as a truck driver, often meeting and helping people, using the counseling skills that were second-nature to him. Dave always found a way to help others in need.
Dave loved sports, travel, and Louis L'amour novels. Whether he was playing a game of catch in the yard, golfing with his sons, or watching sports on TV, Dave filled every day with spontaneous fun activities. Dave taught his kids to be adventurers, see the good in everyone, have fun, work hard, and stand up for themselves. Dave taught his kids many things - how to love unconditionally, how to work, how to drive, how to read a map (without the use of Siri), how to have faith and serve other people. To his kids, Dave was their biggest cheerleader, their teacher, and big teddy bear.
Whether you knew him as a neighbor, teacher, bishop, Papa, Uncle Dave, Bro. T., or simply Dave, he was a friend to everyone he met. Dave was truly an example of what it means to think of others before yourself. His kids have many childhood memories of Dave stopping at any car that needed help, loading up to go help a neighbor, and other selfless deeds. He was extremely generous and would give a friend his last dollar, even if he had to borrow it. He never hesitated to help others. It really was his way of showing others he loved them.
A true nomad, Dave loved to travel. He followed Pioneer footsteps across the plains and hiked the Great Western Trail in his own Utah mountain backyard. He visited dozens of countries, loved to find historical sites, and simply could not resist wandering through ghost towns or leaving a backroad undiscovered.
One of Dave's goals was to visit all 50 states. In 2014, he took a cruise to Alaska (his 49th state). This past year, he finished his tour of states with a 70th birthday trip to the east coast with his son, Ryan, and a visit to his elusive 50th state: Delaware. Delaware has never had such an enthusiastic visitor!
Dave loved the mountains and the deserts and taught his kids to cherish the world famous natural wonders and simple beauties equally: groves of aspen trees, hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, granite boulders of the Cottonwood canyons, Yellowstone waterfalls, or a dirt road through desert sagebrush.
Dave was spontaneous, took the road less traveled, and more than anything he loved his family. He will be missed more than words can express.
It was Dave's privilege to be married to three wonderful women during his lifetime. Colleen Danielson Thurston-Tippetts, Pam Trude, and Bette Amundsen Romano Thurston. Dave and Bette were married on May 6, 2017, and they were able to enjoy a honeymoon in Kauai, Hawaii before Dave became ill.
Dave is survived by his wife, Bette, of Herriman; his sister, Kathy (David) Thornock of Wenatchee, WA; brother-in-law, Dee Johnston of Bartlesville, OK; and sister-in-law, Nancy Flynn Thurston, of Kennewick WA; his five children and their spouses, Jill and Greg Hardman of Washington, UT; Jeff and Veronica Thurston of Midvale, UT; Ryan and Debbie Thurston of Farr West, UT; Amy and Casey Twitty of Eagle Mountain, UT; and Jon and Brittany Thurston of Syracuse, UT; as well as two step children; Kristina and Chad Romano Kirby; and Ryan and Heather Romano. Dave is also survived by 21 beloved grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Dave is preceded in death by his father and mother, his sister, Ann Marie Thurston Johnston, his brother, Douglas Warnock Thurston, and twin infant grandsons.
Funeral services 11:00 am, Friday, October 27, 2017 at the Copper Creek 2nd Ward, 4080 West 12600 South, Riverton, UT where a viewing will be held Thursday, October 26, 2017 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and prior to services Friday from 9:45 to 10:45 am. Graveside services and interment at the Riverton City Cemetery.
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