Kenneth Nelson Cutler's Obituary
Our dear father, Kenneth Nelson Cutler, completed his mortal sojourn and passed away peacefully in his home on December 15, 2023. He was dearly loved and exhibited a life full of hard work, duty, kindness, music, and love for his family. He already leaves a big hole in our hearts and will be sorely missed.
Kenneth began his mortal journey with his birth on August 24, 1933, in the beautiful farming town of Preston located in southern Idaho. He was joyfully welcomed by his parents Sadie Nelson Cutler and Karl Hardy Cutler, and his older sister OraDel.
Ken enjoyed an idyllic childhood with a doting mother who would spend hours playing games with him, teaching him his multiplication tables, or sitting with him as he practiced piano. He had many friends and adventures growing up and his diligent study and practice habits paid off as he often shared his piano talents, either as a soloist or accompanying others. He excelled in his schooling and after graduating from Preston High school in 1951 he went on to further schooling at Utah State university and then Northwestern University in Chicago where he earned his dental degree in 1957.
Kenneth met the love of his life, Helen June Funk, at a fireside in Preston where she was reporting on her mission to Japan. He was smitten and after a short courtship they were married in the Logan Temple on December 20, 1957. Ken and Helen were quite an amazing couple. They worked hard and lived a life dedicated to their family and the Lord. Over the next 13 years they added 8 children to their family. They modeled and taught them the value of hard work, dedication, commitment, duty, and having fun together.
In 1965 Ken and Helen and their 5 little children at the time crowded into a Volkswagen Bug and moved far from family to Boston where Ken studied at Boston University to obtain a degree in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. They soon fell in love with New England and ended up staying there for 41 years, raising their family in Belmont, Massachusetts. They often joked that they stayed there one year longer than Moses wandered in the wilderness. Kenneth had an Oral Surgery practice in Wakefield that was in a beautiful Victorian home that they converted to an office. This was a time of great family memories, and occasional trips of driving back to Utah to visit relatives. Ken was a kind, loving, dedicated father and his children knew they were well loved.
Ken loved to travel. Growing up he had always wanted to see “what was on the other side of those mountains” surrounding Preston, Idaho. He was blessed to visit all 50 states and over 30 countries. He had a love for geography and would study maps and memorize all types of facts such as the height of mountains which he would recall perfectly years later. He loved the beautiful world we live in. Ken also enjoyed numbers and to the end he never used a calculator but would add long lists of numbers by hand. He knew all of the birthdates of his extensive posterity.
Ken and Helen loved their family, and they loved the Lord, and they loved music. He was a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He served as the Primary Pianist for 39 years and as an ordinance worker in the Boston and Provo temples for 20 years and he loved serving in the church. They raised their children to love the Lord and taught them the blessings of serving missions. They were supportive of their family, including coming to many of their children’s and grandchildren’s important life events.
After living in the Boston area for 41 years, Ken and Helen retired to Provo, Utah in 2006 where they would be closer to many of their children and grandchildren. They enjoyed their many friends, ward, and family. They would host music nights and share their love of music with others. Ken organized the music nights and would spend hours practicing each day for the classical piano piece he would play. He would ask friends and acquaintances to perform, including grandchildren. This was an amazing 15-year tradition. He had his final music night planned and scheduled. To honor Ken, it will still go forward on January 14 at 1960 N 1500 E in Provo at 7 pm.
Ken’s sweet wife Helen left this world just shy of 5 years ago and he has dearly missed her. It must have been a joyous reunion for them to be together again. Ken did a DNA test shortly after Helen’s passing. He didn’t know he was adopted until he was married and a young father. He did not have any additional information about his birth parents. He had always valued and loved his parents, Karl and Sadie, who raised him. Perhaps Helen got to Heaven and nudged him to find out more. When the DNA results were returned, family members worked on the unfamiliar list of names and puzzled and researched for months, then pieced together who Ken’s birth parents were. Ken was able to contact and meet his wonderful two half siblings, LaRaine and Ray. They have developed a sweet relationship over the last 4 years and only wish they had known each other sooner.
August 2023 was a great milestone for Ken as he reached his 90th birthday. He celebrated with a Danube River cruise through Germany, Austria and Hungary., and Switzerland. Seeing the sites was a delight for him.
Ken is at peace and sure in his testimony of Jesus Christ and of His gospel. He is preceded in death by his wife Helen June Funk Cutler, his parents Karl Hardy Cutler and Sadie Nelson Cutler, his biological mother Mildred Jones Tschannen, his sister OraDel Cutler Steadman, his children Christine Lynne Cutler Horne and Paul Reed Cutler, and his granddaughter Rachel Catherine Redd. He is survived by his 6 children Laura Leigh Allen (Mike), Julie Ann Redd (Brandt), Mary Elizabeth Aust (David), Cynthia Jean Lewis (Randy), John David Cutler (Ginger), and Rachel Marie Crandall (Myron). He is survived by 42 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. We sure miss him.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on December 20, 2023, at the Hillside Chapel 1960 N 1500 E Provo, Utah. A viewing will precede the funeral at 8:30 am. Interment will be in the Richmond, Utah cemetery at 3 pm. December 20th also happens to be Ken and Helen’s 66th wedding anniversary so it is a significant date. The services will be broadcast by Zoom at the following link https://zoom.us/j/92419025750?pwd=bmh6UkxOOUlSNXhLTjRhMEZKNWcrZz09
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