Richard Beryl Sanborn's Obituary
We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father, husband, grandfather and friend on Christmas Day 2023.
Richard Beryl Sanborn was born June 1, 1941 to Albert Joseph “Pete” and Beryl Burt Sanborn in Murray, Utah. He was the youngest of their three children and grew up on his Grandpa Burts 400 East and 3900 South farmlands. There his parents built their home and planted a spectacular garden each Spring. It must have been there Richard developed his love of flowers and gardening. In his senior years he enjoyed bike riding the Jordan River Trails where he gathered wild flower clippings and seedlings, he carried back to his
Avenues home to plant.
Richard attended neighborhood schools; Lincoln, Granite Jr. and Granite High School with his best friends and cousins He graduated Granite in 1959 and was mentored by his Dear Uncle Mel Burt who watched over him as Bishop, Stake President, and Patriarch. Richard had planned on serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Instead he courted his High School Sweetheart Bessie Lynne Frazier. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple by Temple President El Ray L. Christianson on September 22, 1961. They didn’t honeymoon because Richard started his second year of college the following Monday. They honeymooned the next Fall by camping throughout Southern Utah. Richard and Bessie celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary September 22, 2023.
Richard spent many more years attending the University of Utah in pursuit of his dream of obtaining his PhD, becoming a professor and teaching physics. He altered his PhD plans when his advising professor didn’t obtain tenure and they both left the program. Richard took a masters and he did teach physics.
Additionally, infertility governed their lives for years. And the summer culture camps that followed. Richard and Bessie longed for children. In 1968 they adopted their oldest daughter, 11-day old Evette Michelle Radisky (Derek). Twenty-two months later 8-day old Andrea Francis (Grant) arrived. Richard rushed home from work daily to be with them. The pull for a son turned them to intercultural adoption. Richard and Bessie adopted four more children: Melinda Sanborn, Dustin Richard, David Richard, and Elizabeth “Liz” Tara Helen Crawford (Robb). Their four youngest children arrived within a five-year span. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren whom he loved dearly.
Richard became an Antiques Dealer, had a couple of shops, and drove the continent in search of ancient treasures. And he became unemployed, a financial planner, a janitor, and refurbished his brother-in-law’s investment real estate. He loved antiquities and Church and American History. He drove his family to countless family and Church history sites. And cemeteries.
Ultimately one of the physics students Richard taught at the University of Utah learned he was unemployed and looking for work. The State of Utah’s environmental protection department had an opening Richard was well qualified for. He happily worked there 23 years before retiring. He loved that job.
In addition to loving his family, his new job, and collecting, repairing, and restoring old things– Richard loved Music and the Spoken Word. For years he attended weekly until he was given the opportunity to usher on Temple Square. Then he was assigned specific gatherings (including Music and the Spoken Word) to greet and direct visitors through. His years on Temple Square became Richard’s favorite lifelong service. Unless you count the years, he went home teaching with his friend Clark Gable.
Like his mother Beryl, Richard forever loved and served the Lord.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 6, 2023 at the Twenty First Ward (Emigration Stake), 668 Second Avenue, Salt Lake City with a viewings to begin at 10:00 am on Saturday and also from 5-7:00 pm on Friday evening. Interment to follow the funeral at Elysian Burial Gardens, 1075 East 4580 South, Millcreek.
Here is the zoom link
https://zoom.us/j/91890240853 (https://zoom.us/j/91890240853)
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