Hartt Partridge Wixom

Hartt Wixom, 83, passed away March 8, 2017 in Ivins, Utah of cancer. An avid outdoorsman, he dedicated his professional life to promoting and protecting the land he loved. He was devoted to his wife of 58 years, his family, and to the gospel of Jesus Christ. He also dedicated his efforts to scouting, helping dozens of boys work toward their Eagle, and received the Silver Beaver He spent many years writing 20 books about LDS Church history, fishing and hunting, with several novels about those subjects. Much of his life was spent working in the newspapering business as a sports writer, environmental editor and history writer for the Deseret News, Provo Herald, St. George Spectrum/Cedar City Daily News, receiving many regional and national awards for his writing, one plaque honoring him “for telling like it is in the world of conserving natural resources.” One of his books for which he received acclaim with his wife, was The Cokeville Miracle, made into a popular movie. Other books receiving commendation were a biography of Jacob Hamblin and Anthony W. Ivins, along with Critiquing the Critics of Joseph Smith and Profiles in Mormon Courage. Much of his time with the Deseret News as “first environmental editor west of the Mississippi River” was spent attending seminars in Columbia University in New York City, Denver, San Francisco, Reno and elsewhere. Wixom received bachelors and masters degrees from Brigham Young University, and some post graduate study at the University of Utah. He spent 14 years teaching communications at BYU. His entire life was spent in serving the Boy Scouts of America, receiving the Silver Beaver award and Wood Badge. As a Scout leader he led many boys on back pack treks into his beloved Uinta Mountains, spending hundreds of days and nights in the wilderness. He also enjoyed guiding deer and elk hunters into the remote forests of Wyoming. Later, he was known to explore the semi-wildness of the Arizona Strip and wrote many stories about what he found there. Following the Korean conflict, Wixom served in the U.S. Army in Germany. He served on two missions, Northern States in 1955-57 and Church History with his wife, Judene, 2007-2009. Much of his first mission was with Lamanite members in many capacities while in Wisconsin, including Scoutmaster and even a member of the Relief Society choir. He taught many lessons in Priesthood assignments throughout his life. His experience in the outdoors led to being named field editor for Field and Stream magazine and state editor for Western Outdoors. He also contributed many stories to Outdoor Life. Hartt enjoyed visiting and writing about wild places and wild things. His story about a timber wolf making its way onto Utah’s North Slope won first place in the Zion National Park adult fiction writing contest. He often wrote about both wildlife and the Uinta Mountains, where he spent so much time. Wixom participated in many team sports, playing in All-Church basketball and softball games while serving on the All-Church Tournament Committee with general authorities, while also writing about the games. “I could have been accused of conflict of interest, I suppose, but nobody brought it up. So, I didn’t.” He was born in Logan, lived in Ogden, Salt Lake City, (as well as Preston, Idaho and Phoenix, Arizona, Cokeville, Wyoming. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Judene, their seven children: Wendi (Don) Taylor, Julie (Raf) Delvecchio, Wade (Michelle) Wixom, Peggy (Robert) Proffit, Cindy (Dave) Dixon, Jenny (Jered) Slack, and Kamron (Amy) Wixom, foster son (John), 29 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Monday, March 20 at 10 a.m. in the LDS chapel on the corner of Main and Center streets in Ivins, Utah. The family will greet friends and loved ones there one hour prior to the service at 9 a.m. Burial will be in the Ivins City Cemetery. A tree was planted in Hartt’s name in Dixie National Forest. Tree planting and arrangements were prepared by Serenity Funeral Home, 986-2085.

Hartt Partridge Wixom

April 26, 1933 - March 8, 2017