Lynford Panter Murri

Lynford Panter Murri, age 93, died Apr. 29, 2016 in St. George, Utah. He was born Oct. 21, 1922 in Twin Groves near St. Anthony, Idaho to John Henry and Luella Panter Murri. He married Hilda Bertha Neibaur on Jan. 14, 1948 in the Idaho Falls, Idaho Temple. He loved Hilda very much and treated her like a queen. The children never heard them say anything bad about each other and they never argued. Every time Dad came into the house he would find Mom and give her a hug and a kiss. Lynford served in the Army during WWII in the European theater. He broke his leg shortly before the landing in Normandy and rejoined his engineer unit during the Battle of the Bugle. He didn’t like to talk about his time in the service, but told us that he never fired a shot, but carried land mines all the time. Upon returning, he farmed with his father until 1949 when he drew a homestead in Hunt, Jerome County, ID. While he was in Hunt picking out his piece of land, Mom was in the hospital having given birth to their first child. While living in Hunt, they had 4 more children. It soon became obvious that his 200 acre farm would not support their growing family and so in 1958, they moved to a farm in American Falls, ID. One more child was born while they lived in American Falls and later they added a foster daughter to the family. Dad was a great believer in teaching his children to work. As soon as they were old enough, he would take them out to fields and taught us how to thin beets and weed the beets and potatoes. During their time on the farm, several of their nephews spent the summer moving sprinkler pipes, thinning and hoeing beets, and weeding the potatoes Dad was a mentor for several young men, both as a bishop and an employer. They farmed there until 1973 when they sold the farm and moved to Benjamin, UT. Dad started a sod farm, had a few head of cattle and raised a big garden. While living in Benjamin they were temple workers in the Provo temple. They served a family history mission in England from 1990-1991. Upon their return, they moved to LaVerkin, UT. Dad was able to raise a garden and took care of the common grounds in the trailer park, as well as raising a few head of cattle. After they had to move out of the trailer park they rented a house in LaVerkin until Jan. 2014 when they moved to an apartment in St. George, UT. As an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served various positions including bishop’s counselor, on the high council twice, as the 1st Bishop of the American Falls, ID 2nd ward and high priest group leader, twice. They served as temple workers in the St. George temple for four years. He is survived by Hilda, his wife of 68 years; children: Ann (Lynn) Nelson, Cedar City, UT; Barbara (Ken) Marshall, St. George, UT; David (Vickie) Murri, Lewiston, ID; John (Tamara) Murri, Payson, UT; Gene (Annette) Murri, LaVerkin, UT; Karen (Bits) Murri, Andover, MN; and foster daughter Judy (Matt) Lyons, Elko, NV; 24 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren. Siblings: Helena Page, Salt Lake City, UT; Maurice (Idella) Murri, South Jordan, UT; and Leda Jefferies, Brigham City, UT. He was preceded in death by parents, and siblings Cyril Jean Murri, Esther Ehrisman, John Herbert Murri, Vera Atkinson, Ina Mae Murri and great grandchildren Avery John Murri and Aspen Lynne Murri. Services will be held Friday, May 6, 2016 at 11:00 AM with viewing from 9-10:30 AM at the 16th ward chapel of the St. George East Stake, at 550 E. 700 S. St. George, UT. Burial will follow in the LaVerkin City Cemetery.

Lynford Panter Murri

October 21, 1922 - April 29, 2016