Wendell Peterson Child

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Wendell Peterson Child, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and cherished friend to many. Wendell passed away peacefully on March 27, 2023 with his wife, Nola, by his side.

Born on June 15, 1951, in Columbia, South Carolina, Wendell is the son of the late Earl and Janice Child. He grew up with a strong work ethic, loving all things cowboy because he worked on the cattle ranch, and a passion for giving back to his community. He graduated as Valedictorian of Roy High School and attended Utah State University, where he studied math and met his future wife, Nola White. They were married in 1974, and together, they raised seven children and built a life filled with love and laughter. He went on to get his MBA at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

When Wendell was three years old, he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. He was very conscientious and diligent with his health and never once complained about his unique lifestyle. Wendell's dedication to his family was matched only by his commitment to Jesus Christ his Savior as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many callings during his life, including Bishop, Stake Presidency Counselor, Young Men’s President, and Elder’s Quorum President. He loved the Lord and his life was a testament to his faith and willingness to strive to become what God wanted him to become. He served a two-year mission in the Florida South mission where he developed a love for Puerto Rico and the people there.

In his personal life, Wendell was a man of many talents and interests. He was an avid gardener, taking great pride in his stunning flower beds and vegetable gardens. If there was something broken, he always found a way to “jimmy-rig” it. Wendell's love for the outdoors led him to become an enthusiastic hiker and camper, and he enjoyed many family trips to the great outdoors. Wendell and Nola loved to travel and spent many years enjoying places all over the world.

Wendell had a deep love for scouting, which he shared with his family and friends. All three of his sons achieved the rank of Eagle Scout and he served in many different scouting positions, including scoutmaster, district commissioner, assistant council commissioner and served on many Eagle boards of review, and also received the prestigious Silver Beaver award. In his stake, he was known as the river king because he had gone down the Snake river on a raft probably 35-40 times with the youth.

At L-3 Communications from 1980 to 2017, Wendell was not only incredibly successful, rising to the position of VP of Quality, but he was loved and appreciated by those he managed because of how he helped them to grow in their own careers. He started the award called “The Spirit of Excellence” to recognize and encourage co-workers, which people still celebrate today.

Wendell is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Nola; their children, Evan (Angeli) Child, Darren (Katie) Child, Elena (Andrew) Baugh, Gordon (Heather) Child, Laurel (Kevin) Sommerfeldt, Alicia (Mike) Sly, and Esther (Jared) Hanna; twenty-five grandchildren, Elijah, Brigham, Kennedy, Marissa, Kate, Derek, Clarissa, Kara, Lauren, Hyrum, Paige, Matthew, Isaac, Katelyn, Ashley, Eleanor, Luke, Clark, Molly, Tommy, London, Jane, Nathan, Charlotte, and Ruby, along with his siblings Brian (JoDee) Child, Merrill (Lori) Child, Colleen (Jeff) Tucker, and Carol (Brian) Richardson.

A viewing for Wendell will be at 6:00 PM, Thursday, March 30th at Lindquist’s Mortuary, 400 N Main St, Kaysville, Utah.

 There will be another viewing from 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM the next morning, March 31, 2023,followed by a Celebration of Wendell’s life at 11:00 AM at the Brookhaven chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 190 N Country Ln, Kaysville, UT.

Interment, Kaysville City Cemetery.

As we say goodbye to Wendell, we remember his unwavering love for his family, his faith, his generosity, and his deep commitment to making the world a better place.  His legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.