Gregory Floyd Thayn

GONE FISHING! Greg loved September fishing and departed this life for an eternal fishing trip on September 10, 2021. Gregory Floyd Thayn, 75 years old, was born July 6, 1946 in Price, Utah, to Marjory Rachel Birch and Floyd LaFay Thayn. He passed away September 10, 2021, at his home in Riverton Utah, with loved ones by his side, after a valiant battle with cancer. Greg is survived by his wife, Jeanine Hunter of Riverton, Utah; his sisters, Susan Thayer, Gae (David) Moore and Nadine (Gary) Quarnberg; 3 children and 3 step children, Kerry (Jeff) Fewell, Kevin Gregory (Christi) Thayn, Suzanne (Alec) Rubenstein; Teri Miles Wehrli, Bryan (Crystal) Miles and Rachelle (Corey) Bruse. Also survived by 15 grandchildren.
He graduated from Provo High School in 1964 and attended Brigham Young University earning a BS in Zoology & Education, MS in Botany & Geology and PhD in Botany & Ecology. His Master’s Thesis received the Sigma Xi Thesis of the Year Award in 1973. He completed or assisted with the completion of 12 academic publications on Botany and Paleobotany between 1972 and 1980. He taught night classes at BYU for many years in several subjects including Environmental Biology and Environmental Science and his students always gave rave reviews to Dr. Thayn.
Greg worked 35 years for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management serving in St. George, Cedar City, Richfield and Salt Lake City Utah. He served in several positions including Wildlife Biologist, Botanist, Environmental Project Manager, Wilderness Coordinator and National Environmental Policy Act Coordinator. One assignment he truly enjoyed was being the BLM Staff Liaison to Congressman Bill Orton in Utah’s 3rd Congressional District, Provo, Utah and Washington D.C. in 1995-1996. Greg prepared or led the preparation of many Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements. He, also, served as a member of the Utah Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Control Board from 1999 to 2002.

Greg was an active and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many callings including as a teacher in Sunday School, Young Men’s, and Priesthood Quorums, Ward Executive Secretary, and 2nd Counselor to the High Priests Group Leader. He served with his wife, Jeanine, as a Service Missionary in the Philippines Iloilo Mission from 2016 to 2018 and as a Temple Worker at the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple from 2019 to 2020.

Greg was a jack of all trades and a master of many. There were very few things he couldn’t fix whether it was plumbing, electrical, vehicles, or building something - he could figure it out. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved spending time with friends and family in the great outdoors. His life was certainly never boring or dull. His curiosity and knowledge gave him a broad spectrum of interests which inspired him to achieve great things. Greg so enjoyed teaching himself to play his guitar and writing songs then sharing them with others. He had a great sense of humor that he used to lift all around him. He loved to teach and was extremely gifted at it. His students always loved him and he could make even the most boring subject interesting. He loved to work and always had to have a project going that he could work on or tinker with. Greg loved outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, boating, camping, and riding motorcycles and 4-wheelers. He, also, enjoyed gardening and home improvement projects.

It is said that angels cry when we leave heaven to come to earth and then cry for joy upon our return. We are certain that there will be a great celebration in heaven for him. All those who have passed before will be waiting with open arms to greet him upon his return He will be missed more than words can express by those who are left behind We grieve upon losing him and our hearts are heavy but we are grateful to have been a part of his life. He touched the hearts of so many. Greg was preceded in death by his parents, son Kyle and brother-in-law Charles Thayer.

The family would like to thank all the nurses and caregivers from Summit Home Health and Hospice, especially Noemi and Hector, for their kind, loving and compassionate service to Greg in his final days.

A viewing will be held at Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary, 1007 W. South Jordan Parkway, South Jordan, Utah, on September, 16th, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the church house at 2742 West 14400 South in Bluffdale on September 17th with a viewing from 10:00-10:45 a.m. and the service beginning at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be in the Riverton City Cemetery.