George LeRoy Datwyler Obituary (1931 - 2023)

George LeRoy Datwyler August 23, 1931 – September 29, 2023 George LeRoy Datwyler was born to George Albert Datwyler and Lizzie Melba Roskelley on August 23, 1931, in Logan, Utah. He was an East High Leopard. He served in the Spanish-American mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for two and a half years, bragging about the large grapefruit grown in one of the areas in Texas where he served. He served in United States Army in an airborne unit as a field radio repairman, but did not jump out of a “perfectly good airplane” when encouraged by the Sergeant. When LeRoy’s father completed one of the plastering jobs, the payment was flight instruction, so LeRoy had a private pilot license for a while. LeRoy married Janet Dolores Merrill in the Salt Lake Temple on August 10, 1956. LeRoy tried to complete a degree in electrical engineering at the University of Utah, but they were blessed with five children: Franklin, Douglas (Denise), David (Pam), Steven (Mary), and Dawna (Clark Sessions), eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. LeRoy worked for Univac 22 years. During the years at Univac, LeRoy and Janet spent a year and a half in Germany with their then four children in the early 1970s. This assignment was with the last maintenance team for the Sargeant missile system where he was a navigation system technician. With the family in tow, visits were made to nine European countries, and West and East Berlin (then divided). He was also a technician for several computing systems at Univac, and was granted a patent for a wire wrap mechanism, the first patent for a technician at Univac. LeRoy worked at BSD Medical as a technician and installer. In this position, he visited Denmark, Stanford University, and Japan. He also visited in Hawaii four times, on the way to and returning from Japan (the airport in Honolulu). LeRoy worked at Radio Shack in the old Cottonwood Mall to keep busy in retirement. LeRoy was a handyman, building out the basement bedrooms of their first home in the Murray-Holladay area. He helped his children do the same. He worked for his brother Darry installing electrical and plumbing. LeRoy served in the church in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. He went to many camps with the boys. He was a ward clerk for many bishoprics. Some highlights were service with Janet as ordinance workers in the Jordan River Temple and a mission in the Family History department of the church. LeRoy also was a counselor in a bishopric. LeRoy passed away on September 29, 2023, at the Cedarwood Senior Living Center in Sandy, Utah. We appreciate the Cedarwood staff who have been very attentive to his needs, and enjoyed his “zingers”. We also appreciate the hospice care that was provided by Canyon Home Care and Hospice. LeRoy was preceded in death by his parents, wife Janet (married 66 years), son Franklin, and brother Darry. He is survived by his sister, Sharon Noorda. A graveside service will be held on Friday, October 6, 2023 at 1:00 pm, at the northeast intersection of Hillside Avenue and Uinta Avenue, in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Utah.