Merrill Charles Turnbow

Merrill Charles Turnbow, 83, passed away Tuesday, July 2, 2024 in Cody, Wyoming shortly after arriving for a family vacation. He was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer earlier this year and wanted one last adventure. He was a cowboy who wanted to go out with his boots on.

He was born on April 28, 1941 to Burnell M and Jennette Davidson Turnbow, the eldest of six children, in Salt Lake City. He grew up in Tabiona, Utah working alongside his parents and siblings on the family farm.

Merrill graduated from Tabiona High School in 1959. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Western States Mission from 1960–1962, serving mainly in Montana. He then attended Brigham Young University and graduated with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting.

On April 19, 1968, Merrill married Vicky Klippert in the Logan LDS Temple and together they had nine children. They lived in East Millcreek, Sandy, Holladay, Bountiful, and Alamo, California before settling in South Jordan in 1992. Throughout his career, Merrill worked in accounting, real estate, and brokering. He and Vicky travelled to many places together, including Israel, Egypt, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii and all across the United States.

Merrill was devoted to his family. Both he and Vicky spent countless hours shepherding children to various music and dance lessons and sport practices as well as attending all the recitals, choir and band concerts, musical theatre, track meets, baseball and football games. He herded children and horses to innumerable 4H practices, competitions and parades. He even participated himself in the parades and was proud to ride his horse in downtown Salt Lake City for the Days of ’47 Parade and also for the All Horse Parade.

He was an active member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in various callings, such as elder’s quorum president, gospel doctrine teacher, family history coordinator, high priest group leader, and ward mission leader. He also was a temple worker for eight years along with his wife, first in the Jordan River Temple and then in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.

Merrill was an avid hunter, fisherman, camper, and outdoorsman. He enjoyed riding his horse up in the mountains and taking scenic drives. One of his favorites included the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway in Wyoming, which he very much wanted to drive before passing. On July 5, three days after his passing, his family made that drive in his honor.

Merrill was noted for always wearing his cowboy hat, and recently his family asked him why he did so. He responded. “Because nobody remembered me without it. So I always wore my hat.”

He is survived by his wife, Vicky, and nine children: Diana (Joseph), Robert, Rachelle (Jon), Christy, David (Tracy), Ann Marie, Angela, Jordan (Rachel), and Cameron (Areli); 13 grandchildren; and his siblings, Carol, Joy, and Parley. He is preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Reed and Richard.

Funeral services will be held Friday, July 12, 2024 at 6pm at the South Jordan 2nd Ward chapel located at 2450 W 10400 S, South Jordan, UT 84095. Friends and family may pay their respects prior to the service from 4-5:30pm, and a reception will immediately follow the service at the church house from 7:30-9pm. Interment will take place on Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 1pm at the Tabiona-Redcliff Cemetery located at 5050 N Tabby Ln, Tabiona, UT 84072.