Dr. Lester Orlando Hepworth

Lester Orlando Hepworth, 78, passed away on March 1, 2009 at the Sunshine Terrace nursing home in Logan, Utah. He was born in Hinckley, Utah on March 23, 1930, the seventh of 11 children born to Orlando and Fern Elizabeth Reeve Hepworth.
He married Genevie Elaine Talbot on April 8, 1952 in the Manti Temple. To their union was born five children, Julie Gae Hepworth Gudmunson, Richard Lester Hepworth, Connie Lynne Hepworth Kerrigan, Stephen Douglas Hepworth, and Kevin Alan Hepworth.
Lester was a Korean War Veteran where he attained the rank of Sergeant First Class in the US Army.
He received a doctor's degree in Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University in June of 1962.
He had a great love of music. He and his three brothers and his father belonged to a 60 voice male chorus called The Desert Sentinels. He sang in the National Future Farmer's of America Chorus in Kansas City, Mo. He was privileged to sing at the rededications of the Logan Utah and Mesa Arizona Temples. He also sang in many ward choirs and also in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on three occasions.
He was an active member of the LDS Church, and held many callings including Young Men's President, Scout Master, Bishop, High Councilor, and Missionary. He also was an Eagle Scout. He worked in the Baptistery of the Logan Utah Temple for eight and a half years.
He served on the school board in Tolleson, Arizona for nine years.
He was honored by Hyrum City as its Distinguished Citizen of the year 1988 and also as Grand Marshall of the July 4th parade in 2000. He was also in charge of the Hyrum City BBQ for many years.
He worked at the Tolleson Animal Hospital, The Arizona Humane Society, and for the USDA at Farmer John's, Cudahy's, and the Swift Meat Packing Plants in Arizona.
In Utah, he worked for the USDA at E.A Miller's and Tri Miller's Packing plants. He also ran the Hyrum Small Animal Clinic from 1978 to June 30 of2005. He provided his free services at rabies clinics in Cache Valley for 27 years.
He is survived by his wife, Elaine, his five children, two sisters, Thola Kolan and Beth Applegate and 31 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Iola Rae Woolsey, Grace Hiatt, Berneice Palmer and Roma Zeller and by his brothers, Melvin, June and Harold Hepworth.
Funeral services will be held at the Hyrum 11th Ward Chapel located at 600 South 200 East, Hyrum Utah on Saturday, March 7, 2009 at 12:00 pm with a viewing from 10:30 to 11 :30am prior to services. Interment will be in the Hyrum City Cemetery. A viewing will be held Friday, March 6, 2009 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Allen-Hall Mortuary at 34 East Center, Logan, Utah. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net
The family would like to sincerely thank the caregivers at Access Home Care and Hospice and also at the Sunshine Terrace, in Wings 1 and 3, for their tender loving care of our beloved Lester.