Weldon Ray "Whitey" Pitcher

Smithfield, Utah: Weldon Ray “Whitey” Pitcher, beloved Husband, Father, Brother and Grandfather passed away January 4, 2007 at the age of 84.
Weldon was born January 19, 1922 in Smithfield, Utah the third child of five, to Nathan Herbert and Gwendolyn Mouritsen Pitcher. He was educated in the Cache School District.
He loved sports and was an outdoors man. He loved to fish and hunt deer, pheasants and other types of fowl. One of his passions was his garden. Weeds did not stand a chance if they got in his way. Everybody that came to visit left with produce. He also had a huge raspberry patch, which many people from the valley enjoyed.
He served in the Army in World War II. He fought in the battle of the Bulge in Belgium and on into Germany and Czechoslovakia. Later he returned to Okinawa, Japan where he spent 9 months. While in Japan he learned the Japanese language and could speak it fluently. He was honorably discharged May 6, 1946.
After the Army he went to work on construction in Lake Town, Idaho, where he met a pretty waitress (Merlynn Smith) at the Ideal Beach at Bear Lake. He spent a lot of time at the Fish Haven Resort where she worked, swinging on the swings waiting for her to get off work. They were married in Montpelier, Idaho on October 4, 1947. Later solemnized in the Logan Temple.
Weldon spent most of his working life as a meat cutter. He worked at many of the different meat cutting facilities in the valley and had many loyal customers.
He had seven children, Bradley (stillborn), Rodney, Susan, LynnAnn, Kathleen, Jeffrey, and Brenda.
Weldon was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Willard and Boyd, his son Bradley and his grandson Bradley Duane Pitcher.
He is survived by his wife, Merlynn of 59 years, his children: Rodney (Carol) of Provo; Susan (Richard) Saltern of Logan; LynnAnn (Gary) Mitchell of Smithfield; Kathleen of Smithfield; Jeffrey (Kim) Bonsall, California; Brenda (Keven) Cook of Smithfield, two brothers: E. Budd Pitcher and Orvid Pitcher both of Smithfield and one sister DeNiece Spencer of Aurora, Nebraska. He is also survived by sixteen grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon on Monday, January 8, 2007 in the Smithfield North Stake Center, 400 North 155 West. Friends may call at the Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 East Center Street on Sunday evening from 6-8 p.m. and at the church on Monday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. prior to services.
Burial will be in the Smithfield City Cemetery.
The family would like to thank the staff at Sunshine Terrace for their loving care in his final years.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Weldon’s name to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 350 South 400 East #115, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
Condolences may be extended to the family online at www.allenmortuaries.net