Alan Douglas Eliason October 9, 1934 - May 24, 2020

Alan Douglas Eliason, age 85, passed away in Payson, Utah, on May 24, 2020. He was born on October 9, 1934, in Logan, Utah, the son of Orville Lavar Eliason and Zelda Josephine Morgan Eliason. Alan married Barbara Doney of Franklin, Idaho, in the Logan Utah Temple on September 24, 1958. Barbara was the love of his life and he couldn’t bear to be without her for any length of time. They were married for 61 wonderful years. Alan and Barbara were blessed with 8 children, 28 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren, who he loved and truly adored.

Alan was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in various callings throughout his life. He especially enjoyed serving with his wife on two missions that took them to Portugal and Brazil, and as temple ordinance workers for 20+ years.

Alan enjoyed serving in the United States Army as a helicopter pilot. Following his military service, he embarked on a career in the National Park Service.  Beginning as a young park ranger in Yellowstone, his assignments took him to amazing places ranging from Death Valley to Isle Royale, the North Cascades to Saudi Arabia, capping it off as Superintendent at Katmai National Park, Alaska.

Alan will be truly missed by family members and friends throughout the world.

There will be a viewing at Walker Mortuary, 187 S Main, Spanish Fork, Utah, on Thursday, May 28, 2020 from 5 to 7pm.  The funeral will be on Friday, May 29, 2020, from 11am to 12pm. Because of restrictions during this time, the funeral will be for immediate and extended family members, but can be viewed via live-stream through the link on this site. Family graveside services will be at the Salem City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Aid Fund or a local food bank.

How grateful we are to be gathered as family and friends to honor our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and uncle, Alan Douglas Eliason. Barbara Doney Eliason is our dear mother and their 4 boys are Scott, Doug, Brandon and Jared. Their 4 girls are Sis, Sis, Sis, and Sis… known to others by Karen, Kirsten, Cheryl and Brenda!!! To be clear, I’m pretty sure Dad can hear us now better than ever and I want him to enjoy every minute of this!

Each of us has truly been blessed to have Dad in our lives. He grew up in Logan, Utah, one of 6 boys, served a New England States mission, got a degree at Utah State, married the love of his life, served in the military, had 8 children, trailed the US and the world in the National Park Service, then settled in Elk Ridge, Utah until he couldn’t sit still any longer. Then he and Mom fit in 2 missions to Portugal and Brazil. Afterwards, the Island Park home became their refuge of nature and beauty.

Dad Loved God and was a faithful priesthood holder, honest, dedicated and committed to his family, ever loyal to his beloved wife and children.

His life was spared multiple times, from being accidentally thrown out of his parents’ car while speeding down the road, to harrowing helicopter incidents, to a liver transplant that came in the nick of time 17 years ago. Every single one if us were thrilled beyond words to keep him with us a while longer.

He was a biologist at heart and had a knowledge of nature—birds, rocks, trees, you name it, he loved it. He loved every inch of God’s green (or barren) earth, stating, “There’s nothing ugly in nature, only different kinds of beautiful.” I think he thought about people that way, too. He was a kind soul and a peacemaker to those who weren’t as kind to him. He was a humble man. Two of Dad’s favorite quotes seem applicable at this point. One by Thoreau reads, “The inevitable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.” The second by Marsh reads, “Sight is a faculty—seeing is an art.”

He really, really, liked gadgets, like radios or electronics, and from reel to reel equipment to iPads. He always wanted to experience the latest technology even when the technology got away from him.

He had an insatiable appetite for learning, a large vocabulary, and could speak off the cuff to any group of people. He introduced himself to literally everyone. He perfected the art of storytelling, especially later in life…over and over and over, never tiring of stories just as he never tired of the head and foot rubs we generously gave because he so thoroughly enjoyed them. He delighted in puns, the worse, the better! But he said in the beginning that you had to be educated to make a really “good” one, and he thought puns were best to keep the laughter in and sarcasm out as we got older.

He and Mom learned Portuguese, the language of angels, in their 60’s through unusual and miraculous circumstances. As most know, it’s in his blood and he was born to speak it, even until the end. Juli from Brazil called him Grandpa, too, and her family, in their love for us took Dad to see one of his lifelong dreams, Iguazu Falls. He had an innate command of the English language and wrote beautifully. He adored our mother and articulated it often by the poetry he wrote for her. Here’s a piece she chose for Jared to share today:
“My Darling”
As the waters gently roll upon the rocky shore
My longing for your hand increases more and more.

The constant rhythm of the surf with strength and beauty served
Reminds me of our promise to cherish vows we heard.

Moving rocks and smaller till they wash away to silt
But our love instead of grinding down on use, it will be built.

Our first twelve years together with the joys those times have brought
Have spawned to life, a dawning of glories the world has sought.
He taught us to walk fast and hike slow to appreciate and learn of the flora and fauna (I felt distinctively that he wanted me to say those 2 words, flora and fauna!) He helped us hunt, fish, chop wood, make a canoe, drive, snorkel, and sometimes would take us on individual outings to know us better. We hunted arrowheads, green stones, clams and Saudi diamonds.

Mom is a good cook and he would notoriously say, I haven’t had all I want, but I’ve had all I can eat!”

He sometimes seemed to regret that he had’t made as much money as some men. Wheat we had to remind him of was that he and his work provided a richness of life and togetherness that far exceeded any privilege afforded by money. Through numerous miracles, they had more money after going to Saudi and generously took my siblings and I on a cruise that none of us will ever forget. They’ve also kept us together with Eliason Family Reunions, developing and defining the relationships that we now share because of Mom’s and Dad’s dedication to our unity and depth of connection.

When Mom met Dad, she loved him enough to leave her family home and move dozens of times, packing and unpacking with this man on an adventure. “Bless her heart!” as they say in Texas! She was a band kind of girl and he was the classical type. They managed to keep it together. But they were and will always be a team. Their oneness has been a foundational strength and example to all of us. No matter what brick walls we each have smacked into, Mom and Dad’s fasting, prayers, and love have sustained us and continue to give us the courage to carry on. I think Dad will continue to be with us when needed, only without hearing aids and a walker! I’m pretty sure he’s coming to our next family reunion if possible…can you imagine how many gazillions of people there are to talk to in heaven?…We’ll need a darn good ukulele player to compete with that! Just kidding, Dad!

We are so grateful to all of you for your special part in our family and for being here at the bittersweet moment in time. Special thanks to those who have assisted with Dad’s and Mom’s needs these last few years. I also feel indebted to Mom and my brothers and sisters for the tenderness of feeling and unity we shared in preparing for today, even while permeated with sadness. Such peace isn’t of this world. I testify of our Savior Jesus Christ and His perfect love for us and for our family. This piece of the Savior and the love that Alan Eliason continues to give, are his legacy to us. Imperfect as we all are, Dad was an easy man to love in the world of men. We are Dad’s legacy to the world. As our hearts heal and are filled with joy in the life he led, may we ever honor his name and memory. We love you, Dad.