Donald Rex Lankford April 26, 1941 - January 9, 2024

Donald Rex Lankford was born on April 26, 1941, in Silver City NM. Don came from humble beginnings. He was the son of a miner and as a result moved nearly two dozen times during his upbringing.  He worked as a young child to help the family earn extra money and often told stories of hand sorting hot uranium as an 8-year-old. For part of his early teens, his bedroom was an old military tent just outside the parents’ one room cabin by Monticello, Utah. Here he played in the Blue Mountains and was introduced to the LDS Church by his best friend, Bobby Cummings.

Don loved sports and played fullback and defensive end at San Manuel High School in Arizona before his parents moved again, forcing him to move in with his aunt and uncle in Sacramento CA at the end of his senior year.

Following his illustrious 2.0 high school GPA and high school graduation, Don enlisted himself into the U.S. Marine Corps. While stationed at El Toro Marine Corps Air Base, he met Marylinn Goodsell of Tustin CA. Here they played at the beach, danced together, and fell in love. Together, they never placed anything other than first at a dance competition. One week prior to his deployment to Japan, Don and Marylinn married in the Los Angeles Temple. Don returned 13 months later at 6’2” and 230 lbs. He was recruited to play both football and volleyball at BYU, including a personal letter from legendary future Olympic Team Volleyball Coach, Carl McGown. He turned down these offers to focus on his schooling and his young family in order to become the first in his family to either attend or graduate college. Proving himself to his skeptical father-in-law, Don worked full-time while attending BYU, and completed his bachelor’s degree in just three years. He then obtained an M.S. in Psychology from The University of Utah and obtained his LCSW.

Don and his young family settled in Payson, Utah in 1969, where he stayed until his passing.

Don’s professional life was dedicated to his family, the community, and helping others. He held the unpopular, yet progressive belief at the time, that marriage, substance abuse, and mental health issues should be addressed with health professionals as opposed to strictly religious clergy. His work was a lifetime contribution to the field of counseling and mental health in Utah. He was a founding member of The Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists and served as an associate editor for their Journal. He served as President of the Utah County Mental Health Association and was a member of the State Mental Health Board. He helped establish the mental health units at both Utah Valley Hospital and Mountain View Hospital in Payson. Don helped write the statutes for child sex abuse in Utah County that are still used by the courts today. For five years, Don served as an LDS substance abuse missionary, counseling individuals in Utah County. He finished his career with the Utah State Prison system running the substance abuse program in Beaver Utah. Mingled into his professional career, he served on the Payson City Counsel, was the co-founder of the Payson Scottish Festival and served as the Chairperson for the festival’s first two years before turning the reins over to Helen Scott.

Don loved watching his kids play sports, dance, and play their instruments. His six children: Aaron Lankford, Julie Mata, Lolly Delli Gatti, Adam Lankford, Dina Paulson, and Eli Lankford followed their father’s example by obtaining a combined five master’s degrees and a doctorate degree. While Don loved sports at both Utah and BYU, he always bled blue. Don was an avid fan of all BYU sports, both men’s and women’s.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marylinn Lankford; six children, 26 grandchildren; and his sister, Karen Green.

Donald Rex Lankford passed away peacefully on January 9, 2024, as a patriot, servant, father, and friend. Oorah!