John Dale Syme, age 56, passed away at home on March 10, 2021 in Payson, Utah after a hard-fought battle with cancer. He is the fourth of six children born to John L. and Joan W. Syme. John D. was born in Provo, Utah and graduated from Provo High School. He went on to attend Dixie State University, graduating in Aviation Mechanics.
He married Kimberly Coulson on February 18, 1984 in the Provo Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They were blessed with two sweet boys, Derek and Spencer, on October 12, 2000.
At the time of his passing he was in his 30th year working for SkyWest Airlines in Salt Lake City. He excelled in his profession, learning everything he could about each airplane he worked on. There was no function on a plane he did not understand nor malfunction he could not repair. He took his job very seriously, knowing people’s lives were dependent upon his thoroughness. He made many loyal and loving friends during his time at SkyWest and treated his associates with equality. To him, no person was above or below anyone else.
John’s other interests included projects with Derek, wood-working, golf, skiing, and tinkering in his workshop. If there was anything that needed to be built or fixed, especially if it had an engine, he was the guy to do it. He figured that if someone else’s hands could make something, so could his. Many would agree that he could do it all and deliver it with a smile!
To know John D. was to be served by him. Service to family, friends, and neighbors was his trademark and one of his biggest concerns and achievements. He spent his life seeking to lighten the load of others!
He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, their son Derek John Syme, his parents John and Joan Syme, his two brothers Les (Gaylene) Syme and Alan (Michelle) Syme, and his two sisters Laurie (Creig) Rowley and Jennie (Lance) Smith. He was preceded in death by his son Spencer Clayton Syme and brother Scott Williams Syme.
A viewing will be held on Monday March 15, 2021 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Walker Funeral Home (587 S. 100 W. in Payson). Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday March 16, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. with an additional viewing held for one hour prior, from 9:30-10:30 a.m., at the Payson Mountain View Stake Center located at 75 S. 600 E. in Payson, UT. Interment will be at the Payson City Cemetery immediately following funeral services.
There will be a livestream of the Funeral Services for John on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.
After clicking on the link below, scroll down to the FUNERAL OF JOHN SYME
LIVESTREAM LINK FOR JOHN SYME FUNERAL SERVICE
18 Condolences for John Dale Syme
Condolences(18)
Brett Dawson says
March 12, 2021 at 3:57 pmJohn D. –
I will remember you most for your smile.
You always had a smile you were ALWAYS happy and cheerful. You were willing to help out anyone at any time in any way you could no matter the task. I think You truly exemplified and modeled the spirit and attitude of Grampa Williams in every aspect of your life. Kindness, willingness, & helpfulness was your motto and your life portrayed it.
Efrain Amador says
March 12, 2021 at 4:22 pmNo matter how you see it, the passing of our dear friend Johny was a massive loss. He was not only the best mechanic on the floor, but also kind, and always doing the right thing. I don’t know anyone at work who doesn’t like Johny, and I can bet my soul that this was the case everywhere he went. I’m really having a hard time getting to the idea of what happened, but at the same time relieved that he’s finally relieved from his illness. Saying that he will be missed is an understatement. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Know that he was loved at work too.
Kameron Larsen says
March 13, 2021 at 4:56 amJohn was one of the most genuine person I’ve ever met in my life. Always had a positive outlook and work hard to fix anything. I will miss him and his example. John made the people around him better. John made the world better. To his family I am sorry for your loss.
Heather Burton says
March 13, 2021 at 7:13 amIt is a rare thing to know someone who has only ever been kind and caring to you. That person in my life is John…and I know he has been that kind of son, brother, uncle, friend, and more to so many.
One thing he said recently keeps running through my mind: “We need to stop talking about what we’re going to do, and just do it.” In my eyes, John exemplified spontaneous giving and service. I’m thankful for his parents who raised him, and for my sister who captured his heart and brought him into our family. Sending love to all who mourn his passing.
Nothing will be the same without John…that is, till we meet again. I can already imagine the great big hug he’ll give. His were the best.
David Moxham says
March 13, 2021 at 5:19 pmI will always remember Johns smile, and laughter. He had such a good heart, he was always positive, even to me, just a pilot…
John treated me with respect, sincerity, and kindness. he will be greatly missed.
Tracy McCoy says
March 14, 2021 at 4:59 amIt has been said “It is easy to love someone who loves you first. ” That statement applies to John as the giver of first love. How fortunate I have been to be a work associate with John – and all of us who have been able to spend time with him at work. He is a person that all are pleased to know him, employers want more like him, parents and family forever love him. John Syme -what a remarkable influence for good! “The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life”
Elder Russell M. Nelson
Bryan Gambles says
March 15, 2021 at 9:54 pmThe first time I met John was at the majestic hangar when he was a cleaner and he would always ask me if he could help, to get to know the airplane because he was becoming a mechanic. We became very good friends. Later when we opened up our new hanger and John was a mechanic, I was working with John and he got to taxi his first Metro to the gate by himself. When he got to the gate his battery was almost dead and the off button wouldn’t shut down the engines. He called me on the radio and asked me if I could help.
I told him I would be there shortly but then I got distracted. By the time I got to the gate it was very dark in the aircraft, I hooked up aircraft power and told him to shut the airplane down. When he got up to get out of the airplane he was so nervous that he walked down the stairs and went right to his knees and crawled away from the airplane.
We had a good laugh over that. John was the kindest friend anyone could have. I’ve known John his entire career at Skywest and I will miss him very much. We are all lucky and blessed to have known him.
Hilary Dalton says
March 13, 2021 at 11:16 pmMy childhood neighbor, JohnD (to distinguish him from his father, John), was a sweet, goofy, boy’s-boy. Our birthdays were three days apart. For years we celebrated by yelling from our respective front yards our birthday wishes for each other across 1550 West Street. His sparking blue-green eyes, framed by luxurious, thick black lashes, were his second-best feature. The first: his guileless heart. I love you, JohnD, and weep for your suffering and now, absence.
Donna Gray says
March 14, 2021 at 1:29 amJohn was one of my favorite people in the world he was kind caring loving and genuine. I am so sad that the world has lost one of its brightest stars. The influence he has had on me and many people around me has been profound. I pray for your family John and Thank them for sharing you with us. I am blessed to have had you in my life for 24 years and know heaven just got a lot brighter. Love you so much and always miss your smile.
Tracy McCoy says
March 14, 2021 at 5:35 amIt has been said “It is easy to love someone who loves you first.” John truly was a giver of first love and I, and I believe all of us at work, find that statement applies to John with an exclamation point!
How overwhelmingly fortunate it has been to know and work with John. He has been an unassuming sharer of good. He helped all of us to feel valued. He typified what all of us at work would like to be more like, what an employer wants more of, what his parents were always pleased and proud to be able to say “He is our son!” To be and work with John Syme has been an unquestionable blessing.
“The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life”
Elder Russell M. Nelson
Shawn Jubeck says
March 15, 2021 at 2:04 amJohn made my life better and everyone around him better. He was one of the few people that made the world a better place. I consider him a brother and loved him as one. He was one of the few people that I would drop everything to help. He will be missed.
Cherie Egan says
March 14, 2021 at 7:41 pmTo Les and Gaylene: So sorry to read of the loss of your brother. May sweet memories bring you comfort and peace.
Ana Jiron says
March 16, 2021 at 4:04 pmMy sincere condolences to the family, Jhon a person full of life and with the heart of an Angel. now heaven rejoices to have you with the rest of its angels. Rest in Peace
Bryan Peacock says
March 17, 2021 at 3:26 pmMy heart hurts knowing that John is not here. But he is off onto his next journey and big adventure to help so many people on the other side of the veil just like he did here.
I had the greatest opportunity to work side by side with John many, many times for 3 years working as a mechanic on night shift. If the supervisor assigned you to work with John or on the same crew as John that night, it was going to be a fun and enjoyable night!
John was all about getting the job done and getting it done right, but the job also had to be done with some joking around, laughter, playing a few innocent jokes, tossing around a few hot tamales candies at people while they were working or passing by, starting snowball flights when planes came into the hangar with snow on the wings. The most enjoyable times remembered with John was when he would grab a butt scooter and sneak behind the person driving the hangar floor cleaning machine (Zamboni) to grab a free ride around the hangar floor. John would see how long it would take before he was noticed getting a free ride. Soon there would be a chain of about 15 mechanics on butt scooters making huge chain of mechanics while sitting on butt scooters and grabbing the person ahead and the person behind and seeing how long we could all hang on for dear life! When the Zamboni went around the corners usually resulted in mechanics and butt scooters flying everywhere with a breakout of hilarious laughter. We would do it again and again.
Also at the end of night shift when all of the planes were finally out of the hangar, John would get his green rollaway tool box moving across the hangar floor at a fast pace, then jump on top of his tool box and ride it like a surfboard to the other side of the maintenance hangar with this big grin on his face.
John has a charismatic smile and laugh that I will always be able to see and hear in my mind that will always bring me joy. John has left and great impression on me and everyone he has met. He is truly one of the greatest and most Christ like people that I have ever known. My sincerest condolences to John’s wife Kimberly and son Derek and to John’s family as well.
Darin Smith says
March 18, 2021 at 11:41 amJohn was the best mentor and friend anyone could ask for. He always had a smile on his face and when you left him you were in a better mood. He would drop everything and help you with whatever you needed and do it with a smile on his face. The world has lost a great person but he will always be with us because he will be remembered. I only knew him from work but he helped me in many ways I could never repay. God broke the mold after making John, there are not many like him. God speed my friend.
Brad Smith “Bucky” says
March 18, 2021 at 8:41 pmI’m going to miss this kid. He made all the difference at work & play. No one can match John’s thoughtfulness and genuine friendship. He was a true friend.
Gone but never forgotten!
Michael "Mac" McDaniel says
May 26, 2021 at 11:22 pmI met John the very first night I started work as an aircraft mechanic for SkyWest in July of 1998. My first impression of him was of a man of boundless energy, with a big heart. As it turns out I was not wrong.
John came to work with a giant smile and left for home at the end of a long night still smiling. I never saw him once without that love of life grin on his face. Of the many people I worked with, he stood out. A professional in his career, a caring compassionate man as a co-worker, and a proud father and loving husband. He was an example and mentor for each new mechanic who was lucky enough to work for him.
I left SkyWest a decade ago, but the example John provided, the friendship he gave never left me. I have thought of him often these years. He was the kind of person who left a lasting impression on everyone who spent time with him. I was glad I had the chance to work with him.
I learned only today of his passing. The news shook me to my very core. The sadness is deep and painful. John was the kind of person whose passing affects those of us that knew him deeply.
There are too few Johnny Syme’s in the world, and to lose the original is a loss that I just cannot fathom. He was a part of so many people’s life, a person of integrity and honor. A spiritual man who lived his faith. A better man than I hope too ever be, we lucky just to have known him.
There will never be another Johnny.
Keith Robinson says
September 13, 2026 at 6:00 pmStill missing you today my dear brother!!!
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