Joseph James Ream (78) died November 3, 2018. He was born June 16, 1940 in Spanish Fork, Utah to Sarah Mildred Evans Ream and James Ottimer Ream. He and his sister Sharon grew up in Spanish Fork with their mother. She taught them to work hard, to be frugal and to be kind to everyone. Joe attended Spanish Fork High School, where he participated in drama, played the drums and played on the tennis team, basketball team and baseball team. He had a particular love for baseball and spent many hours on the baseball field honing his skills.
When he was nineteen, he met Kay Swenson at a church dance. A year later on November 27, 1959 they were married. Four years later to the day they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.
Education was important to him. He attended Snow College for a semester then transferred to Brigham Young University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He supported his wife, children and grandchildren in their educational pursuits.
After college he was hired by State Farm Insurance in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he would spend the next 38 years building a successful business and receiving several awards for his work. He loved America. In fact, his last official act was to vote in the upcoming election. He was a member of a political activist group called Citizens for Responsible Government. He served as a committee member and as chairman. They vetted candidates and supported those that were fiscally conservative and moral in their views.
He loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a talented leader and served in many leadership callings including: elders quorum president, on five high councils, state and regional athletic director, counselor in two bishoprics, bishop and counselor in the Stake Presidency. He served in many other capacities and devoted himself to each calling as if it were the most important calling in the church. He served a CES mission with his wife in the London England South Mission and supported all of their children and 4 grandsons on missions.
He was a man of great integrity. He loved people and was interested in the details of their lives. He had an uncanny ability to remember names. He was generous with his time and means. He had a standard of excellence in everything he did.
In his spare time, he enjoyed creative projects such as refinishing furniture, interior decorating, landscaping and gardening. He even learned how to make beautiful and unique stain glass windows. He loved to travel and took his family on several trips exploring the United States. He and his wife travelled the world visiting over 30 countries. He loved trivia and a good joke.
He devoted his life to his family. He was supportive in their pursuits and proud of their accomplishments. He loved his grandchildren and attended their birthday parties, ballgames, concerts and other important events in their lives.
He was preceded in death by his mother Mildred Ream and survived by his wife Kay Swenson Ream (Highland, UT), his children: Shelly (Marcus) Clark, (Kaysville, UT) Rex Ream,(Highland, UT) Kristen (David) Powell, (Las Vegas, NV), Todd (Jennifer) Ream, (Henderson, NV); foster son Jay (Karri) Deschine, (Fort Hall, ID) Thirteen grandchildren: Shone, Kelli, Benjamin, Jason, Amber, Seth, Jessika, Heather, Ashley, Brandon, Ryan, Jaden, Jared and eight great-grandchildren: Mona, Katelyn, Charlee, Douglas, Kenah, Alexander, Merrick and Kayson; sister Sharon (Frank) Meyer, (San Francisco, CA).
Funeral services will be held Friday, November 9, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. located at the Highland 15th Ward, 5212 West Country Club Dr., Highland, UT, with a viewing prior from 9:45-10:45 a.m. Family and friends may also visit Thursday, November 8, 2018 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 187 South Main Street, Spanish Fork, Utah.
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