William Coey Stickney April 24, 1933 - October 25, 2024

William Coey Stickney, age 91, passed away of causes related to age, at the home of his daughter, Sonya White, in Draper, Utah on October 25, 2024. He was alert to the end and so grateful for Sonya, Shawn, Laramie, Landon and their family’s love and attention given him in the weeks he spent with them.

As per his wishes, no funeral will be held. Graveside services will be October 30, at 1:00 at the Spanish Fork Cemetery. The Gravesite is located near the cemetery intersection of 100 S and 300 E. In lieu of flowers, Coey has requested that donations be made to your favorite Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints charity.

Coey was born on April 24, 1933 in a railroad crew car on a railroad siding in Milford, Utah. His father was a railroad section foreman working on location at that time. Except for military service, Coey lived all his life in Utah. He grew up in Lofgreen, Santaquin and Mona. He graduated from Juab High School and was a proud ‘Wasp’. After high school, he and his best friend Kenneth Lynn, joined the Army rather than be drafted into service during the Korean War. The friends were inducted on September 4, 1952 and did their basic training
together at Fort Ord in Monterey, California. After basic training, as Coey’s unit was being shipped out to Korea, he was the sole soldier left standing on the tarmac. Somehow his orders (including his whole training record) had been lost. At headquarters, they had him reconstruct his training record, and upon learning of his expert marksmanship, assigned him to stay at Fort Ord as a Marksmanship Drill Instructor. He was sent home at war’s end and honorably discharged on October 14, 1960 with the rank of Sergeant.

While stationed at Fort Ord, he returned to Utah on leave to marry his sweetheart, Anna Jean Hunter, in a civil ceremony at the Lake Shore LDS Church on October 29, 1953. They returned to California and lived in Monterey until the end of his active duty. Their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple on May 12, 1954. Shortly after returning to Utah, they lived in Lake Shore and Spanish Fork, eventually building their permanent family home in Spanish Fork in 1960.

Coey worked briefly for the Union Pacific Railroad and then the United State Postal Service, retiring after 30 years of service in 1989. He loved his interaction with the public during his time as a carrier on foot and bicycle, then as a Clerk working the counter inside. He had many coworker friendships that he cherished through the years. The last 35 years he has loved doing wood projects from his backyard shop and giving them away to friends and family. He especially loved the Ward and neighborhood children who visited him over the years
working on crafts, getting a candy treat or a couple of extra dollars in their pocket.

Coey held the office of a High Priest in the Church and served in many callings as a lifetime member of the Fourth Ward and Palmyra Stake including: Bishop’s Counsellor, High Councilman, Group Leader and many others. His favorite calling was working with the young men as Scoutmaster. For his contribution to Scouting, he was awarded the Silver Beaver recognition. Coey was always an example of service and being willing to ‘lift where he stood’.

Coey was preceded in death by his wife, Jean Hunter, parents Julius Taylor Stickney and Hattie Nalette Peck; siblings Julius Joseph (infant), May (Darrell) Christiansen and Boyd (Ann Pulver). He is survived by his children Jack Lynn (Jeanine Brown), Sharon (Ron) Warner, Deborah (Scott) Sudweeks, Jesse Brent (Melinda Garbe), David Kelly (Wendi Fisk), and Sonya Joan (Shawn) White; 25 grandchildren, 60 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren.

Special thanks are given to the loving members of the Fourth Ward and his close neighbors who have watched over him and served him in recent years. Thanks to Mark Lopez, Gaylen Buckley and their team at Health Watch Hospice who helped make his last days a blessing to him and his loved ones.