DeLoss Merril Eggleston

DeLoss Merril “Doc” Eggleston passed away on October 5, 2023 at age 97.  He was born July 10, 1926, the youngest of eight children of Joseph Smith Eggleston and Talitha Cuma Cheney. His siblings were Alice Christine, Joseph Wesley, Lola, Selar Orland, Laura, Melvin C., and Dale Lavar.

 

He always thought he was Mom’s favorite: She would insist that he had a place near the pot-belly stove in Bill Calvin’s covered wagon that served as their “bus” to Eden Elementary School, and always made sure he had a ride home from Primary with her in her horse-drawn buggy. He got his nickname “Doc” from sharing similar glasses with Doc Wickstrom from Ogden Valley.

 

Doc was raised on a farm in Eden, Utah until he was 17 years old.  He and his brothers hand-milked 20-30 cows a day and helped his father with the milk route from Liberty and Eden to the Weber Central Dairy on Ogden Ave.

 

He attended Eden & Huntsville Elementary schools and Weber High School on 12th and Washington in Ogden.  He graduated in 1944 from El Monte High School in California after moving there to live with his sister Alice.

 

In California during high school, he worked for Douglas Aircraft who contracted with the High Schools to make parts of the C47 airplane.

 

DeLoss joined the Army in 1944. He was assigned to the 106th Infantry Division, and finished his tour in France & Germany as an MP.  He was honored to receive a Utah Cold War Victory Medal and a Quilt of Valor in recognition of his military service. He was thrilled to go on an Honor Flight in 2015 to visit Memorials in Washington DC with other Veterans. He wore his WWII Veteran hat proudly.

 

After the War, DeLoss was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to France. He was supported by his brother Orland and their Elder’s quorum.  

 

Following his mission, he attended the Sorbonne University in France. He earned an Associate Degree at Weber College, and then a Bachelor of Arts at Brigham Young University in 1953.

 

Mr. Eggleston was one of the original faculty members at Ben Lomond High School. He taught History, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, French, and Driver Education for over 34 years.

 

With military training in driving and experience running a motor pool in Berlin, he qualified to teach Adult Driver Education in Provo. He later taught Driver Education at Ben Lomond High School. He became involved in the National Driver Education Association and as a Director of that group, became involved in developing programs nationwide. He was also involved in getting the State Legislature to finance Driver Education in the High Schools. He designed and was responsible for developing the Ogden School District Driving Range, and operated it for Ben Lomond until he retired. This established a pattern used by many other schools.

 

DeLoss married Joan Wheelwright on June 22, 1951 in the Logan, Utah Temple. Together they raised five children: Paul Eggleston, Ogden, Utah; Karen (Cary) Stark, South Ogden, Utah; Jan (Daniel) Rescia, Concord, New Hampshire; Tracy (Jack Randall) Sparks, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Brent (Lisa) Eggleston, Lehi, Utah. 

 

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Joan, parents, siblings, his first child Etienne, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. He is survived by his five children, fifteen grandchildren and thirty-one great-grandchildren. 

 

DeLoss was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many church positions, including his mission to France, a Family History Mission, and as an Ordinance Worker in the Ogden Temple for many years. He devoted a great deal of time doing name extraction and indexing and coordinated ward and stake Indexing efforts. Through the years his children looked up to him as the ward chorister. This was also his most recent calling.  He was a great gospel teacher and youth leader. He served as a Ward Executive Secretary and on the Stake High Council.   

 

Doc enjoyed social groups and associations.  He and his wife Joan were members of the Ogden Quarter Promenaders (a square dance club), serving as presidents in 1971. For many decades they enjoyed monthly activities with the Merry Makers (a group of friends).  They enjoyed traveling with the Geodicipolus (another group of friends who enjoyed studying rocks and rock formations). He was active in the Ogden and Lehi Chapters of the Sons of Utah Pioneers and the American Legion (Posts 9 & 19). He was also a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. 

 

DeLoss enjoyed a good golf game.  However, he mostly enjoyed the sociality of the game.  He loved weekly tee times with his wife, family or temple buddies.  Ward tournaments were his favorite. He enjoyed traveling, especially visiting his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and other relatives. Thank you for letting him stay with you.  

 

Thank you for letting him be a part of your lives!

 

Please join us for a Celebration of Life Friday October 13, 2023 between 6:00-8:00 p.m. at 2178 N 1200 E, in Lehi, UT. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday October 14, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may visit with family at the mortuary between 9:30-10:30 a.m. Interment will be directly following the funeral at Lindquist's Memorial  Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road, South Ogden, UT. 

 

The family extends thanks to the staff and nurses at Dignity Home Health and Hospice and Right at Home who assisted in his last days!