Gordy, the 4th child of Joseph Frederick and Stella Hutchings Bult was born December 2, 1929 on the family's kitchen table in a little white house on 5th North in Salt Lake City. An active child from a family of modest means, Gordy spent his youth playing on the tracks, hopping trains, sneaking into the circus, making rubber-band guns, digging tunnels, playing field ball, biking to Saturday movies at the Utah Theater, and working a 4:00 am paper route. He attended Uintah Elementary, East High, and the University of Utah Utah and owned his own stage curtain and cyclorama manufacturing and sales company. At 19, Gordy hitchhiked to Alaska with his buddy Bill Lewis to pan for gold, which sparked a deep passion for travel. One of his life's goals was to "travel the world," which he achieved: Gordy traveled to all 50 US states and all 7 continents. In 1949, he enlisted in the United States Navy serving under General McArthur as Yeoman Third Class during the Korean War. As the flag ship's communications specialist, he personally tracked and sent secret messages to US troops trained to attack Korea, while dodging Mig9 fighter planes and submarine torpedoes. Earning several medals, he was honorably discharged in 1953 and returned to Salt Lake where he met and married Jeannine Ruddy Bult, with whom he had 3 beautiful daughters, Laurie, Linda, and Lisa. Divorced in 1969, he met and married Laura Pieros Neilson in 1970 and welcomed Laura's 2 beautiful daughters, Chris and Lori, into his life. Laura and Gordy spent the next 44 years on world adventures: hot-air ballooning over Tanzania, riding elephants through India, parasailing in Mexico, trekking the Great Wall of China, and cruising the Amazon. Gordy had a great sense of humor, made many life-long friends, and was a sweet affectionate father and husband. He will be forever missed.
Gordy is preceded in death by his parents, stepdaughter Lori Neilson Bevan, and grandson Ben Bevan. Survived by his wife, Laura; his girls, Laurie Bult Berceau (David); Linda Bult; Lisa Bult Stevens; Chris Neilson Timothy (Neil);10 grandchildren: Tad Timothy; Tracie Timothy Petersen (Josh); Zachary Bevan (Melinda); Nicolas Peterson (Cassi); Katrina Stevens; Anthony Berceau; Suzanne Berceau; Basil Vetas; Gordon Vetas; and 4 great-grandchildren: Riley, Parker, and Madison Bevan; Olivia Petersen and baby Petersen.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at 2:00 pm at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E. Dimple Dell Rd. (10600 So.), Sandy, where friends and family may call one hour prior to the services.
