On a beautiful Monday afternoon in Autumn, Ronald John Carman completed his earthly journey. His loving wife, Nancy, cared for him with deep devotion and remarkable ingenuity so that his final moments on October 1, 2018 were spent at home surrounded by his family. We feel a deep sense of gratitude for friends and family who helped care for him, and we were buoyed up by the kindness of his hospice nurse, Julie, and his aid, Cynthia, who assisted in his care.
On January 2, 1936, Richard and Katherine Carman, welcomed a second son into their family. Ron and his older brother Richard were soon joined by Kay, David and Joan. He had many fond memories of his family and his childhood home on 300 West in Salt Lake City. He called the neighborhood his "old stomping grounds" and his lifelong group of friends the "old gang."
Ron found true life fulfillment in working hard and being productive from the time he was young. His first official employment was doing janitorial work at his elementary school, and following his father's example, he eventually owned and operated his own business, Carman Sealing Technology, for 35 years. The mission statement of his business was never printed and hung on a wall, but was implicit in the way he worked. His clients were his friends, and he was committed to fulfilling his promises to them.
Dedication to God and country was a profound part of who he was. Ron was honored as an Eagle Scout and was proud of his service in the United States Army. He served in The 1st Infantry Division which was nicknamed "The Big Red One" and "The Fighting First." As a true patriot, he felt it a privilege to serve his great country as part of its first line of defense.
Ron loved people and the great outdoors. Each year he looked forward to deer hunting season with gleeful anticipation because it meant shared adventures in the wildly rugged and beautiful Book Cliffs. Running was another way for him to enjoy nature, a physical challenge and great friends. He started running daily when he was 36 and didn't stop until only a few months before the end of his life. He cherished the wonderful group of friends who ran with him in his beloved City Creek Canyon for so many years. Three marathons were a part of his running career, and in the last weeks of his life, he reminded us that after calculating all of the miles he had run in his lifetime, he had run the circumference of the earth over two and a half times. Around the time he met Nancy he was building a magnificent ski boat. Summers meant wonderful and sunny skiing adventures. Everyone from beginners to professionals skied behind his boat, and he enthusiastically and patiently taught anyone who came along.
His greatest love, by far was his family. He loved and honored his parents and stayed close to his brothers and sisters throughout his life. He married Nancy Kathryn Smith in November of 1962 and was sealed to her in the Salt Lake Temple on her birthday in 1985. He was devoted to her and loved her completely for 56 years. Nothing brought him more joy than family gatherings. He loved boating trips to Bear Lake, 4th of July parties, Christmas gatherings, and standing in a bright green field in the Fall while he watched his grandsons play football. For Ron, there was no such thing as too many Christmas lights, and he had a wonderful mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
Ronald is survived by his wife, Nancy Kathryn Smith; his children Kathryn Hutt (Si), David Carman (Sarah Marchant), Matthew Carman (Tiffany); his grandchildren Tessa (Pono), Eli, Adam, Liza, Tristan, Talmage, and Ty; and his great grandson, Ezra. He was preceded in death by his first born son, Ronald John Carman. If the measure of a man is his friends, then he is larger than life. We loved him and will miss him dearly.
Viewing: Sunday, October 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Larkin Mortuary, 3688 West 12600 South, Riverton
Funeral Services: Monday, October 8 at the Westland 8th Ward Building, 7115 South 3200 West, West Jordan. There will be a viewing from 10:00-10:45 with the services starting at 11:00 a.m.
Graveside Services: Immediately following the Funeral Service at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South), Sandy, Utah.
