Victor Anson Method passed away at 6:10AM Sunday February 22, 2015 in Salt Lake City at the age of 85. Born Sunday December 1, 1929 in Cleveland, Ohio, Vic has joined his wife of 54 years Jean Diersen Method who preceded him in death March 6, 2011.
Growing up in Cleveland, Vic was responsible with his sister Pam for his family, following the death of his father Victor H when he was 13 years old. He often told with pride the story of accompanying his Dad when he was 8 years old to the 50 yard line of the University of Michigan football stadium at halftime of a game to meet Fielding Yost, the famous Michigan coach when his Dad was honored for playing at the U of M. Growing up in the depression and then teenage years during WWII, Vic portrayed himself as a 16 year old and secured a job driving a truck to paint the street signs in Shaker Heights. This provided the family with much needed income and only many years later did Vic find out that his Supervisor at the Shaker Heights Municipal Works department knew full well that he was only 13, but was so impressed with him that he gave him the job. A multi-sport athlete at Shaker High, excelling in football and track, being one of the top 220 yard sprinters in the city his senior year, he was able to attend Miami University, Oxford Ohio for part of a college career and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. With his mother, Frances supporting the family as a single mother, working as an elementary school teacher in the Shaker system, when funds ran out, Vic entered the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He served in postings at Sandia Base, Albuquerque New Mexico and Nouasur AFB Casablanca, Morocco. At the end of the war, a fortuitous exchange of a raincoat with a fellow service man in Paris led to a flight to Cleveland instead of continuing on in Europe. That exchange placed Vic in Cleveland with a car that needed service work at a dealership where Jean was the book keeper. The meeting between the two almost never happened as Jean referred to Vic by his first name, whereas all the other people in the area knew him as Anson, and she did not know who they were referring to. A lovely courtship ensued with their love of sports and coming of age in the 1950s. Their wedding was on September 8, 1956. It is the hope and belief that they are together again, because as Vic said, "If not, what's the point?"
Vic was an executive in the outdoor advertising industry with responsibility for several billboard operations in Michigan and Kansas City. Later in his career he was Sam Walton's first marketing director for the Sam's Clubs. Vivid memories exist from the days Vic covered the state of Michigan for the 3M company and he would drive through the night to make the little league baseball team he coached that Vic and Doug played on, or showing up with bushel baskets of apples or crates of blueberries when the fruits came in season. His process for picking out the best melons or cuts of beef from the butcher is something that all the produce and meat department managers in Park City experienced, and we thank you for your patience and working with Dad on his missions to get the very best items! This led to many magnificent meals and his passion for preparing BBQ ribs that rivaled the best of the Kansas City barbecue joints of his 16 years living there. An additional thank you to the guys at Burt Brothers who were so accommodating in helping Dad with the blue Buick and communicating with him and also others in the community including the doctors at the Round Valley clinic and the pharmacy department at the Wal-Mart.
A lifelong golfer, who shot his age or below his age numerous times, scored a par on the last hole of golf he played in January, number 6 at Nibley Park (picture is following that last par). Vic was a 30 year member of the Wolf Creek Golf Club in Olathe Kansas and he had the opportunity to play many of the great courses in the U.S. and Scotland including the Old Course St. Andrews. That led to a memorable round where through 16 on he was 3 over par. On 17, the Road Hole, after the caddy changed his club, the drive ended up in a balcony of the hotel. On 18, with a fairway as wide as an aircraft carrier, well that drive bounced among the townhomes adjacent to the course. The 80 still was wonderful and a great time by Vic and Jean! He especially enjoyed the comradeship with many of the Park City golfers and rounds at Wasatch and other courses. He will be missed at the Summit County Library where he could be counted on to find a great book and most of the time return it on time, but not after ensuring others in the household had read the book.
Very active until the last few weeks of his life, Vic had a marvelous life and was very positive, caring and family focused. He was preceded in death by his father Victor H (1943) his mother Frances (1991), his wife Jean (2011) and son John Harry (1957 twin of Victor). His older sister Pam Ryan survives him and his children and grandchildren, Victor and wife Denise of Park City, grandchildren Greg and Andrew, son Douglas and his wife Linda of Olathe, KS, and daughter Polly and her husband Eric of Tucson, AZ and grandchildren Chrissy, Jessie and Danny.
A memorial celebration at St. Mary's (White Pine Canyon Church) in Park City is scheduled for Saturday March 14, 11AM. In spirit of giving and the enjoyment both Vic and Jean had with reading and books donations are suggested for the Summit County Library. Donations will result in purchase of books in their names (Summit County Library c/o Director 1885 W. Ute Blvd Park City, UT 84098). Interment will be in the Perry, Ohio Township Cemetery alongside his beloved wife Jean. Dad had a lovely zest for life and view of the world. Dad, we love you, you are our friend, you are a great guy and we send you to your next adventure with prayers of thanks for being a part of our lives.
