Charles Salisbury

1927 ~ 2018

Charles Durrell Salisbury passed away peacefully at the age of 90, January 8, 2018.

Charles was born on April 24, 1927 in Big Cottonwood Canyon to Orian Salisbury and Bertha McEwen Salisbury. He had an older sister, Helen Salisbury Chambers and a brother, Edward Salisbury, both who have preceded Charles in death.

After graduating high school at Lincoln High School in Orem, UT, Charles joined the Navy and was assigned to VJ6 Air Force Squadron and was sent overseas to Saipan.

When the war ended, he returned to his home in Provo where he attended college at Brigham Young University. Upon graduation, he began working with the Bureau of Reclamation where he worked on the Salt Lake Aqueduct and the Duchene Tunnel.

In 1951, he went to work for the Utah Power and Light company as a surveyor and engineer for high voltage transmission. In 1955 he was called on a mission to the North-Western States where he met his bride to be, Louisa May Wisner. Shortly after he completed his mission they were married in the Idaho Falls Temple. At this time, he decided to pursue an advanced education degree, so they moved into Y-View Village at BYU and settled into college life. Louisa worked as a secretary to help her husband get his Masters and Doctorate degrees. Charles was extended an offer to work for the LDS church in their Institute and Seminary program in Burley, ID. He then transferred to the University of Idaho at Boise where they adopted their daughter, Lisa June.

In 1965 he took a sabbatical and returned to BYU to work on his Doctorial decree in Religious Education.

After graduation, Charles and Louisa moved to Boston where he became the institute director at Harvard, MIT and Brown University. Two years later, Charles received notice that there was an opening at San Diego State University. He accepted the offer and they lived in San Diego for 10 years. During this time, he was also the Coordinator of the Church Education program in San Diego. He loved to conduct tours to the Holy Land and to Mexico. He was also a popular speaker for the Know Your Religion program.

In 1980, he was called to be the Associate Director of the Southern California District with it's offices in Long Beach. This consisted of 62 Institutes and over 500 early morning seminaries. While in this position he was called to be the Branch President of the Cambodian Branch. When the branch first started there were only a few members but due to a very strong missionary effort it grew to over 160 members.

In the waning years of his work, he wanted to get back into teaching, so they moved to La Jolla, CA where he directed the Institute at UCSD and at Mesa College. While in this assignment, he was called to be the Bishop of the Young Single Adult Ward.

In 1991 he was called to be a high counselor in the Escondido Stake. Shortly thereafter and upon retirement, Charles and Louisa were called on a Church Education Mission with the Church Youth Development Program in Maui, HI.

Other church callings that Charles held include Stake Missionary, High Counselor, High Priest Group Counselor, 35 years with the Seminary and Institute programs, Associate Director of the Church Education So. California District with offices in Long Beach and a Temple worker in the San Diego Temple.

In 2001 Charles and Louisa moved to Salt Lake City and Charles was called to be a counselor in the High Priest Quorum.

In 2014, Charles and Louisa moved to Cedarwood Assisted Living where Louisa continues to reside. Charles made lifelong friends everywhere he lived and served, and will be remembered for his unending kindness and generosity.

The family would like to thank the staff of Cedarwood for their care and compassion along with the hospice staff who was with Charles until the very end.

Charles is survived by his beloved wife, Louisa, daughter Lisa June Rector and grandson Anthony Garrett Rector.

Services have been coordinated by Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary in Sandy, UT. A viewing is scheduled for 10:30 ‚ 10:50 am on January 11, 2018, at the Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary at 1950 E. Dimple Dell Drive, Sandy, UT, with funeral services to follow at 11:00 am. Grave side dedication will be held there-after at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Charles' life.