Milo Darrell Nilson, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at home on October 13, 2015 after living an extremely full and active life.
Born in Smithfield, Utah on December 29, 1931 to Milo and Audrey Agnes Hogge Nilson, Darrell grew up in Ogden with 2 younger brothers, Gary and Bruce.
He attended Washington Jr. High School and Ogden High School, where he played the trumpet and won the Horace Hyte Talent Contest, playing in a trumpet trio. He was known to say: I tooted a pretty mean trumpet!
Darrell attended the University of Utah on a musical scholarship. While there, he played in the U of U Marching Band/Concert Band. Darrell was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He was also a house boy for sororities, washing dishes and caring for the house yards. He graduated in June 1954 in business administration, and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force.
Darrell met his sweetheart, Darlene Dansie, at the University of Utah in 1952. They married in the Salt Lake Temple on March 18, 1954. They went on to build a family of five children.
As a U.S. Air Force officer, Darrell served as a fighter pilot, flying single engine jets, from 1955 to 1958, in Florida, Texas and Colorado.
He was an outdoorsman. He and Darlene owned a ranch in Francis, Utah for 50 years. They owned and rode many loved horses as their family enjoyed that beautiful area. They traveled the world, reveling in family vacations and playtime.
Darrell was a strong and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He served in many leadership positions, including Elders Quorum President, High Priest Group Leader, counselor in several bishoprics, Bishop, counselor to Don Ostler in the Monument Park Stake presidency, and later as Stake President of that stake.
Darrell presided over the New Mexico Albuquerque Mission. He loved his missionaries and recently celebrated a reunion with many of them.
Darrell had great integrity in life and as a businessman. In 1961, he formed his own financial planning company with partner Joseph M. Newey. The firm lasted for 50 years. He was a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable for 50 years. He served as president of the Estate Planning Council. He was also a partner in Walker\s Country Club potato chip company. He and Darlene traveled the world to see how they made their chips.
Darrell was a hard worker throughout his life and had many great opportunities. In his youth, he watered lawns at the mortuary and worked a paper route for the Salt Lake Tribune, collecting money in a leather satchel. He worked in a horse meat factory during World War II and picked cherries with German and Italian prisoners of war. He went on to work 16 hour days in the Swiss packing area, moving tin cans of beef around in the cold weather. He was also a 25th Street laundry constructor in Ogden. He sold Renaware in college. He also sold rat boxes for his good friend s dad at International Pest Control in Iowa and Nebraska.
Darrell was deeply involved in the community. He served as vice-chair on the Board of Directors of Deseret News. He served as president of Deseret Foundation and in many other leadership positions in the community.
Darrell was an avid sports fan of the University of Utah football and basketball teams since the 1950\s. He also loved spending time golfing and socializing at the Hidden Valley Country Club.
Nobody can deny Dad s commitment to Mom as a loving care giver. She was the love of his life and they enjoyed 61 years together.
Darrell leaves behind four children; Vicki (Kim) Briggs, Pam (Paul) King, Charisse (Andy) Theurer and David Dansie Nilson. He was preceded in death by his parents, his dear wife, Darlene, his son, Brett Darrell Nilson and his son-in-law, Kim H. Briggs.
Special thanks to his care givers, Mafi and Silipa Mahe for their wonderful, kind and compassionate care. They are truly family!
A viewing will be held on Sunday, October 18, 2015 from 6-8 at the Monument Park Stake Center, 1320 South Wasatch Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah. The funeral will take place at noon on Monday, October 19, 2015 at the same location with a viewing before from 10:30-11:45 am. Interment will follow at Larkin Sunset Lawn, adjacent to that Stake Center building at 2350 East 1300 South.
