Keith Wilford Toone, husband and patriarch, passed away on June 1, 2017 in Salt Lake City after a brief illness. He was 89.
Keith was born in Croydon, Utah to Claudius Toone and Hazel Child Toone. He grew up in the saddle. His beloved Grandpa Wilford taught him to ride and shoot and Keith accompanied him everywhere. By the time he was 12 he was riding the summer Uintah range alone with his gun to tend and protect the sheep.
He attended schools in Devils Slide and Morgan. He was an outstanding athlete, excelling in basketball, track and especially football which he loved throughout his life. He played tuba in the high school band and was first chair in the Utah Centennial All-State Band in 1947. He had a beautiful tenor voice and was in all the school musicals.
Keith wanted to serve a mission but the modest circumstances for his family meant that he would have to finance the mission himself. To do so, he worked for a year for the Utah State Road Commission. He served faithfully in the Southern States Mission, the same mission where his father served.
Following his mission he was drafted into the army but not before his mother suggested that he date "that cute Palmer girl" with red hair that played the piano and organ so beautifully. Keith and Donnie loved to dance and go to movies together and soon fell in love. She waited for him for 18 months while he served in Korea and while on leave, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple, April 18, 1952.
They had four children who learned to work, sing, play, and serve the Lord. Vacations included backpacking trips in the Uintahs, "jeeping" in Moab, and trips to the beach in California. He especially loved taking his sons and grandsons to general priesthood meeting, a fifty two year tradition that will never be quite the same again.
Keith was a businessman who succeeded through hard work and determination. With his business partners they built a successful moving business that continues today. He retired at 55 to serve the Lord.
With LaDawn, they fulfilled a two-year mission to Cebu, in the Philippines where he was a counselor in the mission presidency and a second mission again to the Philippines where he served as a counselor in the Manila, Philippines Temple. After returning he was called to serve as first counselor in the Salt Lake Temple presidency with LaDawn who served as assistant matron. Keith loved the temple and served for over twenty years as a sealer, marrying hundreds of young couples, including many family members. He gave very little advice, instead concentrating on the sacred truths taught in the temple. He knew and loved every word used in making covenants in the temple.
Keith served in many callings in the church but especially loved his eight years as bishop of the Eagle Gate Second Ward. He may have been the only bishop in the church to hold tithing settlement interviews in the homes of each ward member.
Keith will be greatly missed by his loving wife LaDawn, children Roger (Coleen), David (Nancy), Scott (Nancy) and Teresa (Calvin); brother Paul (Janene), nineteen grandchildren and thirty-two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister Velma (Jim) and two angel great grand-daughters, Rebecca and Rachel.
A visitation for family and friends will be held at the Ensign Second Ward building, 135 North A Street in Salt Lake City, on Tuesday, June 6th from 6:30 ‚ 8:00 p.m. As per his wishes, a graveside service will be held at the Croydon Cemetery on Wednesday, June 7th at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages a donation to the General Missionary Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
