Gerald Stanley Rees 1938 – 2023 Gerald Stanley (Jerry) Rees, born 3 May 1938, in Salt Lake City, UT, to Stanley Davis Rees and Helen Deon Gaddie Rees. Passed away peacefully 6 May 2023, in Salt Lake City. Attended Garfield School, Irving Jr. High, and East High School. Member of U.S. Army Reserve 1957-1964. Graduated with B.A. Degree from the University of Utah in 1965. Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1965-69. Certified Protection Professional (CPP) with lifetime status. Career as security professional. Corporate Security Director of Weyerhaeuser Company; other international corporations; and retired 2002 as Global Security Manager, BHP Billiton.
Member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. Lifetime member of the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) with service on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Contributing editor and participant in “Going International – Safely,” a film/video produced by Copeland Griggs Productions, San Francisco, CA, 1987. Primary Author, “Security,” AMA Management Handbook, Second Edition, 1983, pp. 7 – 133 to 7 – 138. Co-Author, “Climbing Our Own Mountains,” Ensign Magazine, April 1981, Volume II, Number 4, pp. 26-29. Contributing Author, “Security: The Essential Corporate Asset,” The Wall Street Journal, August 10, 1978. Contributing Author, “Security Management,” Protection of Assets Manual, Los Angeles, California: Merritt Publishing Co., Chapter 23.
Provided a lifetime of service to others. Active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Full-time missionary 1958-1960 in Southern Far East Mission. Gospel Doctrine Teacher; Counselor in Ward Sunday School Presidency; Counselor, Elders Quorum Presidency; Elders Quorum President; Stake Young Men President. Served as High Counselor in Portland, OR, Federal Way, WA; Bloomfield Hills Michigan; Walnut Creek, California; Houston, TX; and SL Millcreek Stakes. Stake Clerk; Bishopric Counselor; Bishop of Memorial Park Ward, Houston TX East Stake; and Millcreek 2nd Ward, SL Millcreek Stake. Stake Presidency counselor in Puyallup Washington Stake 1977-1984; and Walnut Creek California Stake, 1997-1999. Served full-time couple mission in Africa with wife, Leslie, as 2nd Counselor-Recorder, Accra Ghana Temple, 2006-2008. Assistant Recorder-Volunteer, Draper Utah Temple 2008-2010. Sealer, Draper Utah Temple 2010-2023.
Married Leslie Anne Pearson, 1961, in the Salt Lake Temple. Survived by his wife, Leslie, and their ten children, Jennifer Mishler (Brian); Kimberly Rushton (Addison); Gerald Scott Rees (Michelle); Kendall Pearson Rees (Christina); Shannon De Rossi; Amy Rees Anderson (Rollin); Joseph Stanley Rees (Jocelyn); Andrew Gregory Rees (Katie); Melissa Kistler (Jay); Daniel Sanders Rees (Cynthia). Thirty-eight grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren. Also survived by brothers, Jeffrey (Shawna) and Douglas (Sheri); sister, Anne Woods; and sister-in-law, Ann Jacobs Rees. Preceded in death by father, Stanley; mother, Helen; sister, Martha Lynne Rees; brother, James Michael Rees; brother-in-law, Marion D. “Buzz” Woods; and granddaughters, Camille Mishler and Sophie Rees.
Funeral services will be held Friday, May 12th, at 10:30 am in the Draper Utah Stake Center at 13085 South 300 East, Draper, UT. Viewing Thursday, May 11th, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Draper Utah Stake Center at 13085 South 300 East, Draper, UT and May 12th from 8:30 am to 10:00 am. Interment in Larkin Sunset Gardens. For those desiring to watch the recorded services, please click on the blue "Watch Services" tab above.
Jerry was an inspired church leader with great experience and wisdom. Jerry and Leslie made a terrific couple. I love and admire them both.
Jerry and I were part of a group of 5 missionaries who traveled together enroute to Hong Kong and Taiwan in the fall of 1958 to serve in the Southern Far East mission. We touched base after returning home when Jerry married Leslie and I was dating my wife Marilyn. They gave us some excellent advice that led us to continue our courtship to marriage.
We spoke with them again when Jerry joined the FBI, at some missionary reunions, and from time to time, including later when their son Scott and I both worked for the same federal government agency in Washington DC. Then we lost touch.
I learned one day too late of Jerry's death and the funeral date, so am grieving that I couldn't attend; I live nearby. I watched it on the Larkin zoom and was richly rewarded by what I learned about his life. I had not realized he was a sealer in the Draper temple, my son's temple. What a tribute and blessing the funeral was. My heart goes out to Leslie. I pray that she will take solace in the wonderful life they shared. I hope I can speak with her when the time is appropriate.
