Ted J. Anderton

Ted J. Anderton passed away on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 24, 2022 at the age of 95. This hardworking, humble, generous, family-loving, loyal grandfather, father and husband, deeply touched all within his circle of influence.

Ted was born “Teddy J.” along with his twin brother “Bobbie J.” on August 9, 1927 in the family home in Salt Lake City, Utah to James William Anderton, Jr. and Clara May Nunley. Ted was one of fifteen children born to the family and he and Bob were one set of a total of three sets of twins. Only eight of the fifteen children survived past the age of two. Ted is the last of his siblings to pass through the veil and what a reunion they must be having.

The Great Depression hit in 1929 when Ted was still a toddler. By 1930, facing economic hardship, Ted’s father moved the family to a farm in Brooklyn, Utah, a small community near Elsinore and Monroe. Here, Ted was surrounded by extended family: aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Ted had many happy memories of adventures he had with Bob right by his side. The extended family helped each other on their farms and gathered for family reunions and to share their musical talents. Ted’s family stayed on the farm until 1934 when the New Deal brought the promise of new jobs. Ted’s father had been successful at farming due to his strong work ethic, but he yearned to return to work on the railroad and soon moved the family back to Salt Lake City where they ultimately bought a home on 1700 South.

Ted attended South High School from which he was expected to graduate in 1947. But Ted had become restless and wanted to serve his country. He left school in February 1946 and enlisted in the U.S. Army, Air Corps for a 3-year tour of duty. He attended basic training in San Antonio, Texas and then did his training to be a radio operator at Scott Field, Illinois. Ted served in Colorado, Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, and Kansas, among other locations. Ted was honorably discharged in December 1948. He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal.

Ted began classes at the LDS Business College in early 1949. In February, while sitting in his typing class, Ted happened to look over and saw a pretty girl come into class and sit down. Ted was spell-bound by her. He mustered his courage and went over to introduce himself. She didn’t seem interested but did tell him her name was Norma. Norma continued to ignore Ted’s advances. One afternoon Ted was driving in his 1941 Chevy club-coupe near South Temple and Main Street when he saw Norma and some friends standing on the corner. He offered them a ride and they accepted. This began a courtship that led to Ted and Norma being married in the Salt Lake Temple on September 2, 1949. They honeymooned at Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon.

Ted and Norma lived in Salt Lake City as newlyweds. They both left school due to responsibilities with working and family. Ted was working at a warehouse as an order clerk. In 1950 he enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserves as a radiosonde operator where he served until his discharge in May 1953. Simultaneously, Ted started training at the Railroad Telegrapher School and worked for a short time as a railroad telegrapher for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Ted took a job in Fenelon, Nevada in Elko County and he and Norma moved to this rural setting without many amenities. Norma was pregnant and when it was feared she’d have complications, she moved back with her parents until she delivered son Michael in 1951. Ted then was able to find work at Hill Air Force Base in the Aircraft Maintenance Division where he worked until his early medical retirement in 1974 due to an accident in 1967 while on TDY in Massachusetts that caused a great deal of hearing loss in both ears.

After starting his career at Hill Air Force Base, Ted and Norma moved with Michael to Bountiful and then to Centerville where they welcomed daughter Vicki in 1953. They made friends, joined the Jaycees, and helped with many community projects. They found they loved Centerville and they bought a building lot on the east bench. Ted was frequently called away on TDYs and Norma and the children would frequently travel with him. They lived briefly in Woods Cross and when they welcomed their third child, daughter Julie, in 1955 they bought their first house in Kearns where they lived for about three years. Son Phillip was expected in May 1958 and Ted and Norma decided it was time to build their dream house on their lot in Centerville. Norma and the children joined Ted on a long TDY while waiting for the house to be built. After their return, they welcomed son Gary in 1960. In the Spring of 1961, the Andertons moved into their brand-new home in Centerville where they would live for more than 30 years until they sold their home to help finance their mission. Two more sons joined the family, David in 1963 and Brian in 1970.

Retirement at age 47 didn’t slow Ted down. He continued his hard work as a custodian for both the Davis School District and the LDS church. His service in the Church was never ending. Over the years he served in the MIA, the Young Men’s program, the Elders’ Quorum, the Sunday School, as a Ward Clerk, and in various other positions. In 1968 he was called as a Stake Missionary where he served at Cherry Hill Campground in Kaysville. He and others would show church movies in the evenings at the campground. They would offer tours on Sunday morning to Temple Square and to see the Tabernacle Choir performance. They would then arrange private cars to take those interested. Some Sundays they had as many as 60 or 70 sign up and they would arrange up to 15 cars for the transportation. As part of this mission, Ted also served at the Davis County Jail providing church service for the inmates. Ted and Norma served a full-time mission to Little Rock, Arkansas in 1993 where Ted served as the Branch President in the Hope, Arkansas Branch among other leadership positions. Ted and Norma also served as missionaries at the Utah State Prison working with inmates. In their twilight years, Ted and Norma served in the Nursery, a calling they both enjoyed.

After their full-time mission Ted and Norma lived in Bountiful, West Bountiful, St. George, and Riverton. After Norma passed away in 2014, Ted lived in Bountiful, Centerville, Herriman, and then in Ogden at the George Whalen Veterans’ Home.

Ted greatly admired his father, James William Anderton, and spoke very highly of him and his dedication to his children and to Ted’s mother who had many physical limitations. Ted wrote about his father that he was “…the ideal father who accepted well his assigned mission in this earthly life and that of being a good husband to his wife and a kind father to their children”. Ted wrote that his father was an avid reader, willing to serve and help others, and loved to attend the family reunions and to be with his extended family. It is evident that Ted became who he was by emulating this man whom he admired so much.

Ted will be remembered by his posterity for his deep love of and dedication to family. Ted and Norma rarely missed a funeral or a wedding of extended family members, even if it meant a long road trip. Ted adored his brothers and sisters and visited them regularly. Ted loved genealogy and if you got him talking about his ancestors, he could talk all day. Ted and Norma attended all the family reunions and he served as the president more than once. Ted was always willing to assist family members or friends alike and quietly performed many acts of service for others. Ted’s lifelong dream was to win the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes so he could give the money to his family. As Norma’s health declined, Ted was relentless in caring for her, sometimes almost to his own detriment. He dressed her for church, even putting on her pantyhose and jewelry. Ted loved her so much, he took over all the household duties and physically cared for her until she died in 2014. He was so lost without her and felt her presence with him constantly.

Ted was an avid reader and had a nice collection of books. If you visited Ted, you’d undoubtedly be leaving with one of his books to borrow with a recommendation that he thought you would really enjoy it. Ted loved to sing and would make up silly songs about whatever he happened to be doing at the time. He also loved to dance. Ted had a beautiful yard and garden which he worked hard to maintain. After buying their home in Riverton in their golden years, Ted, already late in his 70s, labored hard to put in a beautiful yard with roses and a garden. Ted was skilled at repairing broken household items, cars, and whatever else needed to be fixed.

Ted was a handsome man with piercing blue eyes that live on in some of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
To his family, Ted J. Anderton was the best father ever. He proved over and over again that he was willing to sacrifice anything he had for the comfort and benefit of his family.

Ted was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Norma; his parents James William and Clara Nunley Anderton; all of his siblings: Ray, Vivian, Carl, Cleo, Thea, James Walter, Faye, James Wallace, Betty, Bob (his twin), Sally, Donald, and Ronald, his grandson Christopher and his granddaughter Robynn.

He is survived by his children: Michael, Vicki (Reynold) Allen, Julie (Richard) Clayton, Phillip (Lori), Gary (Michelle), David (Muray), and Brian (Rebecca). He is also survived by 37 grandchildren, more than 75 great-grandchildren, and many more expected as his posterity continues to grow.

The family wishes to express their gratitude for all of Ted’s neighbors, friends, acquaintances and those who served alongside him in religious or civic capacities. Thank you for making his life so rich and for making our lives so blessed. We know that Ted’s love and devotion to his family, friends, and his sweetheart Norma continue on into the eternities.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at 5562 W. 13680 S., Herriman, Utah 84096 where friends may call between 10:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Burial will be at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery, 10600 S. 1700 E. in Sandy, Utah with military honors by the United States Air Force. Funeral directors: Larkin Mortuary. For those unable to attend, services will be streamed via Zoom. Please click on the "Watch Services" link above. A free Zoom account is required and you must be logged in to your Zoom account to view the service.

A special thank you to the staff and health care professionals at the George E. Whalen Ogden Veterans home for their care of and kind attention to Ted.