Our husband and father William (Bill) Horace Anthony, of Taylorsville, Utah age 83, passed away on September 6th, 2022, after a courageous 6-year battle with lung cancer.
Bill was born on June 3, 1939, in Salt Lake City, Utah to parents Rebecca Alice Chapman & LeRoy Anthony and married the love of his life Flora Freeman on July 3, 1962. Their marriage was later solemnized for Time & All Eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on March 18, 1966. Bill and Flora just celebrated their 60-year wedding anniversary this past July.
Bill was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities. He especially loved studying his scriptures and serving in the Temple, where as a patron, he kept a journal of all the names he served as proxy for while in attendance. Bill always looked forward to the day when he could not only once again renew relationships with old relatives, but also meet these men for whom he had acted as proxy and begin new friendships with them. Bill had the opportunity to visit every Temple in Utah as well as many Temples outside of the state.
Bill has always had a great love for America and in 1956 he enlisted in the US Navy where he served for 3 years. He expressed his patriotism often through his flag displays and love of military service. Flag day was a very special day because not only did it give him the chance to display his patriotism but is also his wife Flora's birthday.
Bill worked for Weir Pump Specialty for 25 years in various capacities and valued hard work. Early on in his employment, he attended welding school two nights a week and in 1975 he won the Governor's Craftsman award. As Bill grew in his career, he became the foreman of assembly and shipping and spent 26 years in this role. Prior to retiring, he spent the last 5 years of his career traveling for trade shows.
As an avid Ute fan, he enjoyed attending Football games and Gymnastic events. He had a passion for gardening where he kept a very tidy garden of vegetables, herbs, and fruits. He was also known for his very organized tool shed and garage where every tool had its place. Bill also loved reading, country music, fishing, hunting and boating.
Bill is survived by his wife Flora, sons William Anthony Jr, Todd Anthony, and daughter Sherry (Troy) Guevara, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren: his brother Roy Anthony and sister Bonnie Wahlen.
Bill is now free of earthly suffering and reunited once again after many years apart with both his mother and father. Bill is preceded in death by his parents LeRoy Anthony and Rebecca Chapman Anthony and brother-in-law Nolan Wahlen.
Funeral Services will be held at 11a.m. on Tuesday Sept 13, 2022, at the Bennion 19th Ward, 6250 South 2200 West in Taylorsville. A viewing will be held prior the funeral at the ward beginning at 9:30 a.m. Interment to follow services at the Memorial Redwood Cemetery.
Funeral services will be streamed via Zoom.
We love you Uncle Bill. Such fond memories of your kind and gentle nature. You are a great man and we can only imagine the wonderful reunion you are having. Love to the entire family.
My deepest condolences to your family. I will always remember Bill’s laugher his love of the sunshine and his love for this country. To this day when I put my flag out my thoughts go to Bill. Sending prayers and comforting hugs. I am so sorry for your loss.
My fondest memories of my father are all of the camping, fishing, and hunting trips and the love for the outdoors. His pride for this country and the love for his landscape was a daily routine. He loved the outdoors was always visible. He loved his family and this country and the Lord above everything else. You are dearly missed and I love you so much.
Your proud son, William jr.
Todd and Family
I was so sad to hear about the loss of your father. Sending prayers your way. I know you have a lot of great memories of him , I hope they comfort you. I’d love to help you in any way possible. Let me know what I can do.
Betzaida and Family!
To the Bill Anthony family: I want to express my sincere feelings of sorrow for your loss. Bill has been a great friend since I moved into the neighborhood in 1977. Our enjoyable conversations that we had while working in our yards will be missed. He was one of the good guys. Mike Ellsworth
Memories have flooded my mind these past few days dad. Your perfect handwriting and post it note reminders. I am grateful you were my biggest supporter at my dance performances. I loved listening to the recordings over and over hearing your voice say; "There she is Flora, right there." Sitting at my bedside in the hospital when I crashed my bike, talking to me and giving me gum to distract me from the stitches I was given and after going on bike rides with me on canal road. I inherited your love of reading, a love for the ocean, the importance of History and the American Flag, Native Americans, fireworks and the 4th of July, county music, watching PBS TV and still today I so love Anne of Green Gables. Thank you for that blessing when my 4th child was being delivered. Allowing me to take you to your first few treatments. Nothing you taught me more compares to the Love I know you have for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Enjoy your long awaited reunion with grandma and grandpa. With love, Sherry
please accept my condolences at this difficult time, Although no words can ease the loss you bear, know you're very close in my thoughts and prayers
Sorry we couldn’t make it to Bill’s services. I will really miss Bill - he was a great friend. I enjoyed “sluffing” Sunday School in the hall of the chapel with Bill, Butch and Marty Derrick and talking about all kinds of things including Bill’s life experiences. He had a lot of interesting stories. Also enjoyed picking him up for a Mexican food lunch at La Luna. Julie and I will miss Bill and extend our heartfelt sympathies to Flora.
Dad was always my hero growing up he was a very strong person and I always wanted to be like my dad as many have stated he was always so organized always ready for anything, I remember making lists for going fishing and hunting making sure we had everything thing stuff like that was just how he was. The biggest thing that sticks with me is I remember I could always call my dad for help in figure out things he knew so much about all kinds of things whether is measuring something or hanging something or fixing something he was always willing to help me. I told someone this a while go and this has stuck with to this day and this is how I feel about my dad. In the movie "Tombstone" at the end of the movie Wyatt Earp tells Doc Holiday "THANKS FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME", and the day before my father passed I went over and visited him and we had a long talk and told him this and I will always feel this way about my father "THANKS FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME DAD": I will always love you and I miss you so much.
Todd Anthony