Funeral Service

“My dear brothers and sisters, we have met on this very solemn occasion to pay our respects to Brother Theron Milton Ashcroft. We wish to recognize the presence of his many friends and relatives on this day. We are grateful for your attendance. It is a great tribute to Brother Theron to have you here and to pay honor on this day to this great man. Brother Theron has been a loving husband, father, a grandfather, a great grandfather, and an outstanding citizen of our community and a member of this ward for many years. Brother Ashcroft was born September 28, 1906 in Hyde Park, Utah. He married Lucretia Parsons May 29, 1929 in the Salt Lake Temple. He is survived by his wife and five daughters: Mrs. Anne Judd (Cedar City), Mrs. Marie Hansen (Salt Lake City), Mrs. Kay Ross (Philadelphia), Mrs. Judy Peterson (Chicago), Mrs. Susan Ence (Las Vegas). He was preceded in death by two sons, Charles and Don. The family prayer at the mortuary was offered by George S. Pond, a brother- in-law. The Second Ward choir will sing “I Know that my Redeemer Lives,” under the direction of Brother Doug Knell, accompanied by Mary Jane Seamon, followed by an invocation given by Brother Eldro Rigby, after which the program will proceed as outlined.”

Musical Number: Second Ward Choir, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.”

Prayer: Eldro Rigby

“Our most kind Heavenly Father. In the humbleness of our hearts, we bow our heads before Thee at the beginning of these services for Brother Theron Milton Ashcroft to express the love and appreciation of our hearts for the love we share together in the gospel as human beings here upon the earth. We thank Thee for this good man. The world is much better for him living in it. We thank Thee for him as a teacher, and missionary, and leader in Thy great church and all the great things that he was able to do as a husband and father and grandfather, and the love they share as a family, and the blessings they enjoy. We thank Thee for this wonderful family and humbly pray that Thou bless Sister Ashcroft that she may have Thy peace and blessings to attend her, that she may receive the strength and comfort from Thee that would give her the courage and determination to go forward and serve as she has done in the past, that her family may continue to serve Thee and have Thy blessings of peace and comfort in their lives and their families from day to day. In as much as there are those who are not here this day from this wonderful family, we would humbly pray for them that they may have Thy comforting influence and know of our love for them and for Thy great goodness in them being together as a family. We would humbly ask a blessing upon those who take part this day that they may do so under Thy guiding influence. Those who play or sing or speak to us, that we receive it into our hearts as we remember the life of Brother Ashcroft, that together we may be made better, that our testimonies may grow this day from having met in remembrance of him this day. We thank Thee for the gospel, Father in Heaven, for all that it means to us, for our testimony of Thee and Thy Son and of the resurrection and of us all returning to Thee. We humbly pray now that Thy Spirit will be here and guide and direct us in our lives and give peace and comfort to the family we pray, in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen.”

Violin Solo: LuAnne Brown, “Traumerei”

Eulogy: Elva O. Hatch

“Theron Milton Ashcroft was born in a very humble home in Hyde Park the 28th of September, 1906. He was the youngest of six children, having one older brother and four older sisters. When he was only four years old, the family home was remodeled and enlarged. The roof was raised so that three bedrooms with closets might be built upstairs. When they tore the old roof off to raise it, that night it started to rain, and family members were frantic wondering what to do. But typical of the people of Hyde Park, men from all over town came with their wagon covers, completely covering the roof so that all could go back to bed without concern. Theron’s father was away from home much of the time while Theron was growing up. He was about four when his father went on his first two-year mission to California. Then he was home only for a short time before he went on his second mission—this time to Arizona. In addition to serving two missions, he was called to both California and Montana to assist in establishing the sugar beet industry in those two states. He was only sixteen years old when his father died of pneumonia. He and two sisters were left at home, so he quit school and went to work, taking over his mother’s farm. It was at the old Brigham Young College that Theron first met Lucretia. Here they studied a little together in the library and they dated some. They can actually remember only four dates during their BYC years. The first date was to an old silent movie about a sheik. Their second was to vaudeville and then they went to John Phillip Sousa’s band, and finally to an opera entitled “Hit the Deck.” Then Theron lost track of Lucretia as she graduated and went away to teach school. He didn't see her again for two or three years, then they started dating again, and this led to their marriage in the Salt Lake Temple, May 29, 1929, and this marriage was performed by George Albert Smith. The biggest event of their honeymoon was an airplane ride over the Salt Lake Valley. It cost five dollars and was the first airplane ride for either of them. After their marriage they went back to Hyde Park where they rented a little house for $8 a month and then started to build their own home. In addition to this new house, they also built a new barn and new chicken coops. They had a new car and were making good money on their chickens. Then the depression hit, and the eggs wouldn’t even pay for the chicken feed. This sort of forced Theron to go back to college, so in 1933 Theron started college at the Utah State Agricultural College, graduating with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering in 1936. He worked very hard for this degree. One of his work projects was to sell fish door to door. He traveled to a place in Idaho called Battle Creek where he bought the fish for three cents apiece. He would leave long before daylight, go and get them, then drive back to Utah to sell them. Clarkston, Newton, and Mendon were good markets and he sold these fish three for a quarter. Theron also did chores to earn money while he was in college. He arose at 4:00 a.m., milked cows and fed them, attended school all day and then worked in a grocery store until eleven p.m. at night. They tell me that Theron was not a particularly fast reader, but that once he had read his books he never forgot the information that he read. After graduating from college he worked three years for the government, but this job kept him away from home much of the time, and since he had four children at the time, he felt that he was needed at home. So when he was offered a job at the BAC in Cedar City he was delighted and readily accepted. The Ashcroft family moved to Cedar City July 4, 1939. He taught college full time, but also did surveying for the City nights, Saturdays, and on holidays, but never on Sundays. During his first few years at the College, the administration tried to keep the faculty involved during the summers. This led to Theron and Lucretia’s touring ventures, which lasted about twenty years. As an incentive for summer students, the college offered a series of tours directed by Theron—some short tours, some long ones. Some of the shorter tours were to the Indians, Jacob Hamblin’s home, Brigham Young’s winter home, Hole-in-the-Rock, Mountain Meadows, Dead Horse Point, Arches National Monument. However, the very most enjoyable tours for Theron were those when he took his own family. The family made two trips to Mexico and one to Hawaii. Perhaps two of the most memorable short trips were ones to Hole-in-the-Rock and to Cable Mountain. At Hole-in-the-Rock, the family had taped some old-time music, and then the entire family, old and young, went after dark to dancing rock and danced around the fire to their taped music. What a delightful time they all had. A family trip to Cable Mountain was especially enjoyable. This time everyone sat in the back of the truck on seats that Theron had carefully cut from boards. Undoubtedly, there are many people in this area who have traveled who would never have had the opportunity had it not been for Theron and Lucretia. They organized tours that people could afford and were never concerned about making money. Scouting is another activity enjoyed by Theron. Although scouting had not been going very long in Cache Valley when Theron was a boy, he was one of four boys who were first to receive their First Class awards in Hyde Park. Later on in 1929, Theron was Scoutmaster of the first Explorer troop ever organized in Cache Valley. They actually weren’t called Explorers then, but rather Vanguards. He was Scoutmaster for the Cache Valley Troop that went to the 1937 Jamboree—the first National Jamboree ever held.

Over the years, Theron displayed a great love for farm and farming. He took great pride in having a farm free from weeds. He told Lucretia once that he would give her five dollars if she could find a weed in his garden. Even after his first stroke when he could not stand, he would crawl on his hands and knees from early morning until late at night weeding the long garden rows. Undoubtedly he learned much of this from his own father who went down the rows of his garden with a lantern getting weeds out after he had finished choring. Theron’s father had a little cultivator and since he had to pass the garden on his way to milk, he would take the cultivator down a row on his way to milk and up a row on his way back. Now Theron was very concerned about the welfare of his children and grandchildren. Not only their spiritual welfare, their emotional and intellectual welfare, but their physical welfare as well. He felt the need for all to have a two- year supply. He felt that conditions in the world might be such that family would have to depend on the farm for their food, so they harvested, froze, and canned produce from the farm so that each child and grandchild could have that two-year supply. He sensed the importance of teaching his children and grandchildren how to work and the real value of work. When they worked, they really worked hard, but when it was time to play, Theron was the one who taught them to play. At the time of their Golden Wedding celebration, as miserable as he was, he got down on the living room floor and played with his grandchildren. What a delightful experience and memory. Theron was a master teacher, influencing for good the lives of so many people. He never went any place without meeting one of his former students, one of his missionaries, or someone for whom he had performed a marriage. Undoubtedly, this resulted from his great ability to talk to anyone. He related so well to people and had a beautiful relationship with the Indians. There was a feeling of mutual love and respect between them. Theron held the Ashcroft family together. I am speaking now of the extended family. He organized the first Ashcroft family reunion, uniting cousins, aunts, uncles.

Another great contribution Theron made which should not be overlooked was his many years of service in the church. He was an active member of the LDS Church serving in many capacities, some of which are Bishop, Stake President of the Cedar West Stake, Mission President of the Irish Mission, and he was in the Temple Presidency at the St. George Temple. What a great sense of humor and a wit he had, to take not only his family, but his associates as well, over many many difficult times. If Theron could express himself today, I think perhaps this is what he would say: ‘Dear loved ones. I hope by now that the kind carpet of pleasant memories has started to unroll. I only ask one thing. No sad tears for me, please. Rather, recall with me a fond smile as the husband and father and friend who shared your laughter, tears and dreams through the years. Save your sadness and sorrow for those who go before their time, for those who leave before they experience the many beautiful things of this life. No sad tears for me, please. I lived a goodly span of years and enjoyed them all. I’ve laughed a lot, cried a little. I’ve seen a thousand sunsets and a few fresh dawns, walked in April rain, and watched an ocean roll. I loved a woman and was loved in return. I’ve cradled daughters in my arms and walked with the hands of young sons in my own. No sad tears for me, please. Many victories were mine and they gave life zest. I’ve had defeats and they made me strong. In my youth I raced with young companions and knew the thrill of the finish line. And the roar of the crowd was sweet. And when age came, I was allowed to stand at the edge of the crowd and watch the young people perform. So no sad tears for me, please. Life was good. I saw robins in the spring, watched a shooting star or two, enjoyed the snows of winter, walked under a harvest moon, and stood a time or two on top of a high hill and watched the flickering lights of our town. No sad tears for me, please. Think of the happy times. The Christmas mornings, the grandsons, the granddaughters, the graduations, the weddings, the Thanksgiving dinners, the carefree vacations, and most of all, remember the thousands of times we were all together as a family. No sad tears for me, please. For no one dies as long as there is one person left in the living world who remembers him with fond recall and shares a thought with him, though he has gone ahead. Some day one of you may be looking at the beautiful blue Hanami Bay, and you might feel a sudden soft warm breeze across your cheek. And you will know that I am there. Or you might be standing on a mountain top and if there is a sudden gentle stirring among the trees, feel I am sharing this moment with you. On Christmas Eve, if there is a small star in the sky, look at it with love and let it come into your heart and remember me. A man never really dies while there are those on earth who loved him. A man is never gone as long as there are those who remember him with fondness and as long as his memory evokes a wistful smile. All who have loved and who have been loved have earned a piece of immortality. No sad tears for me, please.’ In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

Talk: President Reed Whipple

“Bishop Petty, President Hatch, Lucretia, Children, Family, Friends: It’s rather difficult to occupy a position of this kind and do justice to somebody who is really a spiritual giant among his fellow men here upon the earth. I hope and pray that while I occupy this position that I might not detract from the beautiful spirit and atmosphere that has been here already. Sister Hatch, those words were beautiful and when we hear of the things that have happened to Theron and Lucretia I think that we would have to say that ‘all these things give thee experience for your own good.’ I believe that if I had a theme that I would like to mention I would entitle it “Let us live to live forever,” because I think that’s the way that Theron lived his life. Not from day to day or for today, but for today and forever. In mortality and immortality. Theron’s motto, I think, was “live honestly and hurt nobody.” We come into this life for mortality alone, and we leave it alone. Life moves in one direction and that is forward. You are never given a second chance to live this life over again—to correct our mistakes. And so I say again, Theron lived to live forever, and what mistakes he perhaps made, I’m sure, would not be important enough that he would want to live them over again or to correct them by living them over. It would be cruel and frustrating if this life were the end of everything. Life goes on so swiftly and death seems to be so permanent, but so, life is everlasting. When would we be willing to part with beloved ones? Who is there among us whose judgment we would trust to measure our life’s span. Such decisions would be for mere men to make. Fortunately, they are made by a higher wisdom, greater than anyone on earth, or any human being. When death makes its visitations amongst us sometimes unconsolable grief or bitterness enters into our thoughts, but should have no place in our hearts, and certainly, knowing the life of Theron and Lucretia, there is no reason to have any bitterness or any reason to question the completion of his mission here in mortality and the reward which he will receive. The greatest strength we have, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a firm knowledge of the resurrection and its reality—to know that this life is not the end—that we will continue after this life is over. And so life is everlasting through the resurrection. Would we call our loved ones back if we could. Our first impulse says yes, but in a more silent moment we must say no. Why? Because we would interfere with the plans of our Maker and attempt to dictate to Him our personal desire which carries little wisdom. We wouldn’t think to interfere with birth, yet death is just as necessary as birth. We must put our trust in a higher power and trust His wisdom in all things. That change in life which we call death is certain, but is no more certain than is the continuity of life that will follow it. As certain, also, as either of these, is the fact that to each of us is given the privilege and responsibility, in a very large measure, of designing the pattern and weaving the fabric of life and what it shall be. Thanks be to God for the clear light of the gospel. What a joy it is to know that men, women, are children of the God of the universe, that they lived with Him in the realms of glory before they came to this earth, and it is our privilege when life is over to go back to Him and look for an eternal life of happiness. We are the literal offspring and children of God. He loves us as His children. We came to this earth to receive a physical body given to us by our earthly fathers and mothers who are endowed with the power to be co-creators with our Heavenly Father to clothe our spirits in a body of flesh and bone and blood—the miracle of birth into mortality. This physical body is the means through which we interpret our surroundings and secure experiences necessary for our eternal growth and progress. We believe that this earth’s experience with all its vicissitudes and adversities, its suffering, separations, sorrows, is a boon precious beyond anything which the mind of man can conceive. We believe that this mortal tabernacle is an integral eternal part of the immortal soul of man, that in the great program of man’s progress, the acquisition of a physical body was a glorious achievement. When we have finished here on earth, we will be preserved in the great hereafter, and in its perfection it will be reunited with its immortal and imperishable spirit, that union which constitutes the soul of man. If Theron could speak to us today I think he would say to us, ‘I go where the love and the mercy and the wisdom of my Heavenly Father wishes to take me.’ Of him who can face it with such serenity, death can hold no terror--and no sorrow beyond the sorrow of a temporary parting. The conviction that death is a change and not an end, a transition and not a finality, has been the strength of those who have passed serenely to those scenes which we all shall one time behold. Death was robbed of its victory long ago, and those who have departed this life yet live, even as the Lord himself lives and again, we shall behold Him—fathers, children, families, friends to renew again all the sweetness of life together. The fact that we do not understand the process by which this will be brought about does not cast doubt upon its reality. Truth, fortunately, is not limited by the present understanding of men. All that I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all that I have not seen. We do not quibble as to whether or not Spring will come again, and yet that we shall come forth from death to life is more certain that Spring’s return. The Savior simply said, ‘If it were not so I would have told you.’ We live in a day of miracles. There are miracles all around us—in every Spring and harvest, in every shower and sunset, in every new born infant, in every breath we breathe and every thought that we recall. Life itself is a miracle, and surely, that we shall live always is no greater miracle than that we live at all. And surely, that we shall come forth from the grave is no greater miracle than we first came forth by birth. When I received a call from Salt Lake City, President Harold B. Lee called me and said, ‘We’d like you to serve as President of the St. George Temple.'’ I was stunned. The October conference was scheduled a few days after that. He said, 'Come to Salt Lake, you and your wife, and come to my office.’ We went to his office. He asked me if there was any reason I knew of that I should not serve. Before I went, I could think of a lot of them, but when I sat across the desk from President Lee I couldn’t think of any of them. And the first thing he said was, ‘I’d like you to select some counselors and let me know who they are.’ And this was a challenge. And during the conversation he paid a great tribute to Theron Ashcroft. He said, ‘Here’s a man that’s just been released from the Irish Mission. He did an outstanding job, he and his wife, presiding over the Irish Mission. I think you’d do well to consider him.” Well, we discussed the call a little bit and my wife and I left, and then a few days after this the thought came to me, ‘Tell President Lee that you would like to have Andrew McArthur and Theron Ashcroft as your counselors.’ I had met President McArthur and I knew him casually. I had never met Theron. And when I called him back and gave him these two names he said, ‘That’s a wonderful choice.’ Well, a few days after that I had called Theron. He came to St. George. I was sitting in the evening, after dark, in the Temple President’s office. Theron promised to be there at a certain time and I went to the door and he was walking across the lawn from the visitor’s center. I opened the door and he came in. We shook hands and introduced ourselves to each other and I knew immediately that the choice was the one which not only I wanted, but that the Lord wanted. I have said several times in the experiences I have had in being a Bishop, a Stake President and church capacities that if I have ever received a great gift from our Heavenly Father it was the ability to choose people to surround me who had the ability and the faith and the testimony to do the job. And in addition to this, of course, to choose the girl that I married as my wife. I’m sure that in all of the experiences I have had as President of the St. George Temple, that that was the one time that I made perhaps the best choice of people to serve with me in a church capacity, and that for almost six years it was one of the greatest pleasures of my life in being associated with these good people and their wives. And just before we were released from the St. George Temple my wife received a present from Lucretia—an afghan. It was beautiful and still is, and with it she wrote this note. I think this typifies the strength of Theron and Lucretia, and this is expressed in Lucretia’s own words. She said, ‘Dear Sister Whipple. A gift of love to keep you warm when you have nothing better to do but to curl up on the davenport with a good book. My love and appreciation for you is woven into every stitch and in years to come may it remind you of my love for you. I have so much admired you for what you do and how you have done it. I do not look forward to breaking off the association. May our Heavenly Father bless you always.’ Signed Lucretia. Well, Lucretia, I don’t think Bertie has got as much use out of that afghan as I have. Service is something that these good people have always had in their mind, and to help people, and to love them, and to honor them and sustain them. And so I say again, that our experience in the St. George Temple was a choice experience. I don’t believe we could have ever found anybody more efficient, more loyal, more faith, more devotion, than Theron and Lucretia, and Meryl and Andrew McArthur. We will always be grateful to them for that. Now, I found these few words, speaking of Theron and Lucretia and their lives and who they are and how they lived. I’d like to give them because I think they apply so perfectly to their lives. One is entitled “Our Mothers”. ‘Our mothers give us everything money cannot buy. A body clean and pure, love and loyalty, learning, listening, trust, understanding, fair and firm discipline, a sense of being loved and wanted, counsel, and encouragement and belonging, someone to talk to, unselfish service, someone we can count on.’ Doesn’t that fit Lucretia perfectly? When I think of Theron and some of the things he taught and things that he stood for, I’d like to leave these few thoughts on happiness. ‘Happiness isn’t something we find by pursuing it where it isn’t. It isn’t found in idleness and indulgence, in breaking laws and commandments. If we want it we better look for it where it is and not where it never was. It is for this that all the laws and counsels and commandments of God are given. Happiness comes with living as we ought to live, of being where we ought to be, by doing what we ought to do. It comes with learning, serving, improving, repenting, trying honestly, keeping the commandments and knowledge of life and of love and of loved ones everlasting.’ And then on reliability. Theron, as you know, taught engineering. I think some of these things bear out his quality and I think this is what he taught. ‘It isn’t enough to be reliable once in awhile. Suppose we couldn’t count on the promises of God or the universe being run reliably. It isn’t the hit and miss performance that makes life possible, but the degree of reliability, dependability, honesty, consistency that can be counted on. Spring returned again. We knew it would. (I don’t know, today, whether we could say that here. In Las Vegas we could. The flowers are almost through blooming and the vegetables are growing.) But anyway, Spring returned again. We knew it would. And it did. Flowers bloomed again. We knew they would. And they did. And many other things that we knew for a surety, with a perfect knowledge. These things, of course, the laws of God and the laws of nature lead to perfection. And that, I think, is one of the things Theron had in mind always—perfection and living to live forever and making plans in that direction. No great truths have changed, no great principles have passed away, no eternal plans or principles or purposes have been abandoned. Honor, honesty, truth, chastity are still not different from what they were nor from what they will always be. I have taken my allotted amount of time. I hope and pray that the spirit of our Heavenly Father will be with Lucretia and the children and the grandchildren. I want to say to them that we may not be able to see him, but he is not far away, nor will he be, and you will be able to feel his presence. I know that loved ones, even though they are out of sight of our mortal eyes, they certainly are with us and interested in our continual well-being, and the time when we’ll be together to rejoice again and renew acquaintances. I can testify to this because of some of the experiences I have had. I was called upon one time to give a talk to the funeral service of Dr. Fautz who I have known for a long time—lived in Las Vegas. Two days after this I was outside in my garden doing yard work, and if he had come to me and shaken hands with me it couldn’t have been any more real. He came to thank me for giving the talk at the service. I knew he was there. I’ve had this experience several times and I know that this is a fact. And I’ve had some glimpse in my life of some of the things that happen and how they are on the other side. I know one time, I don’t know whether it was a dream or what it was, but I was there. It’s difficult to describe because I don’t know words that would fit the beauty of it, but the scenery was in pastel colors—beautiful. I walked through a stream of water and didn’t get wet. Everything seemed perfect—there were no problems, no worries, no remorse, no real thing to worry about. When I came to, I had never been more relaxed in all my life than I was after this experience and after I woke up. So I know that Theron is in a realm of beauty and peace and quiet and contentment, of joy and renewing personally his acquaintance with his loved ones and those who he knew and appreciated. And so I say to Theron, farewell until we meet again, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

Musical Number: Second Ward Choir, “Still, Still with Thee.”

Talk: Conrad V. Hatch

“Dear Lucretia and members of your family. How honored I am that you asked me to be with you this day on this sacred and solemn occasion to honor Theron, which I look upon as being his graduation day. He’s now completed the very beautiful and successful life here and has commenced a new life beyond. I like the thought expressed by Carol Lynn Pearson when she said, ‘Sun and mountain meet. Look, I say, Sunset. But I forget that far away an islander wipes morning from his eyes and sees the same sunrise. What’s birth or death. What’s near or far? It all depends upon where you are.’ I feel that Theron has graduated today with high honors. As we pay our respect and tribute to him I’m sure that we are honoring one of the great and noble men of the earth, and I mean the earth in a very special sense. To me, Theron was one of the most down to earth practical men I have ever known. He loved the soil. He loved the simple things of life—the beautiful things. He learned early in life the importance of preparing a good soil, of planting good seeds at the proper time and of nurturing those seeds through the growing season, keeping the unwanted weeds away and then enjoying a beautiful, bountiful harvest. My, how he loved to work. How he labored. Year after year he planted and harvested. He planted and harvested—values, crops. And of course, he shared these things—always sharing, always giving—a sack of potatoes, a bushel of corn, a bucket of squash or other vegetables. Of course, this was not just a Theron project, it was a family project. Through Sister Lucretia and Theron’s great leadership they shared so much with us. They filled a long time ago the admonition given to us recently by our beloved prophet, President Kimball, when he said at the April 1976 conference, ‘We call upon Latter-day Saints everywhere to strengthen and beautify the home with renewed efforts in three specific areas: food production, storage, and preservation. We encourage you to grow all the food you possibly can on your own property. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard. Study the best methods of providing your own foods. Make your garden neat and attractive as well as productive. If there are children in your home, involve them in the process with assigned responsibility. Well, the Ashcroft family has been doing that for years and years. Work, industry, and thrift are a trademark in the Ashcroft. I remember Don said that one of the great blessings he thought came into his life was that his father taught him to work. I know that Theron and Don had many projects. They had that father/son relationship we like to see. And more recently with David and Charles and other grandsons, this became a grandfather/grandson relationship. What a beautiful example to us. And then there were the flower gardens. Not only at the Ashcroft’s home, but around the school buildings at the College, planted and cared for by Theron and Lucretia and their family. Nor can I forget the Church Welfare Farm’s production and canning. No matter what the occasion, Theron was always eagerly there, whether it was fertilizing, plowing, planting, watering, or harvesting, Theron was an eager participant. I remember one event with special significance to me when Theron was Stake President. One Sunday morning as we were meeting as a stake presidency word came to us that the cattle out on the farm (ranch) had not had water for two days. So it was hurry home, change clothes and be on our way. I believe Morris Shirts was left to conduct a priesthood leadership meeting that day that all of us should have been involved in, but the ox was in the mire. It was time for action in Theron’s mind. Theron was always thinking service, service, service. How well he exemplified that great statement made by King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon when he said, ‘I tell you these things that you may learn wisdom; that you may learn that when you are in the service of your fellow men you are only in the service of your God.

Theron has had a tremendous influence on my life. I don’t like to give him all the credit for Elva and I getting together, but he did have something to do with it, and I’m glad his influence was felt there. I don’t know of another man, or person, except possibly my own father that’s had a greater influence than Theron has upon me. I first met Theron when I came to school at the BAC in the fall of 1940, which is nearly forty years ago. At that time the College was quite small, most of the divisions were one and two-man departments. I remember in the engineering and physical science area Parley Dalley and Theron were the two teachers. Parley taught geology and chemistry. Theron, as has already been mentioned, taught engineering and physics, was the City Engineer also, and in between them they shared the teaching of the mathematics courses. I thought Theron was a great teacher. He had a great way of explaining things so that even I could see more clearly what they were. He made learning fun and hard problems seem easy. He used to occasionally tell us little interesting things—puzzles I suppose they were—new ways of looking at things. I remember one day he showed us that 7x13 was equal to 28. So 7x3 was 21, 7x1 was 7, 21 plus 7 equals 28. You can even prove that by saying, ‘well if that’s true, seven 13s ought to equal 28, so seven 13s. 3,6,9,12,15,18,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28. And then to make sure that we believed what he was saying, he took the third thing and said, ‘now, I can divide 28 by 7 and get 13. So we say 7 into 8 will go once and one over. Seven into 21 will go three times.’ I remember on another occasion he told us about a farmer who had three cows. I mean he had 17 cows and three sons. He wanted to give the first son half of the cows and the other one a third, and the last son a ninth. He couldn’t figure out how he could do that with 17 cows, so he went over and borrowed one from his neighbor. That made 18 cows. He gave the first son half of them, which was 9. He gave the second son a third, which was six. He gave the third son a ninth, which was two. Nine and six plus two are 17. He had one cow left over, so he turned it back to his neighbor. Well, I thought Theron was a master teacher. However, it wasn’t until I returned back to BAC in the Fall of 1948 that I really became acquainted with Theron and recognized his greatness and his great humor and his compassion for others and his interest in a lot of other people. By then I think we had double the number in the department. I was the fourth member then. George LeBaron had joined the faculty two years earlier teaching physics and mathematics. To be around Theron was really a delight. He could lift your spirits like no one else I ever saw with his jovial nature, with his positive attitude. He was called upon by the faculty to be MC at faculty parties, banquets and other events. He participated in faculty assemblies and even faculty plays. He could become a one-man show as he entertained us with his great wit, his interesting stories and his slight of hand performances. He served as president of the faculty association several times. For a long time he was chairman of the athletic council at the College, so he was loved by faculty and students alike. His wisdom and counsel was sought by the directors and presidents of the College under which he served.

In 1955 I went away to school at Oregon State to work on my doctorate degree. I stayed there two years and came back in 1957. I remember when we returned home, Theron came to greet us. It hadn’t been our pattern I suppose to express too much affection, but I recall on this occasion it was more than a handshake as we put our arms around each other and expressed our joy at being together again. He tells me it was something like having a son return home and I felt his love. I remember, too, the A-Day projects on campus when faculty and students would take a day off from classes and beautify the campus. Again, Theron was a leading participant in that—eager, and a leader in such activities. We have also mentioned a little bit about the famous Ashcroft tours and hikes. Sometimes Theron would say to me, ‘Why don’t we take our families and go on a picnic or a hike.’ I remember one day the Ashcrofts invited us to participate with them in a picnic and a hike in the red hills just east of the City. It was on Washington’s Birthday. What an enjoyable experience that was. Sometimes the hike was down in Zion’s canyon along the trails. Another time it was a trip to Cable Mountain. Another, the indian villages in Arizona. Once it was a U.S. and Church History tour of the eastern states. Somehow, Theron always found time to do things. I don’t remember of ever hearing Theron say he didn’t have time to do the things he wanted to do. Somehow he just found that time. I’ve had the privilege of attempting to follow in Theron’s footsteps in some ways, both from the standpoint of professional at school and also church activities. His footsteps have always been clear to me, but the steps were giant ones. Theron lengthened his stride years and years ago. In fact, I see so many resemblances in lots of ways between President Kimball and Theron Ashcroft in their ways of thinking and their patterns of life. I used to think that if I could do half, or even one tenth, as much as Theron has accomplished, how successful I would be. If we could walk as Theron walked and live as Theron lived, life would be most rewarding. We sometimes say that we ought to take a leaf out of someone’s book when we see something that they have done very well. I think we could profit very much by taking a whole book out of Theron’s life. He was so much of a doer, not just a talker, but a real worker. He really lived and put the principles into action. I remember him saying, on several occasions, that the most important part of enthusiasm is the last four letters—I-A-S-M—I am sold myself.. That’s what Theron practiced and preached and lived. He had such a great positive attitude that even when things weren’t going so well he could make you think it was great. I remember he used to have severe headaches. I don’t know if they were migraine headaches or not—I think they probably were, but he would get almost deathly sick. He said on several occasions, ‘I don’t mind them so much ‘cause I feel so much better when they’re over.’ Well, Theron was so enviably successful in many many ways, but I believe the two greatest successes perhaps would lie in two dimensions.—first, his great devotion to the Lord as he served faithfully in the Church. Mention has already been made of scoutmaster, counselor to the bishopric, stake presidency, high priest quorum leader, mission president, a member of the temple presidency, and I’m sure there were other callings. He and Lucretia greatly influenced 500 young missionaries while they served in Ireland. Theron left his teaching position when he was called to serve there. He served faithfully for three years. As has been mentioned, he just returned back home to start his teaching career again when he received a call to be in the St. George Temple Presidency. I’m sure Theron hesitated not at all to accept these callings. In all of these positions he’s filled them with great dignity and with devoted service. But I think perhaps the greatest thing in Theron’s life is his family. As skillful as he might have been in planting and nurturing and growing vegetables and other crops, his greatest asset, perhaps, was his ability and his wisdom in the seed bed of his home, nurturing his children and seeing the beautiful souls that emerged and blossomed and bloomed. I think foremost he was an example of a patriarch in his family. He well exemplifies ‘No success can compensate for failure in the home,’ and ‘The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home.’ Lucretia, I feel you are a great “together family”, a forever family, because of the way you have lived and supported one another, and done things together, and taken care of the things that needed to be done. As I have observed your family I have often thought about President McKay’s saying, ‘I see heaven as an extension of the ideal family.’ I believe Theron has been welcomed home by a loving Father who has said, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord.’ We often sing a song “When we come to the end of a perfect day.” I believe Theron has come to the end of a perfect life. He completed so well this earth life and has now stepped forward to the next one where I’m sure that he is rejoicing as he mingles with his loved ones—his father and his mother, Charles and Don, and many others. ‘No sad tears for me,’ Theron would say. Perhaps not, but we can shed tears of joy—joy for having known such a great individual as Theron, joy for the joy he brought into the lives of others, joy for the influence he’s had upon us, joy for the example he set as he lived among us. May God bless you now as you face the future without his physical presence. I know of your solidarity as a family. How beautifully you’ve lived together. I think you can be assured that Theron will be waiting to welcome each of you as you take the step Theron has taken this day. May the Lord bless you, preserve you and love you. I know your Father in Heaven loves you. I look forward to that beautiful day when you will be together again. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

Remarks: Bishop Cleo Petty

My dear brothers and sisters. I’m sure that we have all realized a great deal of comfort from the music and the spoken words that have been so beautifully presented to us today. We all recognize a feeling of peace and comfort. May I share a few thoughts in closing, and I ask my Father’s blessings to be with me that I may properly do so. The life of Brother Ashcroft was characterized by his spirituality, his wonderful sense of humor, and his love for his family. He has been a dedicated, faithful, humble and very influential member of the Second Ward for many years. His years of faithful service are unmatched by any of us here today. He always fulfilled these assignments with gratitude, and with humbleness, and certainly with efficiency. It has been said that resurrection and spring are happily associated, not that there is anything in nature exactly analogous to the resurrection, but there is so much which suggests the awakening thought. Like the stillness of death, old winter has held all of visible life in its breast, but as spring approaches, the tender life-giving power of heat and light tells him to relinquish his grip, and what seems to have been dead comes forth in newness of life—refreshed, invigorated, strengthened after a peaceful sleep. So it is with man. What we call death Jesus referred to as sleep. ‘Lazarus sleepeth,’ he said to his disciples. ‘The damsel sleepeth,’ were his comforting words to the bereaved and sorrowing parents of a little girl. Indeed, to the Savior of the world, there is no such thing as death—only life—eternal life. Truly he could say, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.’ President George Albert Smith said, and I quote, ‘One of the beautiful things to me in the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it brings us all to a common level. It is not necessary for a man to be a president of a stake or a member of the Quorum of the Twelve in order to attain a high place in the Celestial Kingdom. The humblest member of the Church, if he keeps the commandments of God, will obtain an exaltation just as much as any other man in the Celestial Kingdom. The beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it makes us all equal in as far as we keep the commandments of the Lord. In as far as we observe to keep the laws of the Church, we have equal opportunities for exaltation.’ Sister Ashcroft, we are all aware of the love and the kindness and the attention that you gave your good husband for so many months prior to his passing. It was nearly around the clock surveillance for weeks and weeks. Theron loved you for this, and the Lord will bless you for these kind deeds. I am extremely proud to have been a colleague of Brother Theron’s for the past twenty or some odd twenty years. How grateful I was to listen to his wonderful sense of humor and to enjoy his companionship. Sister Lucretia, you and Theron traveled a long road of life. Now you are down to parting—for those two roads part. Brother Theron is now in the presence of his Father in Heaven, doing the work that his Father has outlined for him to do. You will be traveling your road, for a time, at which you will be brought together where you can enjoy each other’s presence in the presence of our Heavenly Father. May Brother Theron’s exemplary life be a guiding light to us all I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

The family wishes that I express their appreciation and gratitude to all those in attendance, and especially to those who have participated in the program today. To Sister Janet Knell for the prelude and the postlude music. To the Second Ward Relief Society for the caring and arranging of the beautiful flowers and the luncheon preparation. To the pallbearers, consisting of David Judd, Steven Hansen, Ronald Hansen, Marvin Ashcroft, Craig Ashcroft, Eric Brown, Larry Young, Keenan Hart, and Elder Charles Judd, who is serving in the Houston Texas Mission, as honorary pallbearer. And to our honorary pallbearers—the members of the High Priest Quorum of the Second Ward. To the members of the Police Department for traffic control, to Spillsbury/Graff Mortuary, and particularly to all those who have helped in any way during their time of bereavement.

A trio of Irish missionaries will sing “Abide With Me,” after which the benediction will be given by Brother Doyle Ipson. Following the benediction, interment will be in the Cedar City Cemetery.

Musical Number: “Abide With Me,” Irish Missionaries (Dean Connally, Stan Butler, Terry Loosli)

Benediction: Doyle Ipson

Our Father which art in heaven. Again as we bow our heads in prayer as family and friends of Brother Theron Ashcroft, we give thanks unto thee for this privilege we have had of meeting this afternoon to share our love and appreciation for this great man, of this great educator, this great community leader, church leader, church leader and family patriarch. We truly appreciate what he has stood for in our lives and for the great things that he has taught us. We are appreciative of this opportunity we have had of reviewing his quick wit, his keen mind, his pleasant smile and all of those things which he stood for. We truly love and appreciate him and express gratitude for this opportunity, Father in Heaven, for the privilege we have had of associating with him. Now we, as a congregation, unitedly offer this prayer and ask thee to bless this good family—especially Sister Ashcroft, that Thy holy Spirit will abide with her and protect her and guide her throughout the rest of her life and give her comfort that she may that this great man was truly a great leader and we ask thee especially to bless the family, especially Judy and her family in that they couldn’t be here today. I’m sure their heart is desirous to be here in every way. Charles on a mission, we ask thee to bless him that he may be successful and that he will go forward and show his grandfather by his work his love for him. We ask Thee to bless us now that we in our lives may take the teachings that Brother Theron has taught us and that we may go forward and take, to the best of our ability, these teachings and make our lives better that we may be able to someday re-unite with him. We are truly thankful for these words of wisdom that have been spoken today and for this beautiful music that has been rendered in our behalf. Now as we prepare to go to the cemetery we ask a blessing to be with us, inasmuch as it is snowing, that we may be able to travel in safety, that no harm or accident may come to any of us, and that we there may again assemble together to again pay our respect to Brother Ashcroft. These things we humbly pray for this day, Father in Heaven, and do so in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.