Glen Taylor Riches

Glen Riches
Richfield, Utah

Glen Taylor Riches, 90, our beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed from this life on October 7, 2021 in Richfield, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. Glen was born November 16, 1930 in Spanish Fork, Utah to Edith Taylor and William George Riches. Shortly after Glen’s birth, his family moved to Salt Lake City where they lived for several years.  They then relocated to Hiawatha/Wattis, a coal mining community.  The family grew with the birth of his brother Clark and sister Pat.

Glen joined the Air Force in 1947, skipping out of his last year of high school to see the world.  He later completed his GED, graduated from the Utah State Highway Patrol Academy, and attended the University of Utah while in the Air Force stationed at Hill Air Force Base.

He was a member of the Military Police attached to the Atomic Energy Commission out of Bernillio, New Mexico.  He was based at Killen, Texas and Sandía, New Mexico (at the time top secret military installations).  In April of 1952, he returned to Hiawatha on leave and saw LaDean Petty standing by a drinking fountain at a dance.  He was immediately smitten and she returned to New Mexico with him, eloping to be married on April 12, 1952.  They lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico adding Mike and Waine to the family.  Glen was deployed to Okinowa and LaDean and the boys went to Ferron to live with her family.  While there, Joice was born.  When he returned from Okinawa, he was assigned to Hill Air Force Base.  The family moved to Clearfield, and Sharon was shortly added to the family.  They stayed in Clearfield until 1969 when they purchased the farm in Sigurd.  Janet was added to the family while they lived there.

Glen retired from the Air Force in 1968 after serving 21 years in the Military Police.  He then became a Clearfield City police officer.  Shortly after moving to Sigurd, he started with the Richfield City Police Department as a patrol officer.  He moved in 1976 from the police department to manage the new land fill outside of Venice.  During this time also served as Sigurd City Town Marshall.  Glen retired from Richfield City and drove fork-lift for Georgia Pacific loading gypsum board on the semi-trailers, and then built roof trusses for Alvey Lumber in Sigurd until he retired.  After he retired he enjoyed picking up and delivering vehicles for Labrum Ford from Salt Lake or Las Vegas.

In Sigurd the family enjoyed the farm, raising horses, cows, chickens, turkeys, pigs, gardens, and various crops.  Glen could be found puttering on the farm, always fixing or improving something.  He learned carpentry from his father-in-law, Dean Petty, and help him build his home, and the cabins and lodge at the resort at Ferron Reservoir.  Glen enjoyed working with his hands and carpentry and built or remodeled several homes including the home in Clearfield, two in Sigurd and two in Richfield.  He made furniture, beautiful bookcases, tables, cabinets, and shelves.  All Mom had to do was wonder if the house would work better with another room, and he would build it for her.  In his later life, he picked up completing jigsaw puzzles and word-search books.

Glen was always ready with a story, he passed on his love of this country and service to his children through his stories of the Air Force.  A major part of his life was spent in the mountains and desert.  He loved hunting and fishing at Ferron Reservoir, staying with LaDean’s parents at their resort.  He adopted LaDean’s family as his own, and helped build and maintain the resort for her parents, spending many weekends and vacations with them each summer.  The springs and falls were spent in the desert collecting firewood, with picnics and long drives to see where the truck could go no further.   He always wanted to go on a drive, taking a road he had not been on before, and passed this love of driving “to see where the road goes” on to his children.

He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Glen and LaDean have five children: Michael Alan Riches, Waine Clark (Hiroko) Riches, Joice Ann (Kim) Bredsguard,  Sharon Kaye (Jeffery) Benavides and Janet Colleen (Barry) Willden. He has 28 grandchildren and 49 great-grandchildren (that number is still growing.)

Glen was preceded in death by his greatest love and wife of 66 years, LaDean; his brother Dean Fred, his parents and parents-in-law; sister-in-law, Karen Platt; grandsons: Jeffery Joel Benavides and Christopher Riches; and great-granddaughter BrookElle Rain Waters.

Graveside services will be held at the Richfield City Cemetery on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. with military honors by the V.F.W. Sevier Post #5050.  No public visitation.  Live streaming of the services. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com

Dad - you will be missed, but we are so happy you can be with Mom again.  We love you and will think of you each time we see the mountains and deserts you loved so much.