Joseph Frederick Sturdy

Joseph Frederick Sturdy, 85, of Sterling, Utah passed away May 19, 2014 of natural causes in Provo, Utah.

Joe was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 5, 1928 to Cyril Crossman and Harriet Virginia Sturdy. He was the oldest of three children; brother, Harry David Sturdy and sister, Katherine Elizabeth Whitman. Joseph joined the military as a young man and was a very dedicated Marine. He served from 1946 to 1953 and loved the military all his life. The saying, "once a Marine, always a Marine" truly fit him. He received the Distinguished Rifleman Badge for unassisted individual performance in Director of Civilian Marksmanship approved Excellence-in-Competition Matches and held many records from national competitions. He loved American history and knew every battle that forged this great country. He had a hobby of restoring old guns and building civil war cannons. Several of his cannons are now displayed as military monuments in different towns. He has also restored guns from the Civil War and the Mormon Battalion. He was very meticulous and detailed and those who commissioned his work were always very happy with the results.

Joseph was also an excellent salesman. He sold everything from vacuums to insurance. He once was the sales manager at a Dude ranch in South Dakota and for a time, he drove a team of horses and hauled timber out of the Idaho mountains. Later he became an Audiologist and helped the hearing impaired with hearing aids.

He married Charlotte Martha Dochterman on February 14, 1948 and they had nine children. He and Charlotte joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints while stationed at Camp Lejune, North Carolina. Shortly afterwards they packed up their family and moved to Salt Lake City where they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on August 9, 1954. Next to his family, Joe loved the church. While he and Charlotte were living in Billings, Montana, President David O’McKay called him on his first full time mission. Later in life he married Patricia Vowels. They had the privilege of serving full time missions to the Philippines, Thailand and Cove Fort. Another highlight of their marriage was in 1997 when the two of them went on the reenactment trek of the Mormon Trail Wagon Train.

Patricia later died of a serious illness and Joe married Rosalie Nielsen She was a great comfort to him during the last few years of his life.

Joseph is survived by six of his nine children and their spouses. Lenore (John) Ashby, Joseph (Pauline) Sturdy, Geraldine (Steve) Swift, Sheila Sturdy, Louis (Margery) Sturdy and Samuel Sturdy; three step-children; Jeannie (Drew) Harting, Michael (Kim) Forrest, and Joanie (Rob) Williams; 28 grandchildren; 55 great grandchildren; and his sister, Katherine. Preceding him in death are Charlotte, Patricia and children; Charlene, Cyril and Joyann.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. in the Sterling Ward Chapel; 50 South Main, Sterling, Utah. There will be a viewing from 9:00 - 10:30 A.M. Interment will be at the Taylorsville City Cemetery at 4:30 p.m., 4500 South Redwood Road, Salt Lake City, Utah.