1914-2008

Jack "A" Cherrington (93) completed this life's journey January, 19, 2008, in Clearfield, Utah. Jack was born September 10, 1914, the second child of Amyott Willard Cherrington and Hilda (Wheeler) Cherrington, and was raised on an idyllic family farm on the east bench of Springville, Utah, which (then) extended throughout the area now known as Cherrington Heights.

He and his siblings Captola, Bert, Carol, and Jane forever valued childhood memories of orchards, gardens, livestock, fields, horse-drawn winter sleighs and summer carriages, a new Model T - all that comprised the"good life" they knew throughout the 1920's and 30's. Jack attended and graduated from the Springville City schools where he was active in track, band, musicals, drama, FFA, football, basketball, and school government. As a youth, he was chosen to play the trumpet in Springville's adult community band.

Jack enjoyed ongoing correspondence with remaining Springville Class of '33 classmates and at his death was one of only three still living.

In 1937, Jack graduated from Utah State University, Logan, Utah, where he again participated extensively in many activities - football, musicals, drama, student government, and especially track and field (long jump, high jump, and hurdles). He held the school record in the high hurdles for 23 years and was the first alternate for the USA in that event for the 1936 Olympics.

After faithfully serving two years in the Central States Mission (Missouri), Jack was married to Virginia Freebairn (of Salt Lake City) in the Salt Lake LDS Temple by David O' McKay, December 17, 1940; their first three children (Kay, David, and Owen) were named in honor of President McKay. After residing in Grace, Idaho, and Springville, Utah, from 1940 to 1946, the family moved to Preston, Idaho, where Jack taught LDS Seminary until 1979.

Two more children, Coleen and Joseph, joined the family during this time. Their places of residence (498 North State and 572 East Oneida) provided their children with some of the choice farm experiences Jack had enjoyed as a youth. Two years after Virginia's death (June 13, 1968) Jack married June Sorenson Stettler; her son, Steven, also joined the family. Jack and June resided in Preston, Idaho, for a time, then moved to Logan, Utah in 1979. June died August 1, 2003, in Logan. In 2005, Jack moved to Clearfield, Utah, to live with his daughter, Coleen, her husband, Mike Smith, and their family. They continued providing him with loving care throughout his last days.

Jack Cherrington was gifted with a positive outlook and always demonstrated an optimistic perspective; and it was any person's good fortune to be in his presence and infected by it. His laugh, too, was contagious - ranging from a brief, raised-eyebrow chuckle to a hearty, head-back laugh; and he knew the appropriate time for all degrees of mirth. His life was infinitely a subtle sermon, providing any who knew him with unremitting examples of Christ-like love and earthly goodness.

Jack was totally committed to serving the Lord, and his life revolved around magnifying callings in the LDS Church. Among those callings, he served either as the bishop or member of several bishoprics and high councils in all his places of residence. In the mid 1970's, he was assigned to establish a Church Institute at Humboldt State College in Arcata, California, which he accomplished.

In 1987, he was called to the Logan Temple Presidency, after which calling he continued as a sealer in the Logan Temple until 2005. Though impossible to make a correct count, Jack Cherrington taught some 8,000 to 9,000 students during his 37 years of teaching, sealed many families, and married countless couples in various temples of the church. His own life bespoke his teachings; and his influence stretches far and wide, leaving permanent traces of goodness, compassion, positive thinking, correct principles, and non judgmental acceptance. Further descriptions from children and grandchildren include: humble, patient, easy-going, witty, good listener, a man with a big heart.

Jack was preceded in death by parents, Amyott and Hilda Cherrington; by both wives - Virginia Freebairn and June Sorenson; siblings, Captola Murdock and Bert Cherrington; and his son, Jay Owen Cherrington.

He is survived by two sisters, Carol Clark and Jane Hinckley; children Kay (Lee) Wheeler, David Jack (Marilyn) Cherrington, Coleen (Michael) Smith, Joseph Freebairn (Debbie) Cherrington, and Steven (Jolene) Stettler, and (deceased son, Jay Owen's wife) Kristin. These children, their spouses, and his 29 grandchildren: Mike, Heidi, Shane, Jackie; David, Nathan, Jennifer, Jill; Kelly, Julie, Tracy, Mark, Sandra, Laura; Ben, Aaron, Virginia, Conrad; Brian, Heather, Lynnette, Brett, Kevin, Carolyn, Darren, Kent, Jana Lynn; Erin, and Josh and spouses of most of them (also for whom he performed most marriages) will miss his constant interest, influence, and the deep love he always extended to them all.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 26, 2008 at the Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 East Center Street in Logan. A viewing will held at the mortuary on Friday evening, January 25 from 6:00 until 8:00 PM and prior to services from 8:30 until 9:45 AM. A viewing will also be held in the afternoon of that same day in Springville, Utah, at the LDS church at 1785 East 400 South, from 2:00 until 3:00 PM after which a brief service will be held. Interment will follow at the Evergreen Cemetery in Springville, Utah. In lieu of flowers, kindly give generously to the LDS Perpetual Education Funds and/or enjoy a special dinner with your family in his honor. Condolences may be sent to the family at Allen Mortuaries.