Wendel George Godfrey, 98, was born March 23, 1909 in Clarkston, Utah. He was the fourth child of Henry Morris Godfrey and Sarah Elizabeth Shumway. He passed away peacefully on June 11, 2007. His mother unexpectedly died when he was only two years old and he was raised by his grandmother Agnes Jardine Shumway, and Cora Page Godfrey following her marriage to his father. Educated in the Clarkston City School and at North Cache High School, he participated in sports and was known for his basketball skills.

Early in his youth he developed a great love for his father, horses, farming, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1928 he was called on a mission to Canada and served so well that his mission president wanted to extend his service to tour the mission with him and instruct the other missionaries, but because of the Depression he was unable to fulfill the president’s request.

On May 6, 1931, he married Mabel Myler, a Clarkston resident he had known all his life. Together they farmed in Cornish for more than fifty years. Wendel often spoke about how much he loved watching the crops grow, working with his teams of horses, and milking the cows in his grade A dairy. For thirty-eight years he also drove a school bus and established friendships with young people that lasted a lifetime.

Active in the Church, he served in two bishoprics, as bishop of the Cornish Ward, as president of the Benson Stake High Priest Quorum, on the stake high council, and for twenty-five years he was a stake patriarch. For more than a decade he was an officiator in the Logan Temple. When he was in his late eighties he accepted a call to teach a Primary class of eleven year old boys and soon won their love and allegiance. A friend to all, he spoke in scores of funerals. He often spoke at seminaries, sacrament meetings and firesides about patriarchal blessings.

In civic affairs he was elected to the town council twice and also served as mayor. He was on the cemetery board and assisted in the development of the Cornish City park.

He was preceded in death by both his father and mother, his step-mother, brothers Charlie and Victor, and sisters Agnes Buttars, Blanche Sparks, and brothers-in-law Vernile Lott, George Sparks and John Buttars. His wife Mabel passed away twelve years ago, and a son Lyle succumbed to cancer in 2005.

He is survived by three children–Kenneth (Audrey), Logan; Janel (Lloyd) Heaps, Smithfield; Eloise (Robert) Fugal, Lindon, Utah, and a daughter-in-law, Brenda Godfrey, Thomas, Idaho. Also survived by, Don (LaRae) Godfrey and Sadie Lott of Clarkston; Sterling (Peggy) Godfrey of Henderson, Nevada; IvaLue (Ray) Sparks, of Highland, Utah, and sister-in-law Joan Godfrey of Ogden. He is also survived by twenty-three grandchildren, fifty-four great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchilden.

The funeral will be Saturday, June 16, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. in the West Chapel of the North Logan Stake Center, 2540 N. 400 E., North Logan, under the direction of President John O. Evans of the Pioneer Branch. A viewing will be held Friday night from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson Funeral Home, 162 East 400 North in Logan, Utah, and Saturday morning at the church from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment will be in the Clarkston City Cemetery. Condolences may be extended to the family online at Nelson Funeral Home.