October 16, 1933 ~ March 9, 2020 – (age 86)Our beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, Glen Clayson Tanner passed away March 9, 2020 at the Maple Springs Senior Center of natural causes.
Glen was born October 16, 1933 in Whitney, Idaho to George LeRoy Tanner and Lucy Clayson. Glen was the youngest of six children and only surviving boy. His older brother died when a toddler leaving four older sisters to help raise Glen. His father died when he was 9 years old.
He lived most of his life in Whitney on the family farm growing up with the support of uncles, brothers-in-law, scout leaders, and church members. He graduated from Preston High School and was very active enjoying sports, skiing, bowling softball and golf. He was an avid Scouter, earning both the Eagle Award, the Silver Explorer and later the Silver Beaver. Glen’s love of music came from his mother and sisters’ families. He became proficient in playing the clarinet and later a bassoon.
Following high school, Glen served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the California Mission based in Los Angeles. By the time his two years were completed he was ready to get out of the big city and back to Idaho.
When he returned, Glen married his high school sweetheart, Jean Spatig, in the Logan Temple on December 16, 1955. After living in Logan and Preston for a short time, then they moved to the Tanner family farm in Whitney where they started a family of seven children. He completed a degree in agriculture at Utah State University while raising the family and working the farm. His lifelong career was at Del Monte Corporation as a field manager and then field superintendent over a thirty-year span. He enjoyed working with farmers with the goal of helping them produce the best crops possible. He enjoyed the association with the people he worked with and found his career challenging and fulfilling.
Glen like being active in community affairs serving on the Preston School Board for six years, two of which he was chairman, a member and chairman of the Whitney Nashville Water Works and member and chairman of the County Committee of the Farmers Home Administration, Chairman of the Franklin County Planning and Zoning commission, President of the Preston Kiwanis Club and Board of Directors of the Preston Golf and Country Club.
Glen’s hobbies included photography, woodworking and singing. He was active in the Church for his entire life and always held a church calling. He was called as Whitney Ward Bishop on his 50th birthday and found that a humbling position. After retirement, Jean and Glen served a mission in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. There they spent most of their time teaching new converts how to find their ancestors and do temple work.
After retirement, Glen and Jean, spend winters in Mesa, Arizona at a second home near his sister Dorothy and her husband William K. Dunkley. They spent many happy months there enjoying visiting with friends, golfing, woodworking, and hosting get togethers.
Glen is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jean, his children, Alan (Christine), Teri Porter (Edmond), David (Matee), Vaughn (Alaine), Roy (Linda), Diane Kovach (Ted) and Sharon Hern (Gene), 24 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and his sister, June Merrill of Boise, Idaho.
He is preceded in death by his parents, George LeRoy and Lucy Clayson, his brother George LeRoy Jr., and three sisters, Lucy Laycock, Dorothy Dunkley and Lillias Crane.
Glen’s funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 11:00am in the Whitney Ward Chapel, 1410 South 1600 East, Whitney, Idaho. Interment will be at the Whitney Cemetery. The Tanner Family is having a reception for friends and family that morning from 9:00 – 10:45am at the Chapel.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at webbmortuary.com