Allen K. Coryell

Monroe, Utah - Dr. Allen K. Coryell was born March 8, 1931 in Glendale, California. His father was Kenneth Coryell and his mother was Helen Mary Cluff Coryell. He passed away on March 5, 2025, three days away from his 94th birthday, in the city of Monroe, Utah. He earned his doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley. He spent his career in education serving as the principal of several high schools, including Los Gatos High School in California, West High School in Salt Lake City, and South Sevier High School in Monroe, Utah where he and his wife, Gayle, have lived for many years.

After graduating from high school in Burbank, California, he served a four-year term in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Following his discharge, he was called to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Brazil Sao Paulo Mission at a time when there was only one mission in the entire country of Brazil, arriving there by ship from New York City.

After serving for seven years as the principal of Los Gatos High School in California, he received a call from the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to preside over the Portugal Lisbon Mission for three years, 1978-1981.His commitment to his church was reflected in the many positions he held: two high councils, two bishoprics (one in Bogota, Colombia), president of the Liberty Branch (which was a Laotian Branch in the Santa Rosa, California Stake) and Stake President of the Quincy, California Stake.

He and Gayle were married on July 2, 1954 in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Afterwards, she was at his side during all his church callings.

He served for a total of 25 years as a high school principal, and used to say, "Anyone who can last 25 years as a high school principal will either die young or stay young. I opted for the latter choice."

Following his retirement on June 30, 2007, he started a new profession, that of a fiction writer of action-adventure novels that are sold as eBooks. He wrote a total of 18 novels before his death.

He and Gayle have three children: Susan (Bruce), David (Harumi), and Kenneth (Jill), nine grandchildren, and an ever increasing number of great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 12:00 Noon, in the Monroe City Cemetery. 

Friends may call for viewing at the Monroe 3rd LDS Ward Chapel, 140 South Main Street in Monroe, from 10:30-11:30 A.M. Saturday morning.

Burial with military honors accorded by the Sevier Valley American Legion Post #37 and the United States Navy Honor Guard will be in the Monroe City Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Homes of Richfield and Salina, Utah.