Jerry Chappell

Lyman, Utah – Jerry Rees Chappell, age 72, was born May 18, 1951, in Salina Utah. He lost his life on May 8, 2024, at his farm doing something he loved to do. Jerry is one of the hardest working men around and he had the scars and pain to prove it. He never quit, he always pushed himself no matter how much he was hurting, he always had a project, and he was never satisfied until the job was finished.

Jerry was raised by his parents Don Austin and Betty Jean Rees Chappell. He had two siblings, his sister Marsha and his brother Leon. Jerry grew up on the family farm in Lyman, where he and his siblings would spend countless hours riding horses, getting into mischief, and having fun with neighbors, cousins, and friends. He graduated from Wayne High School Class of 1969 and later attended Utah Technical College in Provo, where he studied to be an auto mechanic. While at Provo he worked at Mountain States Steel as a laborer, fabricator, and crane operator where he found a passion for welding and heavy equipment.

After college, he returned to Lyman where he met his loving wife Dortha Jane Taft. They were married in the Manti LDS Temple April 4, 1975, and were married for 49 years. They raised two boys, Austin and Kaycee Chappell. Jerry taught his boys the meaning of hard work every day and showed them by example how to work hard, treat others, and get the job finished no matter how difficult it might be. His work ethic and life lessons live on in his boys and his grandchildren.

Jerry worked a variety of jobs to provide for his family, he worked as a ranch hand at Security Ranches for several years and later took a position at the Wayne County Road Department as a heavy equipment operator. Jerry is a skilled equipment operator and is capable of operating anything with wheels and controls. He always knew how to fix things when they broke down and was a talented welder. Jerry spent 34 years building and maintaining county roads, but what he loved most about his career at the road department was building long lasting relationships with his co-workers. Even while working a full-time day job, he still made time to follow his other passions including farming, welding, raising livestock, snowmobiling, and riding horses. He was very particular about his farm and crops and put in extra effort to make sure everything looked just right.

Jerry is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and has served in a variety of callings. Although he kept his testimony private, for those closest to him, we know he has a strong testimony of the plan of salvation, and we know he has been reunited with his heavenly family. His funny stories, contagious laugh, life lessons at the farm, and kind loving heart will be missed so much, but we are happy for him, and we know he is in a better place.

He is survived by his wife: Dortha Chappell of Lyman, his sons: Kaycee (Melisa) Chappell and Austin (Pamela) Chappell, all of St. George; six grandchildren: Brody, Pressley, Brantley, Jovi, Journey, and Jaxsey; his sister: Marsha (Randy) Jenson of Bicknell; sisters-in-law: Connie Chappell of St. George; Becky Taft of Bicknell; and many other nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents Don and Betty Chappell, step-father, Alfonzo Turner; brother, Leon Chappell, brothers-in-law Glen Dee Taft and Elvin Taft.

Funeral services will be Thursday, May 16, 2024, at 1:00 P.M. in the Lyman LDS Ward Chapel, where friends may call for viewing Thursday morning from 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. prior to the services.

Livestreaming of services can be found at www.springerturner.com under Jerry's obituary about 15 minutes prior to starting time.

FUNERAL SERVICE LIVESTREAM

Burial will be in the Lyman Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.