John Richard Anderton

Monroe, Utah - John Richard Anderton, age 87, of Monroe, died June 29, 2015 in Richfield. He was born June 9, 1928 in Elsinore, Utah, a son of John Benjamin and Ida Delilah Hermansen Anderton. He graduated from Richfield High School, Class of 1946 and then attended Heneger Business College for two years. He married Coleen Pearson, October 1, 1949 in Salt Lake City. Their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple, March 26, 1958. She died August 4, 2002. Richard and Coleen raised their children in West Valley City, Utah, where they lived for most of their married life. Richfield was their home at heart and they returned there often. After Coleen passed away, Richard moved back to Sevier County where he has lived for the past 13 years . He was an active member of the LDS Church, serving in various callings throughout the years. His favorite church hymn was "ABIDE WITH ME." He spent most of his working life employed at the US Postal Service, often working double shifts to provide extra income for his large family, and retired in 1980, then tried real estate brokering for a time. He enjoyed doing genealogy, bookkeeping and record keeping; and learned to fly a single engine Cessna 150 airplane, a hobby he really enjoyed. He enjoyed investing in raw land, to provide a good supplemental family income during those years. Other hobbies included the study of organic chemistry, physics and history. He was a true family man, always providing well for his family and doing his best to teach good values and see that his children got and valued a good education. Always looking to the future, often at the expense of the present. "Work hard and sacrifice now to build a better future" seemed to be his lifelong mantra. Never truly enjoying his fortunes in life, his dear wife Coleen passed before they got to enjoy the fine things he worked so hard to provide for in their golden years. After she passed, he then turned to giving all his time and resources to helping struggling family members. He truly was a man with a big heart. He is survived by his children: Larry and RaeLynn Anderton, Terry and Ginger Anderton, Dianne and Tom Eatchel, John Anderton, Cathy and Steve Barela, Linda and Neil Cowley; Steve and Cristina Anderton.; 42 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two children: Dixie Anderson and Robert Michial Anderton; his parents and his wife; and three sisters: Roma Collings, Ruth Creamer and Norma Hooper. Funeral services will be held Friday, July 3, 2015 at 2:00 P.M in the Monroe LDS Stake Center, 140 South Main Street in Monroe, where friends may call for viewing Friday one hour prior to the services. Burial will be in the Monroe City Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.