Melvin Ashton Stuart

Melvin Ashton Stuart, 86, passed away in Garland, Utah, on 06 December 2025 after a short battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Melvin was born on 17 June 1939 in a log cabin on his grandfather Joshua Ashton’s sheep ranch in Rich County, Utah. The oldest child of LeMar and Mary (Ashton) Stuart’s seven children, he spent his youth in Heber City and Midway, Utah, before moving to Syracuse, Utah. During his junior high and high school years, he was involved in helping take care of the family farm, hunting, fishing, causing all kinds of mischief with his cousins and friends, and wearing out his guardian angels.

He graduated from Davis High School in 1957 and enlisted in the United States Army Reserves “because it was the right thing to do”, where he served for two years. After finishing his military service, he answered the call to serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was assigned to labor in the Southern States (later Florida) Mission from 1959 to 1961, where he served in several different areas and leadership positions. Throughout his life, Dad would fondly recall many memories of friends he made while serving in Northern Florida and Southern Georgia.

After returning home, Melvin enrolled at Weber State College and, after graduation, worked for his entire career for the Davis County School District as a teacher, the majority of that time teaching 5th Grade at Clinton Elementary. He also worked for a time at R.C. Willey and Sons in various capacities.

While attending college, he worked as an orderly at the Dee Hospital and caught the eye of the attractive blonde elevator operator, Carmen Groothuis. One thing led to another, and they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on 25 June 1965, and recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary. They lived and raised their family in Syracuse, Utah, for over fifty years, and moved to Garland, Utah, three years ago.

In his release letter from his full-time mission, President Karl R. Lyman wrote, “It would be wise that he be given a job and put to work… that his talents and abilities may be kept sharp and that his interest and enthusiasm for the Gospel may be kept alive”. It worked! Throughout his adult life, he earned the “Master M Man” award and served in a variety of leadership and teaching callings, including serving a full-time mission with Mom in the Oregon Eugene Mission from 2003 to 2005, a service mission in the Family History Centers in Layton and Garland, and as an ordinance worker in the Ogden, Utah, temple.

Throughout his life, Dad exemplified hard work and doing whatever it took to care for a growing and active family. During the warmer months of the year, he could generally be found out in the barn working on different projects, caring for the animals the neighborhood kids called the Stuart Zoo, or in the garden. In the evenings and colder months, he was often deep in family history research and reading a variety of books on different subjects, and still managing the Stuart Zoo. He was always pursuing some new project, growing a new strain of something in the garden, raising some unheard-of animal, and probably causing the neighbors to think that either James Herriot, Rubius Hagrid, or Dr. Doolittle had moved into the neighborhood.

Dad’s healthy curiosity has paid off; many of his children and grandchildren have developed the same curiosity for learning and adventure, resilience, and tenacity that he demonstrated throughout his life, and have adapted his ability to get up in the morning and work, no matter how hard it is.

Melvin is survived by his wife, Carmen; their children, Michael (Rhonda), Scott (Clarissa), Sharla (Bryce) Nelson, Shalyn (Cody) Lewis, and Paul (Alisha); thirty-two grandchildren, and eighteen great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings Jay (Sue), sister-in-law Lois Stuart, Cheryl Bailey, Ruth (Brent) Orem, and Robert (Kimberly). He is preceded in death by his parents, LeMar and Mary; brother Steve; sister Carol and brother-in-law Kenny Pratt; and son Russell.

A viewing will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Garland 3rd Ward building, 175 South Main Street, Garland, Utah, on Thursday, 11 December 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and again on Friday, 12 December 2025, from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 AM. Interment will be in the Garland City Cemetery, Garland, Utah. The service will be livestreamed and can be accessed below.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to FamilySearch, either in time or money, or to your favorite charity. Eat dessert first, preferably ice cream. And give your family a hug and tell them you love them.

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT PAN THE CROWD AND THE CAMERA IS FIXED UPON THE PULPIT. WE WILL TRY AND LIVESTREAM THE FUNERAL SERVICE. IF WE ARE UNABLE TO DO SO, DUE TO THE INTERNET SERVICE AT THE CHURCH, A RECORDING WILL BE UPLOADED WITHIN 24-48 HOURS AFTER THE SERVICE.