Harvey L. Hutchinson
Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and brother peacefully returned to our Heavenly parents on February 6, 2021 after suffering from bone cancer.
He was born in Springville, Utah on January 24, 1934 to Harvey Lavell & Ella V. Daley Hutchinson. He grew up tending animals, orchards, and doing other chores. He graduated from Payson High School in 1952 where he participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He attended Utah State University where he played football. That same year, he also gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon, which inspired him to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Australia from 1954-56.
After returning home, he married his sweetheart, Varo Christensen, on November 16, 1956, in the Manti Temple. They had ten children. He felt that his family was his greatest achievement in life. From the very beginning, he and Varo taught their children the missionary discussions and read from the scriptures daily. His greatest joy was to see that tradition carried on by his children and grandchildren. Less than a week before his death, he brightened when some of his great-grandchildren read the Book of Mormon to him, and he was able to speak with them about the book. He often shared his testimony of how much God loves each of his children.
Harvey served on active duty for two years in the Army 82nd Airborne Division and for six years in the Utah National Guard, making over 45 parachute jumps and rising to the rank of Captain. Upon his discharge, he taught chemistry at Granite High for three years, then returned to Utah State for his degree in Civil Engineering. He worked for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; while living there he was elected to the local school board. His family moved to Utah where he worked for Central Utah Water Conservancy District, and Parsons Engineering. In 1977 he was appointed to the Utah Seismic Safety Council, where he was elected to serve as Chairman. During that time, he also served on the Western States Seismic Safety Commission and was appointed to the Earthquake Committee of the National Science Foundation.
He had many callings in the Restored Church, but his favorites were being a Primary Teacher and a member of a Branch Presidency in the Provo Missionary Training Center.
In 1972, he built the family home in Alpine, Utah, where all of the children were raised. He loved and planted many trees and took care of those which are in Peterson Park in Alpine. He also gathered the materials and built the scenic bridge there. He loved gardening and making homemade grape juice.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his sons, Thomas Lee and Ben Jay, and his brother Russell. He is survived by his wife, brother Quinn, his children, Terry (JeNee’), Ted (Cindy), Tom, John (Sharon), Ann (Baird) Fullerton, Gary, Dan (Anika), Marci (Boyd) Larkin, 39 grandchildren and 42 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Harvey Hutchinson Legacy Engineering Endowment at Brigham Young University. Please use the following link, Harvey Hutchinson Legacy Engineering Endowed Fund, or send a check to Philanthropies 1450 N University Ave, Provo, Utah, 84604 with the endowment name noted on the check.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 11:00 am at the Alpine 5th Ward Chapel, 165 North 100 East, Alpine, Utah. Family and friends may call on Friday, February 12 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 North 900 East, American Fork, Utah, and again on Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 am at the church prior to services. Interment will be at the Alpine City Cemetery.
For those wishing to attend the funeral services virtually, please use the following link: http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/Events/alpineutahweststake