David Earl Stringham lost his battle with cancer on July 7, 2014. He
was born on June 17, 1949, in Ogden, Utah, to Briant Earl Stringham and Dorothy
Mae Watterson Stringham. He was the second child of Briant and Dorothy
with older brother Paul and younger siblings Daniel, Mark, and Julie. He
attended school in Clearfield, Utah. He forged lifetime friendships with
Bruce Bingham and Wilson Astudillo, a foreign exchange student who lived with
his family. David had an adventurous nature, loving outdoor activities of
camping, hunting, and fishing. In 1959, the family built a cabin in Bear
Lake, where David loved to water ski. He also enjoyed attending the roller
skating rinks in Lakota and Sweetwater. He attended Weber State and
believed in lifelong education.
In October 1968, David was called to serve in the North British
Mission. He considered his mission to be among the greatest experiences in
his life. One of his utmost desires is that his grandchildren, especially
grandsons, will also serve missions.
Upon returning from his mission, David enlisted for six years in the Army
National Guard. He completed basic training at Fort Ord near Monterey,
California, and advanced training in Denver, Colorado. He spent summer
camps and weekend drills in Salt Lake. Eventually he joined the Army
Reserves and transferred to Logan where his father was also enlisted. He
was a medical equipment repairman working on electric and pneumatic hospital
equipment. David also worked with his family to manufacture pickup campers
in Paris, Idaho, and houses all around Bear Lake, giving him design and building
experience.
While chaperoning a group of boys on a choir activity, he met Julie Floyd
from Laketown. They began dating on December 28, 1973, and he proposed on
Valentine’s Day 1974. They were married in the Logan, Utah, Temple on May
10, 1974.
David and Julie were blessed with five daughters: Tamilynn, Tonya,
Teresa, Tiesha, and Tara. They built a home and lived in Laketown.
In 1985, the family moved to Garden City. David accepted a job as
superintendent of the Bear Lake Special Service District, and Julie was the
postmaster in Garden City. David later took a second job as manager of the
Bear Lake Water Company.
Among his many church callings, David served as Scout Master, Elders Quorum
President, and in the bishopric. He was particularly fond of his calling
as Ward Mission Leader. He and Julie had a desire to share the gospel with
as many people as possible, and found great joy in having missionaries in their
home.
David and Julie loved Bear Lake, and were anxiously involved to provide
community service. David built the first stage that was used for the Bear
Lake Raspberry Days Festival, and oversaw the pancake breakfast for many
years. He was a volunteer firefighter and enjoyed the training gained in
this position. He truly loved the people of Garden
City.
In May 2006, David completed a new house on 130 West Street in Garden
City. This was built with love as a gathering destination for their
growing family. On June 26, 2010, the house caught fire. Most of the
contents were a loss, but they were able to escape without injury. They
appreciated so much the firefighters who risked safety to help them, and the
community which rallied around them to rebuild their home.
David fought melanoma-related cancer for much of his adult life. In
December 2008, his doctors determined that they would no longer be able to
prevent the cancer from spreading. David and Julie decided that they would
spend as much time as possible with each other and their grandchildren.
David became increasingly ill. On July 7, 2014, he was taken to Logan,
Utah, where he passed away a few hours later. He was preceded in death by
his father, Briant Earl Stringham; his parents-in-law, Roscoe and Faye Floyd;
and his sister-in-law, Launa Daines. He is survived by his eternal bride,
Julie, of Garden City; his loving mother, Dorothy, of Garden City; daughters and
their husbands, Tamilynn and Darrell Pugmire of Mapleton, Utah; Tonya and Harold
Hatch of Cokeville, Wyoming; Teresa and Kenneth Pugmire of Payson, Utah; Tiesha
and Aaron Hart of Garden City, Utah; and Tara and Craig Wride of Garden City,
Utah; siblings and their spouses, Paul and Barbara Stringham, currently serving
in the Nauvoo, Illinois, mission; Daniel and Debbie Stringham of Laketown; Mark
and Kathy Stringham of Garden City; and Julie and Ken Stucki of Pocatello,
Idaho; and the delight of his life, 24 adoring grandchildren.
