March 1930-September 2013
Kaysville - Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend passed away at age 83 on Friday, September 27,2013, due to complications of a brain tumor. Russell was born on March 5 ,1930 in Rock Springs, Wyoming, to George Gailey and Laura Bone Gailey. Russell marred his sweetheart Kay Burton on June 21,1950, for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake L.D.S Temple. Russell served in the U.S.M.C. during the Korean War where he was stationed in Japan. Russell spent his lifetime working as an auto mechanic running several gas stations throughout the Wasatch Front most recently in Bountiful, before retiring in 1993. Russell spent the last sixteen years serving as a temple worker in the Bountiful Temple. Russell enjoyed boating, motorcycling, and spending time with his family.
Grandpa was a Marine
Grandma combing grandpa's hair
This year has been full of surprises some good and some bad. Unfortunately this is one of those bad ones. My grandpa has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was diagnosed in May 2013. The tumor began to progress very quickly so he had another MRI done to see what exactly was going on. The MRI was taken in August. And by this time the tumor had doubled in size and had become cancerous. He had decided that he didn't want to have radiation or any other treatment. The doctors gave him 3-6 months. It was very difficult to watch a very health, independent man slowly progress to where he isn't able to stand up, see, or eat anymore. The tumor is pressing on parts of his brain that restores memories. So he is usually talking about the shop he owned, as well as temple work.
Grandpa thinking i'm grandma
Rubbing grandpa's sore back
Grandma shaving grandpa
He recognized grandma snuggled with her, kissed her , and told her he loved her.
This is the story my mom gave at my grandpa's funeral.
If there was a motto for my father I would believe it would be something of this nature, life is about the family relationships we make and keep. Words that describe my father; even-tempered, mild, and gentle. Dad was never one to get too worked up, show anger, or speak unkindly of others. He always seemed to keep his cool no matter the situation; he somehow know things would all work out. He may have shown frustration in trying to figure out whatever puzzle might present itself, be would work at it and play different scenarios over in his head until he figured out what the best method would be to take care of the problem. Anyone who knows my dad knows he has a sense of humor and a great smile that would gladden your heart when he laughed. Dad was always full of one-liners and quick witty remarks that he would throw into conversations, always lightening the mood no matter how serious the topic of conversation. When talking about my dad you have to include my mom because that is what he did. He included my mother in everything he did. My parents were always together even when working, I have never seen a couple spend as much time together and be so good with each other. From staining the deck, working on the spa, motorcycling, boating, jet skiing, yard work, you name it they worked on projects together. Hard work and dedication to his work are definitely characteristics of my father. My father a man of hard physical work, working as an auto mechanic most of his life working 6 days a week to support his family, arriving at work around 6:30 to set things up for opening and arriving at home around 7:00 at night, tired but always having time for his family. Dad and Mom running a Phillips 66 gas station for many years in Bountiful made many friends and acquaintances. Dad was a trusted and honest man to do auto work and many people would only bring their vehicles to him to be worked on. Dad used his knowledge to teach others what he knew about auto mechanics, teaching my brother, Russ, everything he know which started with him at the age of 14, Russ going on to become a successful auto mechanic for a local auto center. True "Davis Dart", throughout dad's life he continued to attend sports events at his alma mater Davis High School. Dad and Mom would attend football in the fall, even attending championship games at Rice Eccles Stadium when Davis would make it to the finals. I remember Dad and Mom leaving work for a few hours taking me, Julie and some of our close friends piled up in our Dodge Ram charger to the finals at the U of U. When the football season was over they attended the Dart Basketball games cheering the team on to victory. Cherished memories of loading up all the dirt bikes behind the motor home and spending the weekend in the Utah desert riding our motorcycles. Dad taught all of us to ride dirt bikes, taking us on adventures and long rides out to ghost towns, Stimson springs, and Topaz Mountain. What fun we had zooming up and down on dirt hills, weaving in and out of trees, watching jack rabbits hop out of the sagebrush, and an occasional snake slithering across the dirt path. My daddy once said what better family toy, than a boat. You are all trapped in a small confined space to work out your problems, where the only place to go is to cool off in the lake. Boating was always a great family toy or tool whichever way you want to look at it. Starting with a picture I saw of my father in a 14' boat at Jackson lake, him and his father building Chris Craft cabin for kits that they ordered, to a 19' Olympic my parents purchased the year I was born, to their last the 22' Bay-liner cabin cruiser that my parents have enjoyed for the last 20 plus years. Some of my most treasured memories are boating with my parents. While floating on the like listening to the top 40 country music countdown and in later years enjoying the sounds of Nat King Cole and other music from my parents dating years. As small kids we would always beg to jump in one last jump before having to leave the lake for the day. They would have to countdown because us kids would try to add in more jumps if the weren't paying attention. Remembering the many trips to Lake Powell, dad know that lake like any tour guide, having visited the lake 1-2 times a year since the filling of the dam. Dad know the location of the arches, Indian ruins, petroglyphs, pioneer trails, Indian steps and enjoying sharing these things with his kids, grand-kids, extended family members, and even complete strangers he would meet at the lake. He used the boating experience as a teaching tool teaching each of his kids to water-ski. Even telling my future husband, Bart, that if he planned on marrying is daughter he would need to know how to ski and he taught him as well. One of the things my girls would say that they cherished about boating time with grandpa and grandma would be the adventures they had with them at Lake Powell. Enjoying trips to Halls Crossing Marina for "grandpa and grandma's ice cream", the soft serve vanilla and chocolate ice cream in a cup that we would enjoy as we sat and chit chatted and people watched. Also shopping with grandma and grandpa at the Lake Powell marina stores for souvenirs and t-shirts are cherished memories in our boating experiences. In closing, Dad enjoyed reaching out to others and talking to people around the world via ham radio and CB radio. So this one last time in CB radio lingo we reach out to Dad... Breaker 1-9, Breaker 1-9, Jack of Diamonds do you have your ears on? Come on back. It's been a great haul and the convoy has come to a rest, but we sure appreciate you leading us. So slide on over and take a load off, daddy we will catch you on the flip-side, we know our 10-20.
