Elden Thomas

Elden LeRoy Thomas

It is with great sadness to announce the death of Elden LeRoy Thomas, friend to hundreds, mentor to dozens, and admired and respected by everyone who met him. He was born October 28, 1956, to Merlin LeRoy Thomas and Gloria Elizabeth Ewell Thomas. He passed away September 13, 2025, at the age of 68.

He fought the good fight with Pulmonary Fibrosis from covid for several years along with other medical diagnoses. He left this life knowing how loved he was by his beautiful soul mate, Debra Spencer Thomas, his children (Curtis, Travis, and Josh), 5 children he inherited (JJ, Steven, Alex, Mel, and Brandon), 27 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, his Step-Mom, Debbie, 9 siblings (Vickie (Dorain), Kim (Rochelle), Kerry (Glenda), Merlin Lee (Adrienne), Jayme, David (Tara), Jerrod (Angela), Jason, and Jennifer (Pete), many extended family and friends. Elden will be greeted in heaven by his granddaughter, Aria, sister, Patricia, and his parents.

Elden was a sweet compassionate person, honest with strong moral principles, a man of full body and mind and integrity. He was the kindest, gentlest soul. He had the kindest eyes, best smile, and the biggest heart. He was funny and could make you laugh until you cried; he was playful and loved to joke around with everybody. He leaves a huge hole in the hearts of his family and friends who were always entertained by his stories and hilarious sense of humor. He truly brought life to the party. If anyone needed him, he was there.

Bowling was his sport of choice. He loved to watch his sports and supported the Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball, BYU Cougars Football and Basketball, Colorado Avalanche Hockey, and Utah Jazz Basketball. Along with his sports, he also loved watching Nascar Racing.

Elden loved to fish and camp in his spare time. If there was a lake, he was going to fish it. He loved to spend his days with his soulmate in life fishing, loving on his great-grandson, Butt-Butt, and helping around the house to get chores done. He had several church callings from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had a very strong testimony, loved the Lord, had faith in his beliefs, and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

Elden also loved to help coach the Special Olympics Basketball team. He loved to cheer the kids on and help them to have faith in themselves to do their best. He never allowed any of the players to talk down on themselves or give up. Coaching the team was really a highlight in his life.

Elden loved to drive his beloved white Dodge Truck that he said his Mom gave to him. That Dodge has been his sacred possession since purchasing it. When he lost his driving privileges, it really changed his outlook dramatically.

We would like to thank the staff of Intermountain Health Hospice. Emily Brown went above and beyond to make sure that we knew what was happening and what to expect in the coming months. She really made the transition in life so much easier to understand and bear. Their team always went the extra mile, night or day, to simplify his last days and make him comfortable. They are the true angels of the medical field and made even the simplest request an expeditious priority.

There will be a viewing and the service, Thursday, September 18, 2025,10:00 am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Western Hills Fourth Ward, located at 5107 South 5600 West, Kearns, Utah. The interment will follow at 1:15 pm, at the Memorial Redwood Estates, located at 6500 South Redwood Road, Salt Lake City, Utah. Following the funeral, there will be a luncheon held at the church for family members.