Fly, fly, fly, my dear husband,
From this pain
To where you will find peace.
Fly, fly, fly, fly, my dear husband,
On the wings of your
Sweet soul's release
Alan Glen Montierth, 69, achieved his longed-for goal of freedom, and died February 26, 2021, from the effects of COVID-19.
Born July 30, 1951, in Ogden, Utah, the second of twelve children born to Roy and Erma Montierth.
As a child, he created realistic likenesses of family members and famous figures on the political scene, his rural surroundings, and wildlife. He also enjoyed drawing caricatures. One of his favorite pastimes as a kid was to draw “wanted posters” of kids that he played with in the neighborhood.
As a very young man, he enjoyed the out-of-doors, exploring, walking the railroad tracks, and following ditches, knowing where the fruit trees were and how to get at the fruit when it was perfect for eating. He loved spending time with his Grandpa Montierth – riding horses, and fishing trips to Wyoming. He did early-morning milking on his Grandma Stokes's dairy farm – his bicycle was his transport the miles to her house.
He married Debra Rich in March 1969 and together they had four great kids – Sean (Michelle), Dennis (Shawnee), Janet (Scott), Jennifer (Francisco). His father-in-law, Max Rich, was a Utah artist who had studied with Lee Parkinson, and Al traded work framing artwork in Max's frame shop for art lessons from Max. Al and Debi later divorced.
Al was employed by Western Electric, where he experienced his highest satisfaction with work. He became their “boy wonder”- the youngest employee to achieve Western's highest technical level – INDEX 5. He could often be found at the kitchen table, poring over technical drawings from a Bell System Telephone central office in some faraway city, figuring out where the problem was, and soon he'd grab his packed bag and be flying out to get the system going again.
Al eventually moved to Salt Lake City where he worked for USWest, now Century Link, and made a comfortable home with Anne Richards. His boyhood love of natural world continued throughout his life, and he and Anne enjoyed weekends together in Lava Hot Springs, time in Bluff, Utah, and trips to the San Rafael Swell. A meticulous craftsman: he helped many friends and family build and remodel homes, making their space more comfortable, incorporating artistic and custom elements.
