Kenneth Ray Richins

Kenneth Ray Richins left mortality March 11, 2008 due to heart failure. He was born September 25, 1935 in Ogden, UT, to Esther Margaret Morby and Kenneth Willard Richins. After his mother's death in 1939, his father raised him in the small town of Echo, Utah with the help of his sister Ethel Richins and other family members. Growing up in north Summit County, an area rich in Pioneer History, gave Ray a deep and abiding love for Church History. He had a passion for showing people the pioneer trail that runs through Echo as well the important sites of the Utah War. The students, family members and friends who visited the area with him found him to be a fantastic tour guide. His early schooling and church experiences were in Echo, Henefer, and Coalville. He was student body president of North Summit High School and active in sports and other school and church activities. Always friendly and outgoing, he loved people and reached out in friendship wherever he went. He even enjoyed his hospital stays because he met so many people with varying backgrounds. Ray loved studying and teaching the gospel, a quest that began in earnest on his mission to Eastern Canada in 1955. After his mission he attended BYU and Weber State College where he earned to B.S. Degrees. On September 2, 1966, he married Mina Lou Broadhead in the Salt Lake Temple. They began their married life together in the Big Horn Basin in Wyoming where he taught math, chemistry, and early morning seminary. He was asked to teach seminary full-time in Lovell, Wyoming and was in the seminary program for ten years in Lovell and Clearfield, Utah. He completed and M.S. degree at BYU and the course work for a Ph.D. He also taught Teachings of the Living Prophets classes at BYU from which he gained appreciated and insights that were extremely valuable to him throughout his life. He loved photocopying talks and articles to share with others. He also started some family businesses and worked at Geneva Steel. In addition to reading and studying, which were his greatest passions, he enjoyed the outdoors. Having grown up riding horses, he later purchased some acreage and horses and delighted in talking them up on the Alpine Loop and inviting friends to go along. Ray is survived by his wife, Mina and his four children, Kenneth William of Los Angeles, Esther (Morgan) Reid of Provo, Cheryl (Ben) Bikman of North Carolina, Rachelle (Brandon) Chesnut of Orem, and one brother Roy C. (Fran) Richins of Thermopolis, WY. He delighted in his four small grandchildren, James, Sariah, Kaylie, and Samara. We express our heartfelt thanks to all who have helped in his care and to family and friends, who have called and visited with him these last few months. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday March 15, 2008 in the Timpanogos Park 5th Ward Chapel at 990 North 100 West, Orem, Utah. Viewings will be held prior to the services beginning at 11:30 a.m. and on Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the same location.