Oct. 16, 1929 – March 4, 2019
Gary Orchard, 89, passed away peacefully March 4, 2019. He was born Oct. 16, 1929, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to William Joseph Orchard and Lola Ann Allen Orchard. He married and was sealed for all eternity to the love of his life LaRaine Peterson in the Salt Lake City Temple on May 6, 1949. They were married 64 years.
He was born and raised in Bountiful, Utah, with his three sisters and three brothers. He then moved to Southern California, where he raised his three children.
He enjoyed the sport boxing and became a trainer for boxers, which he loved. He worked 40 years as an engineer in the spacecraft industry for the company JPL.
After retiring he moved to St. George, Utah, and he and his wife later served an LDS mission in New York.
He had a passion for art and loved painting in his free time and being in art shows. He went back to school and received his bachelor’s degree in art at Dixie College, where he taught as an art instructor for many years.
In memory of a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend, Gary was a wonderful man and will be missed dearly.
William is survived by his daughter Colette Orchard Kramme (Portland, Oregon); daughter-in-law Brenda Orchard (St. George, Utah); and grandchildren Chanel, Jason and Kylah Gore (Washington, Utah). He was preceded in death by his wife LaRaine; his two sons Steven and Michael; his son-in-law Clyde Kramme; his parents; and his six siblings.
Funeral services
- Funeral services will be Saturday, March 9, at 2 p.m. at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah.
- A visitation will be held prior to services at 12:30 p.m. at the mortuary.
- Interment will be in the Tonaquint Cemetery.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, 435-673-4221.
For condolences, full obituary and funeral listings please visit Metcalf Mortuary online.