May 23, 2021
Rulon Hal Oliekan (better known as Bo) passed away May 23, 2021, at the age of 79 in Washington, Utah. Rulon is the son of Cornelius Hendricks Oliekan and Julia Darlene Brown.
Rulon was raised in Ferron and Bountiful, Utah. After graduating from Bountiful High, he attended Utah State University and studied forestry. He enlisted and served in the Army Reserves in 1964 for two years. He resumed his education and attended College of Southern Utah in Cedar City. He studied history, botany, geology and zoology then graduated with an associate of science degree in Forestry in 1962 and bachelor of science degree in 1968.
He married Louise Jones on May 29, 1969, in the St. George LDS Temple and raised six children. They resided in Torrey and Enoch, Utah. At this time, he enlisted and eventually served 27 years in the Navy Reserves and became Seabee Equipment Operator Chief Petty Officer.
Rulon liked nothing more than being outdoors and chose occupations in Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park as a park ranger. He worked in the uranium mine in Ticaboo as a heavy equipment operator, and for Utah Oil, Gas and Mining supervising the reclamation department completing projects closing abandoned mines. After moving to Hesperia, California with his family in 1987, Rulon worked for Union Oil in the rare earth mine at Mountain Pass, California as a heavy equipment operator and supervisor.
Rulon was a friendly person who loved people and never forgot a name. History was his favorite subject and knew about every place in the world and the details of all world war events and the people involved. There wasn’t anything he didn’t know about rocks, plants, and animals as well. He was a walking encyclopedia as for as his children were concerned. He enjoyed his fishing and hunting trips with his grandchildren come summer and autumn.
Rulon is survived by his wife, Louise, and his six children; Sonja Louise (Danny) Pardue, Jason Hal (Christina) Oliekan, Jennifer Lynn (Gregg) Kaley, Bryce (April) Oliekan, Mandy (Russ) LeBarron, Daniel (Kristy) Oliekan, 13 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren; two sisters Darlene Cargeeg, Julie Rigby and a brother Robert Oliekan.
Cremation will take place at the Spilsbury Mortuary. A Celebration of Life with be held in Torrey, Utah City Cemetery on June 26, 2021, at 1 p.m.
The family is sincerely grateful to Zion Pathway Hospice, Adam Steele, and the Spilsbury Mortuary & Cremation Services for their respectful and compassionate care for Rulon.
Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff Street, St. George, Utah, 84770, 435-673-2454. Friends and family are invited to sign Rulon’s guestbook at www.spilsburymortuary.com.