Arden W. Lauritzen

Despite his best-efforts Arden Westrate Lauritzen, a self-professed “proponent of life”, lost his battle to age. He passed away at Ogden Regional Medical Center on Saturday, April 25th of heart failure & pneumonia.

He was born on June 6, 1935- his dad’s birthday- in Cambridge, Ohio to Cyril Walker Lauritzen and Nella Syna Westrate Lauritzen. In the days prior to Arden’s birth, his father had foot surgery and the river running through town flooded. On foot, Cy sought out a doctor and a passable bridge while Nella and the elderly landlady labored together. When the landlady fainted, Nella was on her own, giving birth just prior to Cy and the doctor’s return.

Arden was the tormenting older brother to resigned siblings Dagmar Westrate Lauritzen Page (deceased), Bruce Westrate Lauritzen, Frances Kay Lauritzen, and Sharon Rae Lauritzen (deceased).

Arden was a believer in education. He graduated from USU with a BS degree in zoology and started medical school at the University of Utah. He dropped out during the second semester and joined the U. S. Navy as an Ensign. He served as a CIC officer on a Super Constellation, radar pickup plane, flying regular missions from Maryland to the Azores via Argentia, Newfoundland. Their mission was patrolling USSR high bombers and submarines during the Cold War.

Arden completed his education in 1968 at the University of Utah earning a JD degree. He practiced criminal law and served as a public defender in Cache, Rich, and Box Elder Counties. In 2010 he was recognized by the Utah Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for a “lifetime of service defending constitutional liberties.” In 2018, he was recognized by the Utah Bar Association for 50 years of active membership. He maintained a law practice into his 80s and only stopped when a fall resulted in a broken hip. Even on the last day of his life, when he wasn’t thinking clearly, he was still trying to get out of bed so he could put his boots on, get a cup of coffee, and go to the office.

Arden had an innate ability to find himself in the company of good, well-educated women. He married Georgia Christensen (deceased) on her birthday in 1959, and she divorced him on her birthday in 1981. He married Vonda Rae Ferney Douglass (deceased) in 1983. He is the father of four good, well-educated daughters, Mary Ann Woods (Tim), Ruth Lauritzen (Don Ruess, both deceased), Andrea Golding (Scott), and Emily Lauritzen Waters (Warren).

Arden leaves behind 10 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, several long-suffering legal secretaries, and Chassidy Ruedas his angelic caregiver.

He liked to brag about his family to others, but rarely expressed those feelings face to face. Consequently, he leaves behind some hurt feelings and frayed relationships. We are hopeful, however, that when we meet again, he will have learned to treat people more gently.

A funeral will be held in September when the family will be able to gather.

Memories and condolences may be shared and expressed at www.allenmortuaries.com.