Claude Vern Blomquist

Claude Vern Blomquist was born to Vern Alfred Blomquist and Margaret Sheets Wright on October 10, 1928, in Richfield, Utah, the third of six children.

The Blomquist family left the family farm in Richfield to find better employment in 1938. They moved several times, but eventually ended up in Bountiful when his father began working at the Ogden Arsenal when Claude was in 8th grade. He graduated from Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah in 1947. Claude loved high school because he excelled in sports, particularly football and track. He ran as an anchor on the mile relay and ran the 400-meter race. He took first place in state in the 400-meter during his senior year.

After high school, Claude worked at Hill Air Force Base in the Logistic Material Division for 5 years as a logistics support analyst. After 5 years, he enrolled at Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University). While there he met his wife, Patty, in a salesmanship class. Claude learned true salesmanship there, as boys outnumbered girls 5 to 1 in the class, and he got the girl! He married Patricia Parker Larsen on October 21, 1953 in the Logan, Utah LDS Temple. After their marriage, the couple moved to Bountiful and Claude returned to work at Hill Air Force Base in his former position. During their years in Bountiful they were blessed to add 3 boys to their family, Scott, Rod, and Michael. They enjoyed watching the boys grow and develop their individual talents and always felt blessed by the goodness and success of their boys.

While working at Hill, Claude was awarded the Outstanding Employee of the Year. He was chosen to represent Hill on a team to deactivate a NATO Airforce Base near Paris, France. Hill Air Force Base was also responsible for logistics support for the Minute Man Missile and Claude worked closely with Boeing, the prime contractor. Claude was required to travel to Seattle every two months to set up provisioning contracts to select spare parts and support equipment for the program. After 8 months, Boeing offered him a job. After talking to Patty, they decided to take the job and moved the family to Bellevue, Washington.

Claude felt blessed that his job at the Boeing Company allowed his family to develop close friendships with many faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These friendships influenced the family to increased faith and activity. During that time, he was called to be the Stake Mission Leader and as such was ordained to the office of Seventy. He was ordained by Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Council of 12 apostles. During his ordination Claude was concerned when Elder Hinckley said, "You will teach the gospel far and wide." At the time he told Patty, "That means we might be moving."

During this time, Claude was laid off by Boeing for 5 months. He took a job with Northrup to serve as a logistics support manager. His team was responsible to establish a maintenance and overhaul center for military air craft for the Iranian Air Force. The family moved to Tehran, Iran in June of 1972. Claude felt this was an important opportunity for the family to experience another culture and learn to appreciate the blessings of living in America. Later when the Iranian Air Force headquarters found his assignment was ending with Northrup, they hired him for 2 additional years.

Claude continued serving as a Seventy during his time in Iran. He began his work by finding Iranians who had been baptized while attending school in the U.S. Over his stay, about 20 others were baptized in a font he crafted out of an old water tank. He also had the opportunity to baptize a man in the Caspian Sea. He felt the hand of the Lord in fulfilling Elder Hinckley's promise and knew the family was serving where they should be.

The family returned to Bellevue after 5 years in Iran and Claude returned to Boeing in the aerospace division working on weapons contracts for the rest of his career. In 1995, Claude accepted an early retirement deal from Boeing.

After retirement, he and Pat worked in the Seattle LDS temple as ordinance workers. During this time their Stake President called them on a mission. They served a proselyting mission on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona from September 1997 to March of 1999. It was one of the most rewarding spiritual callings the couple experienced. They learned to love the Navajo people very much. During their time there, the branch increased form 35 to 80 members allowing them to have a chapel built. Claude negotiated the trade of the old building and purchase of land for a chapel, but was released before it was built.

In 2000, while Claude and Pat were in Utah to attend the temple sealing of a family from their mission, they were convinced by Pat's brother to move to North Logan, where the couple lived until their deaths. They served in the Logan temple together as ordinance workers for several years before Pat passed away on January 18, 2011. Claude continued to serve in the temple for 5 years after Pat's death. Claude and Pat were married 57 years and he regarded his biggest challenge in life to be living without Pat after her death.

Siblings: Gwen, Marjorie, Betty, Paul, and Jerry (deceased)

Children: Scott (Michelle), Rodney (Jennifer), Mike (Samantha)

Blessed with 7 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the LDS Church located at 1105 East 2100 North in North Logan. There will be a viewing on Friday, September 12 from 6:00-8:00 PM, and on Saturday, September 13, from 10:00-11:30 AM followed by the funeral at 12:00 noon.

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