Dave Earl Stringham 1949 - 2014

Obituary:

David Earl Stringham lost his battle with cancer on July 7, 2014.  He was born on June 17, 1949, in Ogden, Utah, to Briant Earl Stringham and Dorothy Mae Watterson Stringham.  He was the second child of Briant and Dorothy with older brother Paul and younger siblings Daniel, Mark, and Julie.  He attended school in Clearfield, Utah.  He forged lifetime friendships with Bruce Bingham and Wilson Astudillo, a foreign exchange student who lived with his family.  David had an adventurous nature, loving outdoor activities of camping, hunting, and fishing.  In 1959, the family built a cabin in Bear Lake, where David loved to water ski. He also enjoyed attending the roller skating rinks in Lakota and Sweetwater.  He attended Weber State and believed in lifelong education.

In October 1968, David was called to serve in the North British Mission.  He considered his mission to be among the greatest experiences in his life.  One of his utmost desires is that his grandchildren, especially grandsons, will also serve missions. 

Upon returning from his mission, David enlisted for six years in the Army National Guard.  He completed basic training at Fort Ord near Monterey, California, and advanced training in Denver, Colorado.  He spent summer camps and weekend drills in Salt Lake.  Eventually he joined the Army Reserves and transferred to Logan where his father was also enlisted.  He was a medical equipment repairman working on electric and pneumatic hospital equipment.  David also worked with his family to manufacture pickup campers in Paris, Idaho, and houses all around Bear Lake, giving him design and building experience. 

While chaperoning a group of boys on a choir activity, he met Julie Floyd from Laketown.  They began dating on December 28, 1973, and he proposed on Valentine’s Day 1974.  They were married in the Logan, Utah, Temple on May 10, 1974. 

David and Julie were blessed with five daughters:  Tamilynn, Tonya, Teresa, Tiesha, and Tara.  They built a home and lived in Laketown.  In 1985, the family moved to Garden City.  David accepted a job as superintendent of the Bear Lake Special Service District, and Julie was the postmaster in Garden City.  David later took a second job as manager of the Bear Lake Water Company.

Among his many church callings, David served as Scout Master, Elders Quorum President, and in the bishopric.  He was particularly fond of his calling as Ward Mission Leader.  He and Julie had a desire to share the gospel with as many people as possible, and found great joy in having missionaries in their home.

David and Julie loved Bear Lake, and were anxiously involved to provide community service.  David built the first stage that was used for the Bear Lake Raspberry Days Festival, and oversaw the pancake breakfast for many years.  He was a volunteer firefighter and enjoyed the training gained in this position.  He truly loved the people of Garden City.

In May 2006, David completed a new house on 130 West Street in Garden City.  This was built with love as a gathering destination for their growing family.  On June 26, 2010, the house caught fire.  Most of the contents were a loss, but they were able to escape without injury.  They appreciated so much the firefighters who risked safety to help them, and the community which rallied around them to rebuild their home.

David fought melanoma-related cancer for much of his adult life.  In December 2008, his doctors determined that they would no longer be able to prevent the cancer from spreading.  David and Julie decided that they would spend as much time as possible with each other and their grandchildren.  David became increasingly ill.  On July 7, 2014, he was taken to Logan, Utah, where he passed away a few hours later.  He was preceded in death by his father, Briant Earl Stringham; his parents-in-law, Roscoe and Faye Floyd; and his sister-in-law, Launa Daines.  He is survived by his eternal bride, Julie, of Garden City; his loving mother, Dorothy, of Garden City; daughters and their husbands, Tamilynn and Darrell Pugmire of Mapleton, Utah; Tonya and Harold Hatch of Cokeville, Wyoming; Teresa and Kenneth Pugmire of Payson, Utah; Tiesha and Aaron Hart of Garden City, Utah; and Tara and Craig Wride of Garden City, Utah; siblings and their spouses, Paul and Barbara Stringham, currently serving in the Nauvoo, Illinois, mission; Daniel and Debbie Stringham of Laketown; Mark and Kathy Stringham of Garden City; and Julie and Ken Stucki of Pocatello, Idaho; and the delight of his life, 24 adoring grandchildren. 

We will miss David, but we are relieved that his pain has ended.  His story is one of patience and long-suffering.  His last several months were filled with countless moments to serve him and feel his strength.  We want his legacy to live on, particularly for his grandchildren.  Please join us as we work to follow David’s example to humbly accept whatever comes, always speak kindly, laugh often, work hard, exercise faith, give willingly to church and community, and always acknowledge the hand of the Lord in our lives.  We are proud to be his family, and look forward to reuniting with him in a better place.