|
Glen Calvin Collett, 89 years old, of Salt Lake City, Utah, passed away January 5, 2016, at Sunrise of Holladay Senior Living while being comforted by his loving wife, Marvis, and daughter, Robin, following a rapid infection due to his long decline from Alzheimers disease.
He was born on November 3, 1926, in Roosevelt, Utah, the eighth child of Charles Capper Collett and Effa Rebecca Seeley Collett and married Marvis Featherstone on June 7, 1950, being a caring, thoughtful husband for almost 66 years.
Learning from an early age to work hard, he graduated from South High in 1944 then worked to put himself through college, earning a Bachelors of Science degree in Zoology and a Masters of Science degree in Entomology which would be his life long career.
In the late 1950's, he was instrumental in the organization of the Salt Lake Mosquito Abatement District and was the district manager until he retired in 1987. Following his retirement, he continued to serve on the district's supervisory board for many years. He also served on the board of the Magna Mosquito Abatement District. During his many years of work in mosquito control, he was well known throughout the United States, speaking at conferences held in many states. Glen served tenures as the Executive Director of the Utah Mosquito Abatement Association, the President of the Society for Vector Ecology, and as National President of the American Mosquito Control Association.
During Glen's university and employment years, he belonged to The Society of the Sigma Xi scientific research association, the Phi Sigma Biological Society, the Military Preventative Medicine Association, the California Mosquito and Vector Control Association, the Utah Mosquito Abatement Association, the Society for Vector Ecology, and the American Mosquito Control Association. He was a co-author of An Identification Guide to the Mosquitos of Utah and "Natural Overwintering Hosts of the Virus of Western Equine Encephalitis."
Glen received the Medal of Honor from the American Mosquito Control Association for distinguished contributions to mosquito control and in 1987 received the Utah Mosquito Abatement Association's Don M. Rees Award "For Service, Leadership, and Excellence."
Glen served in the Korean war as a preventative medicine technician and was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. His stories of his time in Korea were shared many times and will always be remembered as will his kindness to the people of that county that he served among.
A former Bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Glen was active for many years in the Young Mens program as a leader, teacher, and father. He served faithfully in many positions in his High Priests groups. Garrulous, friendly, and caring, he always enjoyed his home teaching assignments and even when assignments would change, would continue to care for and be concerned about those he had served as a home teacher.
Whatever his outside concerns were, however, his main focus was his home and family. A loving husband and father, he attended every baseball, basketball, and tennis game his children took part in. He enjoyed taking his family hiking, camping, on vacations, and doing yard work with them. He taught his children his philosophies of hard work and commitment, stressing his basic precepts that any job worth doing is worth doing well and that if you are not five minutes early, you are late. He was always supportive of his wife in all her endeavors and they worked unitedly together in running their home. After his retirement, they became world travelers visiting Russia, Egypt, Italy, Peru, China, and many other countries. However no matter how fascinating the journey, he always looked forward to returning to garden in his own backyard.
Glen is survived by his wife, Marvis; his children Robin Collett of Salt Lake City, Steven (Stacy) Collett of Tualatin, Oregon, Gordon (Siv) Collett of Billings, Montana, Jill (Mark) Filicetti of Boise, Idaho; grandchildren Wesley (Anna), Ryan, Mason, Glen-Olav, Synneva, Torstein, Kjetil, Solfrid, Breena, Anthony, Angela (Matthew), Abigail, and Olivia; his sister Veva Andersen of Murray, Utah; and many nieces and nephews and their families.
He is predeceased by his parents Charles and Effa Collett and his siblings Cloyd, Thelma, Merrill "Bill," Woodrow "Woody," Arthur "Brie," and Ralph.
Special thanks to the staff of Sunrise of Holladay and Inspiration Hospice, especially Natalie, for their tender care for Glen during the last months of his life.
|
