Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Service

What we have once enjoyed we can never lose.All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” ~ Helen Keller Forthcoming funeral services are planned for the following friends from our community. Complete versions of these obituaries may also be found in The Payson Chronicle.

PAUL MEREDITH

Jacob 7:26 (The Book of Mormon)  ...the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream...

Heaven gladly welcomed Paul Virgil Meredith as he peacefully passed away on April 4, 2020 while at home (Payson, Utah) surrounded by family.  He lived a joy-filled life centered on his family, his Church, and all around him.  

Paul was born on August 7, 1941, in Lehi, Utah to Virgil Turn Meredith and Ruby Mae Zimmerman.  

He fell in love with football in high school with his great friend Jay Rindlisbacher, where he was nicknamed “Bear Meredith”.  He attended Dixie College on a football scholarship. He served a church mission in Stockholm, Sweden, and then earned a degree in Education from Brigham Young University in 1967.

On October 25, 1963, he married Larraine Rindlisbacher in the Manti Temple.  They spent 39 wonderful years together before her tragic passing in 2002. 

He was a Payson High School history teacher for over 30 years.  His students loved him.  Paul had a knack for connecting with students, especially those who had difficulty connecting elsewhere.  He coached football, tennis, wrestling, and track.  Coach Meredith influenced and befriended many.

He loved farming, driving a tractor, the smell of freshly cut hay, puttering through the orchards on a four-wheeler, boating, BYU football & basketball, and fishing (without catching any fish).

Just like Hyrum and Joseph, he and his older brother Melvin Meredith were inseparable, constant companions, and best friends.  Together they served in many church callings, raised their children, worked, traveled, daily trips to McDonald’s, and many drinks of Diet Coke.

Each Christmas season he handcrafted wooden, personalized snowmen which brought joy to many people. He will continue to live through these snowmen which symbolize his selfless service. He gave them freely and touched the hearts of countless people. 

He was always the first person on the doorstep of any new neighbor and often carried a freshly baked loaf of bread. Every young person who walked into his home was an honoree grandchild. 

He held many church callings (bishop, temple worker, and others).  He served in the Provo Temple for five years and the Payson Temple for five years.  But, the one calling he felt was the most important of all of them was being a home teacher/minister. He was a friend to all he home taught or ministered to, not because they were assigned to him but because he loved them first.

He served for ten years on the board of Strawberry Electrical Service District (SESD).

On April 16, 2004, he married Linda Rasmussen and they were sealed in the Provo Temple. Paul and Linda loved to travel and embraced children and grandchildren with great love on both sides of their families.  They’ve seen every state but two and even traveled to Mexico and Canada.

Paul was preceded in death by his beloved wife Norma Larraine Rindlisbacher Meredith, his mother and father, two sisters (Beverly and Bertha Mae), his grandson Lane McIntyre, stepson Jim Hall, father-in-law Roger Rasmussen, father-in-law Reed Rindlisbacher, and mother-in-law Norma Rindlisbacher.  Paul is loved and missed by many.  He is survived by his dear wife, Linda Rasmussen Meredith; his siblings Melvin Meredith and Joyce Jones; his mother-in-law Colleen Rasmussen, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren,Paula & Greg Evans (children: Zane & Brooklyn [children: Nora], and Curtis);Val & Lisa Meredith (children: Gavin & Emily, and Courtney);Tracy & David Evert (children: Amie & Lyman McIntier [children: Addison and Brinley], Brandy & Tyler Washburn [children: Landon, Clara, and Derek], David Jr. & Rachel [children: Carter. Madilyn, Abigail, Briella] Evert, Brett & Alice [children: Sydney] Evert, Lane McIntyre, Kyle & Kaitlyn [children: Declan] Evert, Logan McIntyre, and Amber Evert);Erik & Synthia Meredith (children: Adriana, Erika, Celeste, and Stephanie);Karl & Gloria Meredith (children: Glen, Leah, Carlton, and Camellia);

Matthew & Amy Meredith (children: Ruby, Megan, Wesley, and Henry);

Tracey & John Kartsone (children: Katrina & Christian Hobbs, Kaden, and Preston);

Trisha & Mark Kizerian (children: Sierra Morris, Nikolas Kizerian, Jaden Kizerian);

Jessica & Luke Brandley (children: Hunter & Seneca [children: Camden Price], Megan Hall, Evan Brandley, Braxton Hall, Joseph Brandley, Kimberley Brandley, Porter Hall, Emree Hall, and Ren Brandley)

Paul will be interred at the Payson Cemetery on April 8, 2020.  There will be no formal funeral ceremony held at this time.  At a later date, there will be a memorial service held to remember Paul’s life.  In Paul's honor, we request that those wishing to contribute do so by making a charitable donation to the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.