"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”
~ Helen Keller
HORACE "ROY" EKKER
Horace LeRoy “Roy” Ekker was gently lifted from earthly cares by his Heavenly Father on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at his home in La Verkin, Utah.
Roy was born on April 15, 1937, to his parents Horace Edward Ekker and Sylvia Gertrude Harris Ekker in Moab, Utah. Roy grew up in Hanksville and surrounding areas where he raised with the beauty of mountains, rivers, hunting, fishing, mining, ranching and many other outdoor opportunities. Roy attended elementary school there and had the privilege of education in Bicknell and Green River. He graduated from Green River High School in 1955 where he excelled at sports. Roy recovered from the polio epidemic and worked for the Robbers Roast Ranch which was owned by his uncle.
After school Roy joined the United States Army. He served in Korea for 1 ½ years and while there began writing to a pen pal. After returning to the States, he side-tracked going home to Utah to meet his pen pal, Dixie Ann Allen, in Wyoming. They were married 8 months later on August 26, 1960 and sealed in the Manti Temple, May 1966, for time and all eternity six years later. Roy and Dixie celebrated their 60th anniversary on August 26, 2020.
Roy worked diligently in the uranium mines near Green River, Utah as a young man. He later moved his small family north to Provo where he became a diesel mechanic and later taught his trade at the Utah State Prison. After 15 years, Roy accepted a teaching position at Snow College South in Richfield and moved to Annabella. Roy retired from teaching in 1990 and took cooking classes at SCS for fun. In 2000, a tragic car accident left Roy a quadriplegic, but this did not stop him. He and Dixie found time to spend time with their wonderful grandchildren and snowbird to Beaver Dam, Arizona. Roy and Dixie moved to La Verkin in 2015 to enjoy the year-round warm weather and sunshine.
Roy is survived by the love of his life, Dixie and his children Noelle Kristine Peterson, Phil (Shawna) Ekker, Daniel (La Dawn) Ekker. Roy has 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren that he loved dearly.
Graveside services with military honors provided by the Sevier Valley American Legion Post #37 and the Utah Honor Guard will be in the Annabella Cemetery, at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October, 24 2020, friends may call for viewing Friday from 6:00PM to 8:00 PM, or Saturday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 AM in the Annabella 2nd Ward Chapel.
Burial in the Annabella Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Homes of Richfield and Salina, Utah.
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