Artwell Vaterlaus Checketts

Artwell Vaterlaus Checketts
24 July 1926 - 14 October 2018 recording:

Born just three years before the beginning of the Great Depression, Artwell Checketts quickly became acquainted with sacrifice. He grew up in a modest home in a poor but blessed community where father Arthur, a fruit farmer and Mother Frieda, a hard- working mother of seven often shared their meager subsistence with "those less fortunate". Art was the fifth child and first son of a father who taught him conservative values and the principal of hard work. After milking cows each morning, Dad rode his horse "Bird" to school then walked home to be met by his dog and best friend Scotty to help with the myriad of waiting chores.

At age 18 he set aside dreams of going on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to serve his country as an infantryman with the 37th Division in the Philippines during WWII. There, he cradled a good friend in his arms as he died and was himself wounded in action, and he suffered from malaria and was blessed to be one of the first to benefit from the recent discovery of penicillin.

One evening, while serving as a forward observer, the battle shifted and Art found himself the sole occupant of a foxhole in no-man's-land. The enemy knew he was out there, but not exactly sure where, they spent the night probing his position with mortars and small arms fire. Following each belch of the mortars, he would brace at the whistle of the incoming round for the inevitable. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he felt he could bear no more. On his knees, he made the promise that so many desperate soldiers did, he honored that commitment by living the rest of his life in dedicated service to his Heavenly Father.

Shortly after an honorable discharge from the service following VJ Day, he re-met his future wife (Colleen Nielsen of Hyrum) at the Dansante in Logan. They had been one year apart at South Cache High School, so they knew of and saw one another for years, but at their post-war meeting, well . . . almost 70 years of marriage kind of says it all. They were sealed for time and eternity on December 8th, 1948 in the Logan Temple. Dad joked that WWII started on December 7th, and the war in the Checketts home started on December 8th.

Art gave up dreams of owning a large cattle operation in Montana to start a family and work at Defense Depot Ogden. He worked there for over 25 years and sacrificed several promotions so he could remain in Ogden and provide a stable environment for his growing family. In addition to his work at DDO, he served as a Scoutmaster, Elders Quorum President, Second and First Counselor and finally Bishop of the Ogden 42nd Ward. He also served as President of the Lorin Farr Stake for 10 years and then as Second Counselor to President Dorman H Baird in the Ogden Temple from 1990 to 1993. During that time Art sacrificed much personal time to work with President Lorimar of the Riverton Stake in Wyoming to organize the "second rescue" (activities to have temple ordinances completed for members of the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies). Following his release from the presidency, he continued to serve in the Ogden Temple for another 15 years as a Sealer and was then called to be Patriarch in the Lorin Farr Stake.
All of this was made possible by the undying love and support of a wonderful wife. Then, on September 17th, 2018 Art parted with his sweetheart, best friend and helpmeet. Before leaving, Dad promised Mom that he would not be far behind. Like so many other commitments and promises honored by our father, he reunited with her just 28 days later. Seldom apart in life, they were only temporarily separated in death.

Honored to call them Parents are Chad Artwell (Sheree Shurtz), Scott Nielsen (Debbie Zuich), Curtis Blake (Janet Lyells) and Catherine Ann (Jaime Zuniga), 13 grandchildren and 31 great grandchildren, who will miss them greatly.

A viewing will be held at Myers Ogden Mortuary, 845 Washington Blvd. on Friday, October 19, 2018 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm and again for one hour preceding a celebration of his life at 11 am from 10 am to 10:45 am on Saturday at Myers. Interment will follow at the Hyrum City Cemetery.
VisitationMyers Mortuary of Ogden
845 Washington Blvd.
Ogden, UT 84404
October 19, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
ServiceMyers Mortuary of Ogden
845 Washington Blvd.
Ogden, UT 84404
October 20, 2018
11:00 AM
BurialHyrum City Cemetery
600 E Main St
Hyrum, UT 84319
October 20, 2018