Jay R. Thacker

Aug. 15, 1941 - May 16, 2021

Date of Service: May 24, 2021

PAUL – Jay R. Thacker, age 79, of Paul, returned to live with his Heavenly Father on Sunday, May 16, 2021, in his home, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born August 15, 1941, in Daniels, Utah, to Murray Durrant and Larna Anderson Thacker; he was the third of six children. Jay learned what hard work was at a very young age. At six years old, he was helping milk the cows on his Grandpa Anderson’s farm, and, as he grew older and stronger, summers were spent cutting and hauling hay. After the Great Depression, his parents didn’t have money for vacations, so Jay enjoyed spending some of his summer at the sawmill where his father, grandfather, and uncles worked. He played football, basketball, and was very involved with the FFA during his high school years.

In 1960, Jay married his forever love, Valerie Jones. Two months later he started classes at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. After a semester, he took a job with his uncle on a ranch in Francis, Utah. The day after they moved to the ranch, the first of eight children was born. Jay enjoyed ranching and he loved working with the horses, but he found a better paying job in Midway, Utah. He went to work at Hecla Mine, worked many hours overtime, and was able to buy him and Valerie their first home. This was the beginning of many years of mine work and too many cave-ins, injuries, and close calls on his life. For a time, he lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, mining underground and testing bombs at Area 51.

In 1973, Jay and Valerie were able to purchase farm ground and build a new home in Paul, Idaho. They lived there for the next 46 years. He had a strong work ethic and instilled that in his children, having them help on the farm with planting crops, moving water, hauling rock, repairing equipment, and harvesting. He also taught his boys to hunt and fish and loved taking a break from farming and heading to the mountains with them. Anyone who knew Jay knows that he worked hard until the end. There were few people who met him that didn’t grow to love him or appreciate his willingness to jump in and help wherever it was needed. After he retired, he still felt he had to put in a 12-hour day and he spent many hours working in his yard or in the shop.

Jay and Valerie were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on May 21, 1975. He held many callings within the Church and serving as a member of the stake high council was such an honor and a blessing to him. He also loved working in the temple with Valerie and, before he passed, he was looking forward to going back to continue that work.

Jay is survived by his wife of 60 years, Valerie; his older sister, Joyce Murphy; his younger brothers, Neil, Phil, and Andy; seven children, Bruce (Monica), Lisa (Kerry) Anderson, Paul (Jennie), Teresa Thacker (Jake Cranney), Justin (Valerie), Elizabeth (Jade) Schenk, and Jennifer (Brett) Boysen; a daughter-in-law, Teresa Thacker; 34 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; an older brother, Roy; his son, Shawn; and a granddaughter, Angela.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, May 24, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Paul Stake Center, located at 424 W. Ellis St., in Paul. Burial will follow at Paul Cemetery.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available at the following link: https://youtu.be/BBh007NwoH8.

Friends and family will be received from 5 until 7 p.m. Sunday, May 23, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and Monday at the church one hour prior to the service.