Apr. 29, 1918 - Aug. 30, 2012
Date of Service: Sep. 6, 2012
Sylvan Howard ‘Sib’ Morley
April 29, 1918 ~ August 30, 2012
BURLEY – Sylvan Howard “Sib” Morley, 94, a resident of Burley, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, surrounded by his loving family.
Sib was born on April 29, 1918, in Moroni, Utah, to James Orlando and Eliza Petersen Morley. The youngest of 11 children. Sib was extremely proud of his pioneer heritage from his mother immigrating from Aaurhus, Denmark in 1881, to his Morley grandfathers and uncles who settled several towns throughout Utah and Nevada. Shortly after Sib was born, the family moved to McGill, Nevada, where he spent his childhood years riding the school train to school, hunting and playing around the valley, and learning to appreciate the value of hard work at an early age.
At the age of 14, Sib struggled to graduate with his class – overcoming an automobile accident sustained while traveling home from a school basketball game that almost claimed his life and hospitalized him for over a year. He eventually learned to walk again and graduated from White Pine High School with his class. After graduation Sib went to work at the Kennecott Copper Mill in McGill on the furnace – punching converter rods until the age of 22. He then served a 2 ½ year mission to the Spanish American Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, learning to speak fluent Spanish and acquiring a love for the culture and the people. This talent would serve him with great fulfillment the rest of his life. Upon the completion of his mission he received an appointment to the State Department in Washington, D.C. in November of 1943. Sib was posted to serve in the American Consulate in Luanda, Portuguese Angola, Africa, however before he was to leave he met and fell in love with Melba Tanner who was working for the British Admiralty at the time. Because of Melba’s Canadian citizenship, Sib was not permitted to take Melba with him to Africa, so they decided to leave Washington and pursue an education at the University of Utah. They traveled by train from Washington, D.C. to Lethbridge, Alberta, visiting Melba’s family in Magrath, Alberta, and were then married and sealed in the Cardston LDS Temple on July 5, 1944. Sib enrolled into the first class of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Utah, graduating in 1950.
Sib worked as a pharmacist in Salt Lake City for two years when he received an offer to work for Hal Matthews at Thriftway Drug in Burley. Sib and Melba moved to Burley with their young family and embarked on a career that would lead to owning and operating Sib’s Pharmacy in Burley for 34 years and also pharmacies in Rupert and Paul. He was also the hospital pharmacist for the Cassia and Rupert hospitals for a number of years. He was a member of the Businessmen’s Association and a member of the Kiwanis Club. Sib and his wife, Melba, were members of the Arabian Horse Association raising many beautiful horses.
Sib was active in the LDS Church serving in many capacities including nine years as a bishop, ten years on the stake high council and recently as a program distribution specialist. Sib and Melba were able to serve two missions together – the first, a two-year mission to Puerto Rico and the second, a two-year mission to Spain.
Sib and Melba loved their families, children and grandchildren, and spent many wonderful times with them on Sylvan Acres and on trial rides with their horses.
Sib is survived by his children, Howard (Lucia) Morley of Middleton, Idaho, Ric (Shauna) Morley of Taylorsville, Utah, Terri (Matt) Clark of Delta, Colorado, Tim (Camellia) Morley of West Jordon, Utah, and Tony (Jane) Morley, and Tammi (Michael) Pollard all of Burley; 23 grandchildren; and 43 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Melba; his parents; his ten siblings; and a granddaughter, Becky Morley.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, at the Burley LDS West Stake Center, 2420 Parke Ave., in Burley, with Bishop Dan Alvey officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant View Cemetery.
Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Thursday at the church.
