Stanley Pett

Stanley Taft Pett of South Jordan, Utah, passed away surrounded by his loving family on May 31, 2023, after three years of battling prostate and lung cancer. 

Stan was born in Malad, ID, on March 20th, 1940, the eldest son of Ezra Taft and Agnes Lucille Evans Pett. Shortly after, his small family moved to Parma, a farming community outside of Boise, and joined his grandparents in working a small dairy farm. 

Stan attended Apple Valley school and worked on the family farm until he graduated from Parma High School in 1958. He spent a semester at Brigham Young University before he left to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the West Central States Mission (South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming) for two years. When he returned to his home congregation in Nyssa, OR, he noticed a beautiful high school senior, Judi Bingham, and they started courting soon after. He worked for a short time at the Amalgamated Sugar Company’s factory in Nyssa before he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After Basic Training, Stan and Judi were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and all eternity on October 1, 1963. He and Judi spent 23 years in the Navy, having adventures and growing their family along the way. They were stationed in San Francisco, CA; Barber’s Point, HI; Keflavik, Iceland; Pensacola, FL; Albany, NY; Fort Meade, MD; and San Diego, CA; and retired in Salt Lake City, UT, as a Chief Petty Officer. During his time in the Navy, Stan worked as a Personnelmen and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of Maryland.

Stan and Judi were happy to finally put down roots and raise their kids in West Valley City, UT. He worked 19 years for Continental Airlines as a reservation agent. This career provided the opportunity to continue his traveling adventures to far flung places in the world. He was proud to say he had visited six continents, 35 countries, and all 50 states as well as instilling the love of travel in all his children.

He served valiantly in many callings for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Scout Master, Stake Executive Secretary, Bishopric Counselor, Bishop, but most of all, he loved being a missionary. After retirement from Continental, he and Judi served a full-time Military Relations mission in the California San Diego Mission 2011-2012, service missions for the Military Relations and Chaplain Services Division in Salt Lake City 2013-2022.  as a visitor guide at the church office building 2019, and full-time mission in the China Hong Kong Mission 2016-2017.

After returning from Hong Kong, they built their dream home in Daybreak, South Jordan, UT, where Stan loved to sit on his front porch, visit with the neighbors, play cards with his family and friends, have breakfast at Burger King with his ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out), and ride his 50-year-old Schwinn bicycle to his daughters’ homes who lived nearby. 

Stan was a friend to all. He talked to everyone and often found a connection from the past or a new friend for the future. He will be remembered for his dad jokes, good nature, and pride in the legacy he left behind. 

He is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Judith Bingham Pett, and his five children Kathleen (Samuel) Preslar, Suzanne (Daniel) Young, Amy Pett, Mathew (Ricardo Paniagua) Pett, and David (Marina) Pett and eight grandchildren Taylor Young, Curtis Preslar, Isabelle (Chandler) Peterson, Noah Preslar, Katya Pett, Lucy Preslar, Sasha Pett, and Charlie Pett, his brother Clayton (Brenda) Pett, sister Marceal (Stan) Manning, and sisters-in-law Georgia Pett, Carolee Haines, and Teresa (Scott) Moreland.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Ezra Taft and Agnes Lucille Pett, his wife’s parents Earl E and Teresa Jones Bingham, his brothers, Marvin and Thomas Pett, sister-in-law Diane Bowen Pett and brother-in-law Keith Earl Bingham.

If you would like to view the services remotely, please use the following link:   https://zoom.us/j/98156769692

Please join us for the following services:

Thursday, June 8, 2023 

Viewing:  6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

McDougal Funeral Home

4330 S. Redwood Road

Taylorsville, UT 84123

Friday, June 9, 2023 

Viewing:  9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Funeral Service:  10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

4842 W Vermillion Drive

South Jordan, UT 84009

Graveside Service:  11:30 AM

Utah Veterans Memorial Park

17111 South Redwood Road

Bluffdale, UT 84065