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Our gentle and giving father, husband, grandfather & friend, Orvill Paller, Jr., age 74, returned to the loving arms of his Heavenly Father on Sunday, July 26, 2020 at Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, Utah. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 1st, 2020 at 11AM at the Rose Park Center Ward, 868 N Star Crest Drive in Salt Lake City, UT. For those interested in paying their respects in person, a public viewing directly preceding the funeral services will begin at 9AM. For those who wish to attend virtually, the funeral service will also be live-streamed via Facebook. The funeral and viewing will be following LDS church and CDC guidelines for social distancing and health protection measures. The live-stream can be joined online at: https://www.facebook.com/events/s/orvill-paller-jr-memorial-serv/726755908110571/?ti=ia

Dad was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on March 24, 1946, to Orvill Paller and Hazel Walk. Orvill is preceded in death by his bride Judith, father Orvill, mother Hazel and brothers Neil, Walter and Raymond. He is survived by his children Orvill (Chelsea), John, Marian (Stephanie), Rebecca (Geoff) and his 9 grandchildren (Stuart, Samuel, Jacob, Daniel, Nathan, Bria, Enza, Owen and Lucas). He is also survived by his grandpets (Susie, Tom, Lady, Sophie, Cozy, Catso and Hash).

In July 1958, he and his mother converted to the LDS church. Later in his teens he graduated from John Oliver High School and earned his “Queen Scout”, the highest rank in the Canadian Boy Scouts. He later served his LDS mission in the Western States Mission. Following his mission, he attended college first at Dixie State College in Saint George, Utah and completed undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from BYU, in Provo, Utah.

After graduating with his undergraduate degree, he moved to Salt Lake City where he met his eternal partner and sweetheart, Judith “Judy” Langdon Murphy. They wed in November of 1973 in the LDS Salt Lake Temple and were inseparable until her death in March of 2016.

Dad is a legend for being a jack of many trades. He was an avid Scouter and served countless young men through Boy Scouts on the trail to Eagle Scout in the Great Salt Lake Council. He was awarded the prestigious Silver Beaver award and served in dozens of leadership positions through the years. His capstone achievement was spearheading the Rim-2-Rim-2-Rim Grand Canyon Hike with Troop 83 and his sons in 1988. His love for teaching youth also permeated into the Salt Lake City School District as a substitute teacher for over a decade.

Dad loved sports. He used his genius for numbers as a statistician for many KSL sports broadcasts and newspaper box scores. He also was a founding member of the “Sports Trivia Panel of Utah” on KSL Radio and wrote “Instate Wars” which chronicled the sports rivalries of Utah, BYU and Utah State. His favorite sports related activity though was taking in a BYU football game or any hockey or baseball game with his kids.

Dad is probably best known for his endless genealogical research he performed for Judy’s “Murphy” family, specifically the descendants of John Murphy Sr. of Bedford County, Virginia. Hundreds, if not thousands, of family members have been identified due to his work. He also served the LDS church as a temple veil & baptistry worker and many other church leadership roles.

Most important to dad was his commitment to being a father. For several years, his children had the great honor to have him coach soccer teams, cart them to ice skating lessons, gymnastics & tumbling classes, football practice, to and from school, early morning swim practice, basketball practice and games, boy scouts, girl scouts, assisting in delivering newspapers at “o’dark-thirty”, and on and on and on. He literally never stopped supporting everything his children needed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Rose Park Center Ward Missionary Fund. Celebration memories, videos and tidbits can be shared on the Facebook event page, through Larkin Mortuary’s memorial page at www.larkincares.com or thememories by KSL.

Services

Viewing

Saturday, Aug. 01, 2020 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Rose Park Center Ward
868 N Star Crest Drive
Salt Lake City , UT 84116

Funeral Service

Saturday, Aug. 01, 2020 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Rose Park Center Ward
868 N Star Crest Drive
Salt Lake City , UT 84116

Graveside Service

Saturday, Aug. 01, 2020 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Mt. Olivet Cemetery
1342 East 500 South
Salt Lake City , UT 84102

Services Handled By

Larkin Sunset Gardens
1950 E 10600 S
Sandy, UT

Life Story Info

Post Date

Jul 29, 2020

Personal Info

Age

74
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NEXT Keith Barker Knighton Keith Barker Knighton

Guestbook

I never pas that house on the corner of Sir Michael Dr and 900 N without thinking of Orvill and Judy. I miss them both.

Rose ((Murphy) Hadden , Rose Park, UT, US Aug 10, 2020

Your dad was my favorite substitute, bar none, all the years I worked at the old Northwest Middle School. I loved for him to come work in my classroom because I knew I could TRUST him. I knew that he would follow the lesson plans I left and honestly work hard to teach the students. Not many substitutes do that! As a teacher I would always try to coordinate my doctor’s appointments and other necessary absences around his schedule of when he would be available to come be my substitute. He really did live the scout law of being honest and trustworthy. The day he told me he was no longer going to work in the schools I felt like I had lost a valuable friend - but I am sure that he had lots of other things to keep him busy. I sometimes saw him in the halls of Northwest Middle School when he went to sub for someone else and then he would always want to fill me in on all of the things his kids were involved in. He was very proud of his family and I am sure he will be very missed.

Pamela Aveytua Aug 02, 2020

OP was and is one of the great scout leaders of all time. I was lucky enough to hike the Grand Canyon with him and his boys. I’ll never forget that orange varsity jacket he wore and fighting with him to remove it since it was a 100+ that week. He won the fight and lived to tell everyone about our experience. He taught me about the scout oath and law because he truly lived it and expected each one of his scouts to be the best in everything they did. It’s been a great honor to know the Paller Family and look forward to seeing them on the other side again.

Sincerely

The Bridge Family

Todd Bridge , Bountiful , UT, US Jul 30, 2020

I did not know Orvill, however, I know his daughter Marian. When you know a person's children and what they bring to your circle, it is a very good indication of the parent themselves. Orvill was a wonderful father and Marian is a terrific "partner in crime" for our positions at Independence University.

I know the family is feeling this loss and my thoughts and energy are with you in this time of loss. Please take care of yourselves and allow the grieving process to run it's course, at the end is peace. Alice Reybitz

Alice Marie Reybitz , Belleair Bluffs, FL, US Jul 30, 2020

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