Karl Smith Farnsworth

1928 – 2023

Karl Smith Farnsworth, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and church leader, died Thursday, 24 August 2023 in Orem, UT. Karl was born 23 August 1928 in Beaver, Utah, the fifth of seven children of Samuel Taylor and Kathleen Smith Farnsworth. He graduated from Beaver High School in 1946, where he was active in speech, drama, music and the FFA.

He attended Brigham Young University for two years then served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Northern States and the Great Lakes Missions. Following his mission he met and married Joyce (Jackie) Johnson of Barnwell, Alberta, Canada 9 May 1951, in the Cardston Alberta Temple. They have six children: Reed (Wendy) Farnsworth (Orem, UT), Karlyn (Ed) Norton (Orem, UT), Brian (Nickie) Farnsworth (Bluffdale, UT), Tracy (Michelle) Farnsworth (Meridian, ID), Tami (David) Bryan (River Heights, UT), and Linda (Thomas) Hooker (Lehi, UT). They have 35 grandchildren, 83 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

Karl served two years in the US Army in California, Maryland and Germany during the Korean War. He was involved in the dairy business in Beaver with his father. While living in Beaver, Karl was a charter member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, was active in the American Legion, and in the community. Karl returned to BYU where he obtained his Bachelors, Masters, and Doctor of Education degrees. He spent the remainder of his professional life working in the Church Education System [CES]. Karl taught Seminary in Garland and Provo, Utah. He served as CES Coordinator in Southern California and in the Utah Provo Area. He also served in the Central Office Personnel Department, as the co-director of the BYU Semester Abroad in Israel, and as the CES Area Director in the South East Asia Area where he and Jackie lived in Hong Kong for three years.

Karl has always been an active member of the Church having served in a ward Sunday School Superintendency, as an Assistant Scout Master, on High Councils, as a counselor in a bishopric, as a Bishop, a counselor in a Stake Presidency, as a Ward and Stake Young Men’s President, as a Branch President in Jerusalem and in Hong Kong, and as the Executive Secretary to the Area Presidency in Hong Kong. He served as the president of the California Los Angeles Mission and in the Presidency at the Provo, Utah Missionary Training Center. He and Jackie served a mission as the CES Missionary Coordinators in the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City. He taught in many different capacities. Karl has been a faithful temple attendee and served in the Mount Timpanogos Temple.

He is preceded in death by his dear wife Jackie, his parents, sisters, Thelma F. (Leland) Priday and Barbara F. (Max) Robinson, and by his brothers Dean S. (Miriam) Farnsworth, Allen S. (Barbara) Farnsworth, Bill (Rhonda) Farnsworth, and Lynn (Mary) Farnsworth.

Funeral services will be held at the Orem Utah Cascade Stake Center, 481 East Center Street, Orem, UT, Friday, 1 September 2023 at 11 a.m. Viewings will be held at the Walker Sanderson Funeral Home, 646 East 800 North, Orem, UT on Thursday, 31 August 2023 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., and at the Orem Utah Cascade Stake Center Friday, 1 September 2023 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. A live broadcast of the service may be viewed beginning at 11 a.m. at www.walkersanderson.com where condolences and memories may be shared online with the family. Interment will be in the Orem City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Missionary Fund or to the Humanitarian Aid Fund.