Wells Dee Halverson Obituary (1946 - 2018)

Wells Dee Halverson was amongst the first of the baby boom generation born in Provo, Utah on October 5, 1946. He died in Salt Lake City on August 2, 2018. He was 71. Dee described his childhood in Provo similar to that of Tom Sawyer – filled with hunting, fishing and railroad adventures. With hard work and intellect, Dee transformed his life and became a true renaissance man. Fifty-three years ago, Dee was an LDS missionary in post-war Germany. It was there that he fell in love with the German language, European history and culture. He would later double-major in German and European History, graduating from Brigham Young University in May 1971. Dee met the love of his life, Martha Ann (Bagley) “Marty”, on a BYU semester abroad in Salzburg, Austria. These European experiences shaped every aspect of both of their lives. Dee and Marty were instantly inseparable and together they changed the definition of “happily married”. In short order, they raised seven children, traveled the world, and read a library of books. From their first day together until their very last, their conversations were as fresh as if they were newlyweds. After a brief career in real estate development with Bagley & Company, Dee, then 39-years-old, moved his wife and seven children to York, England to study Architectural History and Preservation at York University. Upon his return, Dee began his life’s work in history. He was a voracious reader and superb researcher. He was a remarkable storyteller. He authored 78 historical books and biographies. He guest-lectured at universities, appeared as a television guest and was engaged as an expert on diverse public and private historical preservation projects throughout the intermountain west and in Great Britain. As a professional historian, he had encyclopedic knowledge of world events and intricate biographical detail on historic figures. As an author, he would become engrossed in the details of his subject matter and would routinely retell these stories as if he was an active participant. Dee was an active member of the LDS Church and faithfully served in bishoprics and stake high councils. However, his favorite calling was as a Sunday school teacher where he loved bringing the scriptures and church history to life for those in his class. Dee was one of a kind. He was a collector of antique books, coins, stamps, guns and his children’s baby teeth! Each Christmas, Dee awarded a deserving friend with the “George Bailey Award” which was inspired by his favorite film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Winners of this award demonstrated unique friendship during the past year. He enjoyed remarkable friendships during his life that sustained him during good and bad times and he always felt indebted to these cherished lifelong friends. Dee embraced this film and lived a truly wonderful life. He battled health issues bravely his whole life. From early adulthood, he felt he was living on borrowed time and lived his life accordingly. He loved life and its loveliness and endured bravely through its ugliness. Dee is survived by his wife Marty, his children Gabriele (Brad Larson), Joshua (Christie), Micah (Candice), Amy (Scott Robinson), Heidi (Jacque Ballou), Peter (Anna) and Marta (Dan Dansie), 24 grandchildren, his sister Sharon (Lehmburg) and his brother Michael. A funeral service in his honor will be held on Saturday, August 11, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the LDS meetinghouse at 11677 South Grandville Avenue, South Jordan, Utah 84009-5074. Friends may visit with family, Friday, August 10, 2018 between 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and prior to the funeral Saturday at 9:30 a.m. each at the same location. Interment will be in the South Jordan Cemetery.