Ellis Ramon Walker: Obituary + Photos

Ellis Ramon Walker

December 23, 1935 — August 11, 2023

Lyman, Wyoming

Ellis Ramon Walker passed away peacefully on August 11, 2023 at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born Dec 23, 1935 in Lyman, Wyoming the eldest son of Ellis Colvin and Kimba Rollins Walker. He learned the value of hard work helping his father on the ranch that has been in the family for 125 years. Ramon attended Lyman schools and graduated from Lyman High School where he enjoyed running track, playing in a jazz band with his friends, and from the stories he has told his kids he enjoyed a lot of mischievous fun as well. After graduating he served in the U. S. Army in the 2nd Armored division. Upon returning home he bought his own ranch just East of Lyman. He married Verla Tingey on June 7, 1957 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.

Ramon and Verla taught their children the value of hard work on the ranch where they raised cattle and sheep for many years but his true passion was black Angus cattle. He raised pure-bred angus cattle and after several years of hard work, he had several cows that became path finder cattle (leaders in the Angus association cattle program.) He sold many of his Pure-bred Angus bulls locally and in surrounding states. He also worked at FMC as a production foreman and was one of five foremen who started the mono plant. He retired from FMC after 27 years.

Ramon was an accomplished mechanic and considered a doctor of mechanics. He worked for many years as a mechanic and could fix just about anything.

Ramon and Verla enjoyed traveling. He has been to 47 states, swam in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Alaska, and both sides of Hawaii. He was an avid water skier and loved the outdoors. He was known for his deep voice and enjoyed playing the guitar and singing.

He climbed Kings Peak at the age of 73 and completed an ATV adventure with his family traveling from Lyman to the Canadian border and the Mexican border on ATV's taking mostly trails and back roads.

An icon in the community, he was loved and respected by all who knew him and would help anyone in need without hesitation. He was an honest man and when he gave his word it was golden. He will be sorely missed.

Ramon is preceded in death by his wife (Verla), parents (Ellis & Kimba), brother (Stanley), grandsons (Kyle Taylor, Samuel Taylor, and Spencer Rae), great grandsons (Gabriel Grisham, and Dixon Rae). He is survived by his children, Susan (Roger) Rae, Wendy (John) Taylor, Marti (Kim) Walker, Scott (Lori) Walker, 17 grandchildren, and 36 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Monday, August 21st at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Lyman at 11:00 AM with a viewing from 9:00-10:45 AM. A viewing will also be held Sunday, August 20th at the church from 6-8 PM. Burial will be in the Lyman Cemetery.

-------------------------

Here are some of my favorite photos of my grandpa that I collected while putting together a slideshow/video for my grandpa's funeral. (Video found here: https://youtu.be/Q3bGd7V0k_0)

And here are some pictures that I came across of us together: 

(Austin, right) 

(Lucy, left - Caleb, right) 

These pictures are not comprehensive, by any means, but I wanted to post a handful of pictures of this grandfather that I love so dearly. 

Grandma Birthday Quiz

KaHoot! Grandma Birthday Quiz Questions & Answers: 

1 - What is Grandma's Full Name?

Zuriel Ruth Elvin Brown Knowles

(Other options, Ruth Zuriel Elvin, Zuriel Ruth Elvin, Zuriel Knowles)

2 - Zuriel Ruth Jette & Zuriel Ruth Elvin were both named for ________.

Great Aunt Zuriel Haddock (died at birth)

(Other options, The angel Zuriel, The Hebrew word for "The Rock", a city in Israel)

3 - When was Zuriel born?

August 29, 1933

(Other options, July 29, 1933, September 29, 1930, September 29, 2933)

4 - I was born in the city of _______.

Salt Lake City, UT

(Other options, Sandy, UT, Sandpoint, ID, Sacramento, CA)

5 - 3yr old Zuriel found her patriotic passion as she expressed her disappointment for not being able to "Scratch for ___."

Franklin D Roosevelt

(Other options, Truman, Hoover, Reagan) 

6 - When little Zuriel first discovered pop-sicles at Mr. Howard's grocery store she enthusiastically called them _______.

Slop-sickles

(Other options, pop-tickles, popsticks, juice-bubbles) 

7 - Zuriel was the __________ sibling.

Oldest Sibling

(Other options, middle, youngest, only) 

8 - Zuriel's favorite camping spot in her childhood was _____.

Fish Lake

(Other options, The Great Salt Lake, Bear Lake, Lake Superior)

9 - My first elementary school was called _______.

Washington School

(Other options, Lincoln Elementary, Salt Lake Elementary, Pioneer School)

10 - One of my favorite childhood vacation destination was:

Como Springs, Morgan, UT

(Other options, Disneyland-CA, The Grand Canyon-AZ, Lake Tahoe-CA)

11 - I graduated from _________ High School in June ________.

West High School in June 1951

12 - True or false, Zuriel attended Boise Junior College after graduating high school.

True

13 - Zuriel started attending BYU in the year ____

1953

14 - True or false, Zuriel Ruth Elvin married Farrel Boyd Brown on August 21, 1958.

True 

15 - Which job did Zuriel NOT work at between 1953 and 1960

NOT: Student Representative for BYU Student Services 

(DID WORK: Mountain Bell Telephone Company

Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company

Teacher at Granger High School in Granite School District)

16 - True or false, Zuriel Ruth Elvin married Joseph Allen Knowles June 9, 1978

True

17 - Which Idaho Governor did Zuriel NOT serve under?

NOT: Governor Samulson, 1971

DID SERVE WITH: Governor Batt, 1995 - Governor Evans, 1977 -Governor Andrus, 1970

18 - BONUS: How many Grandchildren does Zuriel have? 22

19 - Double Bonus: How many GREAT-Grandchildren does Zuriel have? 29

Zuriel Ruth Elvin Pictures + Tribute

A TRIBUTE on the 90th Birthday of Zuriel Ruth Elvin Brown Knowles

This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the birthday of our sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Each of us has been influenced by the life, efforts, and example of Zuriel Ruth Elvin Brown Knowles.

Zuriel was born in August 29, 1933 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the first daughter of Albert Wiliam Elvin and Zuriel Ruth Jettie Elvin. She lived her childhood years in Salt Lake City and moved to Boise after graduating from High School. Some of her favorite childhood memories include trips to Fish Lake, spending time with her mother, beautiful new Easter Dresses, and family vacations to Como & Lava Hot Springs. She graduated from Boise Junior College followed by BYU receiving degrees in Business & Secretarial Science and a Secondary Teaching Certificate. She married Farrell Boyd Brown on August 21, 1958 and they had three children: Cindy, Todd, and Lori. After their divorce in 1972 she married her eternal partner, Joseph Allen Knowles, on June 9, 1978 and added two sons to her family: Todd and Eric.

She has been a dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints all her life holding many leadership, teaching, missionary, and family history positions. She loves serving the Lord. She has been actively involved in the Democratic Party for most of her adult life and worked at the Idaho State Capitol building for over 24 years and served under three Idaho Governors.

She loves to make and share fleece blankets, to send birthday cards, the color red, rainbows, hearts, the American flag, angels, sunshine, the Scriptures, and this beautiful world. She loves meeting random people and figuring out ways that she is connected to them through the friends and associates she has known throughout her life. She loves her family and attends as many music programs, sports activities, and other events as possible. She is often found clipping newspaper articles or recipes and sending them on to family members she thinks might find them interesting.

Her life to this point might be summed up with the scripture fround in 2 Nephi 31:20 -- Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father, ye shall have eternal life."

Zuriel has set a pattern for a good life - She knows how to set goals and steadfastly put in the effort to accomplish them. Some of the things that we have learned from Zuriel that continue to bless our family are:

1. Faith in Jesus Christ

2. Service to others

3. Friendliness/Kindness

4. Love of Reading/Library Attendance

5. Love of Writing

6. Love of Music

7. Physical Activity - Walking, swimming, bike riding

8. Fairness to all/treating all with respect

9. Forgiving others and moving forward

10. Joyfulness in parenthood/grandparenthood

This list could go on for pages.

As we see our children and grandchildren developing these principles and engaging in these activities - we are grateful for the influence of this wonderful woman and her life.

Some things that have been said by members of this family about their love for Zuriel:

"Sister and Friend -- two of my favorite words and they both mean YOU."

"I'm so grateful to have a mother who sees good in everyone. Your smile brings happiness to all."

"You have attended and shared all of the most important events in my life with me. I appreciate the time you have sacrificed to drive and visit us."

"You have always treated me as a loved member of the family."

"Soccer games, plays, concerts, church programs, pageants, baptisms, weddings, birthday lunches - you were always there supporting me."

"You have been a terrific minister -- way before being a minister was cool."

"You've been a great mom to me, a wonderful grandma to my kids, and a terrific great grandma. And on top of all that, you've been the perfect companion to my dad. For all of that, I thank you."

There were repeated expressions of gratitude for the sticker-covered birthday cards and $2 bills that carry a special kind of grandmotherly love and for the fleece blankets that keep us warm and comforted.

We are overwhelmingly grateful for the support of us and our families, for your warm welcome when anyone joins the family, and for the way you never miss an opportunity to make everyone around you feel loved. We hope to continue the legacy you have created of being a faithful, brave, strong, and loving woman.

Happy Birthday!!!