DelMar Benjamin Read

DelMar Benjamin Read passed away in Wenatchee on June 5, 2012 at the age of 87.

He was born in Trenton, Utah on July 12, 1924, to Benjamin John and Mabel Dent Read. He was the fifth of five children.

He married his high school sweetheart, Maxine Boodry on Jan. 7, 1942, in the Logan Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He farmed with his father there, where they also had dairy cows and chickens.

During World War II, he was sent to Fort Hood, Texas, where he was trained in a tank battalion. During his training, he broke his ankle and was there until the end of the war. While in Texas, he guarded prisoners of war. After his discharge, he returned to Trenton and they continued to farm with his father until 1954, when they heard about the opening of the land in the Columbia Basin Reclamation Project. He came in the spring of 1954 and the family came that summer.

He continued to farm for several years, always working during the winters at whatever jobs were available. His family was always his first priority and proving for them was important to him. The first year, he sold pianos for Mashburn music store. Other years, his jobs included working on Wanapum Dam, the railroad and at the sugar beet factory in Moses Lake, always providing for the family. He eventually became a field man for Western Farmers. In 1965, he became the field man for the newly formed Brown & Kelly potato plant, which later became Lamb Weston, where he worked as the head field man until he retired in 1986.

He always had a great love for teenagers and helped form the town "Teen Club" in the early 1960s. He spent many Saturday nights at the Mountain View school gym as a chaperone and became friends with many of the teenagers, listening to their loud music and playing ping pong. He was always small and learned to be a fast runner at an early age. Many a high school track star challenged him to races over the years and almost all lost.

During the following years, he was a member of the Kiwanis Club and enjoyed working in the community.

He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many positions in the church, including Young Men's leader, seminary teach, Bishop and as counselor in a Stake Presidency. He served as a stake missionary for several years. He made friends easily and loved his fellow man.

DelMar is survived by his five children, Lanny of Nampa, Idaho, Paula (Reed) Child of Quincy, Peggy (Lance) Hammond of Quincy, Diana Dennis of Salt Lake City, and Brian (Louise) Read of Woodinville. He has 25 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Maxine; all of his siblings, and one great-granddaughter.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, June 11, 2012 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Quincy. Family will receive visitors at the church before services from 9:45 - 10:45. Concluding services and interment will follow in the Quincy Valley Cemetery.

Please leave a memory for the family or sign their online guestbook at www.scharbachs.com.

Scharbach's Columbia Funeral Chapel, Quincy is in charge of funeral arrangements.