Cdr. lester Grant Hinchcliff, Jr.
Cdr. Lester Grant Hinchcliff, Jr.
USN, Ret.
November 4, 1921 ~ May 25, 2014
Lester Grant Hinchcliff, Jr. (Grant), beloved husband, father, brother and grandfather passed away Sunday, May 25 at age 92. Dad was born in Ogden, Utah, to Lester Grant Hinchcliff and Adele Warner Hinchcliff on November 4, 1921, a descendant of Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen, as well as noble Mormon pioneers who crossed the plains by both covered wagon and pulling their own handcart. Following his graduation from Ogden High School, Dad briefly attended Weber State College on a full music scholarship before attending and graduating from the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, class of 1946. A member of the Greatest Generation as a distinguished Career Naval Officer, Dad commanded mine sweepers, LSTs and many destroyers, fighting in WW II, the Korean War, and the Viet Nam War. His Naval career was his proudest achievement. How appropriate that he chose Memorial Day Weekend as his date to pass through the veil.
At the conclusion of WW II, while stationed in San Francisco, Dad met my one and only true love, Sarah Louise Dunn (Sally) and they were married in October of 1946, later being sealed for Time and Eternity in the LDS Logan Temple. After receiving his MS in Education from USC, and MS in Math from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Dad retired from the Navy to teach physics and math in California, eventually concluding his teaching career at Dixie College in St. George, UT, where he was voted professor of the year.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dad held a variety of callings including High Priests Quorum Leader and Temple Worker. In his later years, Dad loved being active in the yards of his two homes in Hurricane, UT, and Mesquite, NV, reading, and visiting family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Sally; and son, Scott. He is survived by his children, Leslie Edwards of Salt Lake City, daughter-in-law, Anne Proulx Hinchcliff of Weed, CA, Grant D. Hinchcliff of Aurora, CO, Karma Chambers of Kamiah, ID, LTC Kent Hinchcliff of Seoul, South Korea, and Lora Hinchcliff of Dallas, TX; loving in-laws, and his sisters, Lu Jean Carver of Sandy, UT, and Karma Hinchcliff of Idaho Falls. Dad is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 PM on Saturday, May 31, at the Mesquite 4th Ward Chapel at 100 North Arrowhead Lane, Mesquite, NV. The family will receive friends and neighbors from 12:30-1:30, prior to the funeral service in the Relief Society Room. Interment will follow at the Mesquite City Cemetery: 301 Hillside Road.