Howard Stephen Stoker

1939 — 2024

Howard Stephen Stoker passed away peacefully at his home on March 30, 2024, in South Ogden, Utah. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 16, 1939, to Howard Seymour Stoker and Alice Maud (Child) Stoker.

Stephen grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from East High School and the University of Utah. He then moved to Madison, Wisconsin where he earned a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

He married Sharon Rosella Stevenson on June 16, 1964, in the Salt Lake Temple. They had seven children, Rebecca Elizabeth (Paul Eugene) VanDreew, Deborah Rosella (Michael Kay) Memmott, Howard Scott (Carrie Lynn) Stoker, Howard Spencer (Jamie Ann) Stoker, Alice Colleen Petersen, Hyrum Stevenson (deceased) (Taya Lyn) Stoker, and Henry Stephen Stoker (deceased). He has 20 grandchildren and 2 great- grandchildren.

Stephen taught chemistry at Weber State University for 46 years until he retired in 2014. During his career he authored numerous chemistry textbooks, as well as a few LDS Church books. He loved to travel; and he and Sharon travelled the world together with a goal to visit as many temples as possible. He also made many trips to the Iowa State Fair to watch the pigs. He loved to collect stamps and coins, and garden where he had a special love for his iris that he imported from around the world. He had a lifelong passion for family history and genealogy and enjoyed researching names and stories of his ancestors.

As a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Stephen served a mission in Germany and held many callings throughout his life. He was a natural born teacher and loved preparing talks and lessons for Gospel Doctrine classes and other church meetings. He had an extensive library that allowed him to study and research many gospel topics.

Stephen was devoted to his family and loved family traditions, particularly Christmas morning breakfast, the 24th of July Parade, and cemetery visits for Memorial Day. He had a witty sense of humor and loved to entertain his grandchildren with his “Poppy” jokes.

He was preceded in death by his two sons, Henry Stephen and Hyrum Stevenson Stoker; his parents; and sister, Marlene Alice Stoker.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at 11 a.m. at the Burch Creek 4th Ward, 4955 Adams Ave, South Ogden, Utah. Friends may visit with family on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd, Ogden, and on Thursday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.

Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah. Grave site dedication will occur at 2:00 p.m.

Condolences may be shared at: www.lindquistmortuary.com.