Deon Carr Greer
Deon Carr Greer, adventurer, scholar, pilot, linguist, and beloved husband, made his final takeoff on April 25, 2025, at his Ogden home — right where he belonged — in the arms of his cherished wife, Julie.
Born in the tough times of the Great Depression in Rehoboth, New Mexico, Deon was the third of five siblings in a family that moved more often than a tumbleweed along Route 66. Stops included Gallup, Grants, and Winslow before finally putting down roots in Provo, Utah. It was there that Deon, while delivering the Provo Herald and the Salt Lake Tribune, and “dragging chain” all over Utah County with his Civil Engineer father, learned that grit and hard work were non-negotiable.
Living beneath “Y” Mountain inspired a lifelong love of learning in Deon. He attended BYU, where he not only studied but also worked for Buildings & Grounds, pausing summers to drive construction trucks through Alaska’s rugged wilderness and helping build the Seward Highway and Dew Line radar stations. During his Alaskan adventures he survived a 7.2 magnitude earthquake and a volcanic eruption. Ordinary summers were just too boring for Deon.
Deon’s life could be mistaken for a particularly adventurous novel. He served a 2½-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Finland, mastering Finnish along the way. Fresh off his mission, the U.S. Army decided they needed him too, and off he went to Germany during the Korean War. Returning stateside, Deon completed his ROTC training to become an officer in the Air Force then serving in the reserve. He also earned his BA and MA from BYU in Political Science, worked briefly for the CIA (but don’t ask, it’s classified), and capped it off with a PhD in Geography from Indiana University. Deon was an adventurer, scuba diving in various seas around the world and keeping fit by playing tennis and skiing into his late 80s.
Teaching became his great professional calling. He spent five years in Europe teaching for the University of Maryland before finding his academic home at Weber State University. For over three decades, Deon ignited curiosity in countless students, inspiring them to stretch beyond themselves to forge a greater understanding of the people and places of the world. A year-long sabbatical took him to the former Soviet Union, where he conducted research for the CCCP Water Problems Institute, cementing his reputation as both a brilliant geographer and researcher.
Deon’s scholarly contributions include the Atlas of Utah, the Map of the Great Salt Lake (still in use today), and authoritative works on the world’s terminal lakes. But he didn’t just study the world, he conquered it. He traveled to over 130 countries, most often with Julie by his side, exploring and conducting study abroad and humanitarian missions across various continents of the world.
A man of many talents, Deon spoke six languages fluently, Finnish, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian, French and could argue in at least three more. He became a licensed pilot and flight instructor, crisscrossing skies from Ogden to Europe and Africa. Never one to be slowed down by age, he went skydiving at 80 just to prove a point.
Deon was a lifelong and devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in numerous callings, and later, alongside Julie, undertaking missions to Oxford, England and Geneva, Switzerland. Faith, adventure, and service were the cornerstones of his remarkable life.
Deon now reunites with his parents Carr and Margaret Greer, and his four siblings, having outlasted them all and becoming the longest-lived family member, a feat they would surely be shaking their heads and smiling about.
He leaves behind his devoted wife of 39 years, Julie Rich Greer; his beloved daughter Gina Margaret Greer Jolley; two grandchildren, Makayla Jolley and Matthew A. Greer; and one great-granddaughter.
A memorial service celebrating Deon’s remarkable journey will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at the LDS Stake Center, 1401 Country Hills Drive, Ogden, UT 84403. Friends may visit with the family prior to the services from 9:00-11:00 a.m. A graveside service will follow at the Ogden City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please consider giving to the Rich-Greer Student Scholarship Fund: give.weber.edu/inmemoryofDeonGreer
Dr. Deon Carr Greer, a true Renaissance man, who studied the world, shaped lives, and soared across sky and sea, has now graduated and embarked on his next great adventure. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
Arrangements entrusted to Myers Mortuary, 845 Washington Blvd., Ogden, UT.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.myers-mortuary.com.