Jerry Dean Wheat

Jerry was born on May 13, 1935 to Charles Milburn Wheat and Emma Elizabeth Neff in Salt Lake City, Utah. When Jerry was a boy, his family lived on a small farm where his father raised cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys. It was his job to feed and water all the animals, and hand churn the milk from the cows every day so they could have butter and cream. During the summers it was his responsibility to pick fruit from the many fruit trees on the farm. Eventually, his father bought a farm in Hoytsville, Utah where the family raised cows and sheep.

In 1953, Jerry graduated from Granite High School and went on to study landscape architecture at Utah State University. He joined the Army Reserves and was released after nine years with the classification of E-6 Staff Sergeant.

Jerry met his future wife, Carol, when he was sixteen years old. They were engaged when he was eighteen and a half. He was also called on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at this time, to the Southern Far East Mission, a new mission that the Church was opening up with its headquarters in Hong Kong. Carol made the decision to support him in this three year mission and wait for him. In 1955, Jerry set sail for the Far East with two other missionaries to help open the mission, not knowing how his life would change and the experiences he would have throughout his life by serving this mission.

When Jerry returned from his mission he was married to his sweetheart, Carol Penrose, on October 24, 1958 in the Salt Lake Temple. They went on to have four children. Jerry spent most of his career working in the insurance industry and became successful as an Estate Planner.

In 1974, when he was 38 years old, Jerry and Carol received a mission call to be President of the Hong Kong Mission with missionaries in Hong Kong and Vietnam. He took a leave from his insurance business and took his young family to live in Hong Kong for the next three years. He had a great love for the Chinese people and the missionaries that served with him. He was always so proud of his missionaries and their service and sacrifices.

In 1993, his wife Carol passed away from cancer. On March 21, 1994 he married Donnetta De Haan Jacobson. They began a life of adventure and service together, serving from Primary teachers to temple president and matron of the Hong Kong China Temple. Donnetta recalls that they were together about 96% of the time and only argued about who loved each other the most. Making Jerry happy was a privilege and joy for her and his “thank you’s” were constant. Jerry served as a temple sealer for 5 years in the Bountiful Utah Temple. He truly lived a life of service to his Heavenly Father and others. He touched so many lives and lived up to his patriarchal blessing. He was the Lord’s ambassador in all ways, to all people he met, always ending any conversation with “What can I do for you?” and “How can I help you?”. He will be dearly missed by his family.

Jerry was preceded in death by his wife Carol Penrose Wheat, his parents and his brothers David Wheat and La Mar Wheat. He leaves behind his wife, Donnetta, 4 children, Susan Chournos (Rich), Carl Wheat (Holly), Darrin Wheat (Lisa) and Linda Darling (Jeff), 12 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren, as well as 5 step-children, 22 step-grandchildren and 42 step-great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Foxhill Ward, 200 South Eagle Ridge Drive, North Salt Lake City, Utah. A viewing will be held from 6:00 pm until 8:30 pm on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah and at 9:00 am until 10:30 am prior to the services at the church. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.

The service will also be broadcast via Zoom with the following link:

https://zoom.us/j/98519102167?pwd=OVMyNWc0SFdhaW5CbWpNQVVvT0NXUT09

Webinar ID: 985 1910 2167

Passcode: Foxhill