Richard D Moody

Richard was born in Woodrow, Utah, June 9, 1930 to Marvin Juel Moody and Marie Thurmon Moody. He was raised in Sutherland, Utah, the eighth of thirteen children in a family bonded through love of music, value in hard work, and devotion to God. During his childhood, he attended to daily chores feeding pigs, milking cows, and cutting and pitching hay into wagons. He disliked the part of the family business of raising turkeys. Despite his disgust of the air reeking of ammonia, he shoveled out, scraped, and washed down turkey sheds to help his mother, who was in charge of raising as many as 20,000 turkeys each year.

Richard graduated from Delta High School. He married Jean Allen Moody on July 3, 1950. They were later sealed for time and all eternity in the Manti, Utah temple.

Following a long-standing family tradition, he farmed several hundred acres of land near Delta. In the mid-1950’s, he discovered what would become a lifelong passion, mining.

Richard and Jean decided to move the family to Holladay, Utah in 1965, where they raised their four children. Richard divided his time between farming and mining near Delta and family life in Holladay. He integrated well with his neighbors in “the big city” through his outgoing personality, participation in church activities, and boating excursions to Lake Powell every fall.

Throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s, he immersed himself in successful ventures of prospecting, staking claims, and extracting tungsten, fluorspar, uranium, and beryllium. Utah’s west desert was not only a place of mineral discovery, but also a source of refuge. He paradoxically found peace for his restless soul in a land of extremes. Later in life, he treasured traveling with family to reminisce about favorite basins, rock formations, and mountain ranges. Every landmark had a story.

He admitted to his own struggles and vices. He was transparent about his past as he generously offered to help others. He spoke often of his love for the Book of Mormon and testified with passion of having a change of heart in his early 60’s. Soon after, he committed to a renewed pattern of loyalty and love to Jean and to his religion as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He devoted his time to temple attendance, volunteer work, and service in an inner-city mission in Salt Lake City with Jean. For their final twenty years together, Dick dedicated himself to maintaining the household while Jean worked. He eventually cared for her when she was diagnosed with dementia.

His life story is one of hard work, regret, restitution, dedication to family, love of God, and passion for mining.

He was beloved by his family and extended family. We’ll miss his larger than life presence, his resonant singing voice, his booming conversational tone, and his inability to whisper.

Due to the Covid pandemic, the Richard D. Moody family recommends staying safely in place. We feel your love and condolences. A small graveside memorial will take place on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at 2:00 pm at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, UT. There will be a private viewing one hour prior. The family is grateful for the devoted care from Encompass Health Care, Aspire Hospice, and especially the staff at Legacy Village in Sugarhouse. Online condolences may be shared at wasatchlawn.com.

To view the service online, please visit:

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