Our loving father, grandfather and brother, Francis David Haight died peacefully early Saturday morning August 7, 2021 in South Jordan, Utah. Frank was born March 31, 1928 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the second of 9 children, to Golden Haight and Jane Elizabeth Higginbotham Haight.
He attended East High School and later attended and graduated from South High School in Salt Lake City. At the age of 17, Frank enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served in WW2 on the USS Wandank ATO-26, a sea going tugboat in the Atlantic and later on the USS Vigilance AM-324, a mine sweeper in the Pacific. After returning home he married the love of his life, Myrl Harriet Green on January 2, 1948. They were later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. Frank served a 2 1/2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Oslo, Norway. Even in his later years when memory started to fail, he still remembered how to speak his beloved Norwegian.
Frank enrolled in the University of Utah and graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in English. “Who am I, sir, A Utah Man am I! A Utah Man, sir, will be ‘till I die!” He taught history for 26 years in California. He completed his Master’s degree at Long Beach State University. In the evenings Frank taught Naturalization classes in LA County, California and helped 100s of people gain their US Citizenship. Frank also taught early morning seminary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In addition to teaching, Frank was an avid reader, golfer and talented artist. He passed his love of the game down to his sons and his paintings adorn many a home of friends and family.
In 1979, Frank and Myrl were asked to return to Oslo, Norway to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They served for 18 months and returned in early 1981. Upon returning from their mission, they moved back to Salt Lake City where Frank started teaching again for Jordan School District. Frank taught for a total of over 40 years.
Frank and Myrl had 8 children. William Golden died in infancy. Myrl preceded Frank in death in 2011. Frank is survived by his seven children, David Francis (Jeanyce) Haight, Christine (Dennis) Claybaugh, Robert Green (Sherrill) Haight, Barbara (Dave) Larsen, Michael Golden (Erin) Haight, Richard Green (Marla) Haight and Diane (Dennis) Cottle. He is also survived by brother Richard W. Haight, sister Mary Jane Hansen, brother Gordon M. Haight, and sister Kathy Jones. Frank was the proud grandfather of 34 grandchildren and 85 great-grandchildren.
Special thanks to the care-givers at Carrington Court Assisted Living for their loving service to our father over the past few years and the hospice nurses who attended his final hours.
Celebration of Life will be held August 16, 2021 at 11:00 am at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Dr. Salt Lake City. Interment to follow.
