William H Day

William was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 27, 1924, son of Elias L. and Gertrude J. Van Leeuwen Day. He attended Whittier Elementary, South Jr. High (later Lincoln Jr. High) and graduated from South High, class of 1941. He was active in the Jr. ROTC at South High, and continued his ROTC training at the University of Utah. In December 7, 1942, one year after Pearl Harbor, he volunteered for active duty in the US Army. His first assignment was at Camp Roberts in California. He then served at Fort Richardson in Alaska and from there he applied and was selected for Officer Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, graduating at the top of his class and commissioned 2nd Lt. He then was assigned back to Camp Roberts, to train the incoming recruits. After the war, he received an honorable discharge at the rank of Captain.

Bill married his high school sweetheart, Marjean Anderson, whom he met when they both played violin in the South High Orchestra. They were married while he was home on leave after his basic training, in Salt Lake Temple, on July 24, 1943. They became the parents of three children: Karen Marjean, DeEtte, and William Maurice, (Morey).

Bill continued his studies after WWII at the University of Utah and received a B S Degree in Business in 1947. He received scholarships to attend Northwestern University in Chicago and received his MBA in 1948. His doctoral thesis was on the Bennett Paint and Glass Colorizer Paints. His professors were astonished at the innovative process and Bill’s presentation. He received his PhD from Ohio State University in 1953 in Business Organization. He completed post-doctoral studies at Harvard in 1958.

Bill had numerous articles published, relating to marketing and management. He also was the author of five books: “Petroleum Marketing Practices and Problems” (which was also translated into Japanese and used by gas station managers throughout Japan); “Maximizing Small Business Profits with Precision Management”, “The Leadership I.D.E.A., Doing what Successful Leaders Do” . He also published “The Blueprint of Truth, How the Bible Explains Christian Controversies.” He was a regular contributor of articles in the Japanese petroleum magazine, “The Monthly Gasoline Stand”.

Bill spent most of his professional life as a professor of Business Management and Marketing. He taught at the University of Utah, and the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. At the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, he worked in the US Government Technical Assistance Center for Small Businesses. He then returned to Oklahoma to teach and serve as the Division of Chair of Business at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He was instrumental in the creation of an MBA Tribal Management Program. He took great pleasure in helping many Native American students become a great resource for their different tribes. He taught students literally from around the world and delighted in meeting them wherever he went.

He was an active national and international business consultant, which took him to such places as Mexico, Venezuela, and Japan. He was active in several clubs of Rotary International.

Bill was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many leadership capacities, including Branch President for the LDS Group at Camp Roberts. He was called as a member of the Central States Mission Board, then called to serve in the Stake Presidency of the new Tulsa, Oklahoma Stake. A year later he became Stake President, and served from 1960-1969. He was then called to be President of the East Central States Mission, later change to the Kentucky-Tennessee Mission from 1969-1972. He loved his missionaries and throughout his life loved missionary work. Following his mission, the family returned to Oklahoma, where he served several church callings including Bishop in the Tahlequah Ward. Bill also loved temple work, and served diligently for many years in the Salt Lake Temple.

Bill especially enjoyed working with the Boy Scouts of America. Beginning at age 12, he helped organize a troop with his friends in the Whittier Ward. He received his Eagle Scout Award with bronze, gold, and silver palms. He served as a scoutmaster while in the Highland Park Ward, and helped organize units of the BSA wherever he lived. He served as a District Chairman in the Millcreek area, and as Assistant Council Commissioner for the Great Salt Lake Council. He received the District Award of Merit, and the Silver Beaver Award.

His sweet “Duchess”, Marjean, passed away in 2005. He had not planned on seeking a new companion until Nancy Lou Jones, a returned senior missionary, spoke at his ward one Sunday. They were married later that same year.

Bill loved animals, especially horses and dogs. He loved being in the outdoors, including camping, fishing or hunting. He knew the names of many birds and their calls. He loved watching things grow in his gardens, especially his fruit trees.

Most of all Bill loved his family. He loved getting together for dinners and family reunions. He loved his “cousins by the dozens.”

Bill is survived by his wife Nancy, daughter DeEtte Kercher, and his son, William Maurice (Morey) Day, and his wife, Trudi; former son-in-law, David Guier, and close family friend Rowland Butler. He leaves a posterity that includes 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; his sisters-in-law Margaret Day, Menlo Park, CA and her daughter Elizabeth; JoAnne Anderson and Delores Simon both of Salt Lake City; his brother-in-law Reese Barker, of Orinda, CA.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Karen and her son Nathan Guier; his son-in-law, Jeff Kercher; sister Trudy Edvalson, and his brother-in-law, Raymond Edvalson; his brother John Marshal Day; sister-in-law Naomia A. Townsend, her husband Milton Townsend; and sister-in-law, Vesta (Teddy) Barker; brother-in-law Maurice (Eddy) Anderson.