Jay Sterling Wimmer

Jay Sterling Wimmer died peacefully at home on August 16, 2023, surrounded by his children and his beloved wife Sally. Jay was born July 29, 1940, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Vaughn Junius and Gwendolyn White Wimmer. He grew up in Salt Lake City on the White family farm, where he had an ideal childhood surrounded by hundreds of relatives. He spent his youth working for the family business, Distinctive Catering. He attended Olympus High School and earned his undergraduate degree and Master of Social Work from the University of Utah. In 1962, Jay married his high school sweetheart, Sally Tolman, in the Logan Temple. He served six years in the Air National Guard.

Jay was a dynamic visionary who created and operated many businesses that reflected his lifelong commitment to helping others, including: counseling, youth services, and American Community Services, a nationwide in-home healthcare company. He started his career working for Utah Child Protective Services. He later worked for the San Diego County Social Services Department, from which he retired. He also enjoyed working in real estate selling, managing, and investing in properties. Jay was a social worker at heart. He created the Foster Parent’s Association of Utah and served on their board for many years. He also served on the boards of the Utah State Training School and the Welcome Home Ministries. He cared for thousands of individuals with his compassionate heart, good humor and a wisdom that changed lives for the better. It was always an open-door policy in the Wimmer home with a seat at the table and a bed available to anyone who needed it.

Jay was an accomplished jazz drummer and vocalist. He spent many years playing professionally in dance bands and played with many renowned artists when they came to Utah. He led a 17-piece big band named Jay Wimmer and the Big Band All Stars that performed throughout Southern California. His family and friends will fondly remember Jay behind a piano or the drums, playing his favorite tunes and singing the wrong words.

Jay always made a point of saying, “The Savior and my family are my best friends.” He was most proud of his six children and his twenty-seven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. His and Sally’s legacy is in the Big 10 Club they started with their grandchildren, a continuation of The Goodness Program that he originally started as bishop of the Garden Park 2nd Ward. The motto for their program is; “Love of God, Love of Self, Love of Fellowman.” Jay lived that motto and encouraged his grandchildren to look for opportunities to serve, love, and care for God’s children. Thousands of Goodness Coins from that program have been passed out throughout the world.

Jay cherished his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and gave a lifetime of service in various capacities. As a young man he served as a missionary in the Great Lakes Mission. While in Southern California, he was called to run the Church’s Addiction Recovery Program for San Diego County and found great joy in helping individuals grow. Later in life, Jay loved serving with Sally as missionaries in the Central Europe Mission where they created and established a program to support the social service needs of church members. A highlight of his church service was being the bishop of both the Garden Park 2nd Ward and the Liberty 8th Ward. He always had a special love in his heart for the members of those wards. As a bishop, he’ll be fondly remembered for serenading the women on Mother’s Day with jazz songs in the chapel, taking children on goodness marches through the neighborhood, playing “Let’s Make a Deal” on youth outings and making everyone feel like they were enough as they grew in the gospel. Jay had a strong testimony and relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ and loved His gospel.

Jay is survived by his wife Sally, their six children, Wendy Gerrard (Skip), Pam Alston (Russ), Jay Bion Wimmer (Kim), Dawna Rasmussen (Todd), Luci Ainsworth (Brent), Thomas Wimmer (Nicole), siblings Carol Howard (Lee), Douglas Wimmer (Pauline), twenty-seven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held in the Whetstone Cove Building, 4842 W. Vermillion Drive, South Jordan, Utah at 11:00 AM on Friday, August 25, 2023. Viewings will be held on Thursday from 6:00-8:00 PM and Friday at 10:00 AM at the church.