Hugh Guthrie Ollerton was born January 1, 1926 in Mesa, Arizona. Hugh was the fourth of six children: Mary Aileen, who died in infancy, Lois Virginia and Robert Milton (both of whom preceded him in death,) Hugh, then Ruth Lenore and Carl Adams.
Some of Hugh’s best memories were of him and his siblings lying on the grass in the front yard with their father relating some of his experiences to them and also pointing out the stars and planets. Hugh enjoyed quiet reflecting moments and was known for his tendency to speak when it was needful, and for those words to be of great worth.
Known as an excellent mechanic, Hugh’s talent and natural abilities were manifest in High School when he successfully rebuilt a transmission that the teacher had taken apart and could not reassemble.
A true patriot, Hugh served his country by enlisting in the Navy. He was assigned duty on the USS Enterprise Aircraft Carrier. A favorite story that we love to hear, and often share with others, is that he survived being hit on the head by a bomb. As told in his own words:
“One evening, the men were loading bombs for a night strike. I was under the Bombay retrieving a flashlight I had dropped. Another sailor got into the plane and put the bomb shackles in safe mode. Then a third sailor moved the lever. The bomb shackle, holding the bomb in place, must not have been properly secured, for as I stooped over to get my flashlight, the 250 pound bomb dropped straight down and hit my head knocking me to the ground. Fortunately, a hand truck used to move the bombs was next to where I fell and took the brunt of the hit, so I was not seriously injured.”
That is how our father became the “only man to survive a bomb falling on his head.”
After receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy, Hugh attended ASU taking a class in electronics. It was during this time that Hugh started calling on Lopey, as he called our mother, whose full name was Lola Nell Butler. Mother’s family had moved into the Third Ward shortly after the Ollertons moved to Alvarado Street. Lope was the same age as Hugh’s sister, Ruth, and they became fast friends; so it was natural that Hugh and Lope saw each other at church and when Lope would go to the Ollerton’s to visit Ruth. For years, Hugh and Lope were in the same social group, but they were never a couple. Mother used to say that she could never seem to get Hugh’s attention when they were teens, even though she had a crush on him for years.
On Thanksgiving Day 1949, Hugh and Lope were going to attend the ASU / U of A game. Hugh picked her up, and after Lope got into the car, Hugh presented her with a “nifty diamond solitaire.” Lola Nell had been married previously and was bringing a beautiful daughter, three year old Pam, to the new marriage. Hugh and Lola Nell eloped on December fourth. With Gran Butler watching Pam, and with the loan of Hugh’s father’s car, they headed to Lordsburg, New Mexico where they were married by a Justice of the Peace. When they returned to Phoenix, they spent their first night in their rented one bedroom home. The next morning they picked up Pam and started their new life together. In his journal, Hugh wrote, “Since our sealing in the Temple, Pam has been my first daughter, number one of five.” On December 20, 1951, Hugh and Lope, along with Pam and baby sister Peggy, were sealed as an eternal family in the Mesa, AZ Temple.
The ASU class helped prepare Hugh for one of his favorite jobs which was as a cameraman at KPHO TV. He ran the camera for many shows, but for his daughters, the fact that he ran the camera for the popular local Wallace and Ladmo Show made him “famous”. While working for KPHO, Hugh and a friend, Alex Robinson, decided to go into the Harley Davidson motorcycle business. Together they built the store located on McDowell and 22th Street. He loved working on motors. His daughters remember the big Harleys he brought home, the trail machines taken on camping trips, and the fun rides in the side car. He also worked for EMP Electronics, Hughes Air West, Arizona Hardware, and as an automobile mechanic.
Daughter number two, Peggy, was born in 1951. Patsy followed 13 months later in 1952, Julie In 1954, and Susan in 1957. After naming the first three daughters with P’s, Hugh’s father suggested it was time for other letters to be used and suggested naming number four after Lope’s mother. Thus Julie was named after her grandmother Julia, and Susan Jo was named after Hugh’s mother, Susan Isabel and Lope’s Father, Joseph. The names Priscilla and Penelope were filed away.
Hugh was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During his life he served the Lord in many positions including: Missionary, High Priest Group Leader, Stake Clerk, Financial Clerk, and as a counselor in three different Bishoprics one of which was served with his son in law Bishop Craig Campbell, and as an Ordinance Worker in the Mesa Arizona Temple.
When our father turned 94 years old, Pam got him a gift from all his daughters. The gift is a small wooden plaque. On the front are inscribed words written in beautiful bold letters. Our father has never been one to display cards or gifts, medals, or certificates of any kind. He’s a very humble man. The gift sits in a place of honor on top of his desk where he placed it himself. The words on the front say it all: “We have a hero. We call him Daddy.”
He is survived by his sister Ruth Patterson, his brother Carl Ollerton (Maxine) and his five daughters and their spouses:
Pam and Bob Young
Peggy and Ben Archuleta
Patsy and Donald Fitzpatrick
Julie and Craig Campbell
Susan and Samuel Fuller
Included are:
25 Grandchildren
80 Great Grandchildren
6 Great, Great Grandchildren and a slew of spouses and extended family. If you’re wondering, those numbers currently total 186. It takes a large hall to accommodate our family get togethers.
Our father loved the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, so as a tribute to his devotion,
“We bid you farewell... Brethren, adieu.”
Jacob 7:27
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