Boyd Louis Frost

He was born March 13, 1941 in Malvern, Arkansas to Howard Hugo Frost and Mary Louise McDowell Frost. Although he lived most of his adult life in Utah, he always remained an Arkansas boy at heart.

His childhood was spent in the fields and back woods of Arkansas. In elementary school he was introduced to the violin, and he played many instruments over the years, from participating in marching band to playing sax in a rock and roll band with some friends. He loved music all his life.

When he was just 16 years old, his father passed away from injuries sustained in World War II. Losing his beloved dad filled his mind with questions about the meaning of life and what happens to us after we die. These questions led him to investigate and join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1963.

Jack enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school and served active duty from 1960 to 1963. He was stationed in South Korea. After the military, he started college at the University of Arkansas, but inspired by the ideals behind President Kennedy’s Peace Corps, he put his education on hold and served the people of Honduras from 1964 to 1966. Nothing better encapsulates the range of our Dad’s personality than these back to back events – he was a good soldier and a good Peace Corps volunteer, at a time in society when many people assumed you could be one of those things, but not both. At the conclusion of his time in the Peace Corps, he moved to Utah to finish his education at Brigham Young University where he graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a minor in Accounting.

It was at BYU that he met his sweetheart, Sharalee Railsback. They married in January of 1968 and eventually settled in Taylorsville, UT. Jack and Sharalee had six children: Todd (Cheri Visser), Stacie (Andrew Wooley), Mindi (Christian Petrie), Ginger (Robert McCool), Michael (Mindi Hancey), and Jacquelyn. Together, they have 12 grandchildren with one great-grandchild on the way. Jack treasured his children and grandchildren and was so proud of all their personalities and accomplishments. Of all his titles, he may have enjoyed Grandpa the best.

Jack loved to read. He could be found studying his scriptures every morning as he ate breakfast. He loved anything written by Louis L’Amour and was a life-long subscriber to National Geographic. He read the newspaper every day. He loved cowboy culture in movies and music, and like his mother, had a love for John Wayne movies.

He served faithfully for years in various church callings, including serving as the bishop of the Bennion 3rd ward. He enjoyed teaching Gospel Doctrine classes. He was enthusiastic about family history, and published the autobiography of his great-grandfather, William James Frost. He enjoyed working to trace his ancestors back as far as he could.

He felt a pull to travel back to Arkansas as often as he could to see his family, which often involved a marathon drive across the country, and heaven help the child who needed a pit stop! How much of his motivation was getting some of his mother’s down-home cooking? We’re not sure, but several of the kids felt like her chocolate cake made up for having to drive through Wyoming and Nebraska for hours on end! He enjoyed the open highway, and if he was travelling alone, he enjoyed picking up hitch hikers and hearing their stories. He loved the freedom cars represented. He enjoyed driving, car shopping and getting a new car as often as possible, just to keep life interesting! After he retired as an accountant, he even enjoyed a stint as school bus driver where he thrilled in being the biggest ride on the road.

Jack was preceded in death by his father, mother, and older brother, James. He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren, as well as his siblings: Richard, Barbara, and his twin sister, Betty – all of Springdale, AR. He was kindhearted and generous with his family, and we will all miss him greatly!

A service celebrating Jack’s life will be held Saturday, June 13 for immediate family members. Following that service, friends and neighbors are welcome to come and visit with the family at an informal reception held in the backyard of his home of 43 years in Taylorsville. The reception will last from 2 until 4 PM.