Gaylen Despain Maynes

Gaylen Despain Maynes returned to the loving arms of his Heavenly Father on March 13, 2015. He will be happily reunited with his parents, relatives, friends, and his beloved wife Shirley.

Born March 7, 1927 in Butlerville (Cottonwood Heights), Utah to John Alexander Maynes III and Sarah Louretta Despain Maynes. Gaylen grew up on a farm in Butlerville and graduated from Jordan High School. He attended both the University of Utah and Brigham Young University where he obtained a BS degree in Accounting. Gaylen also achieved the designation as a "Certified Internal Auditor."

He served his country enlisting in the US Navy March 10, 1945 and was released November 1, 1946. He signed up for the US Naval Hospital Corp School in San Diego and was able to use those skills all through life patching us up as we needed.

Gaylen loved sports and fishing. He played on many bowling leagues and would play basketball and racquetball during lunch breaks while working for BYU.

Gaylen was devoted to the Mormon Battalion Association, serving from 1988 to 2004 as the National Adjutant, National Executive Officer, and the National Finance Officer. He also helped Shirley complete many of her goals of establishing monuments dedicated to the Battalion and writing books about the travails of the wives of the original Battalion members.

Gaylen married Shirley Jeanne Nelson on March 17, 1949 in the Salt Lake Temple. They had 3 sons, Michael, Bruce, and Bryan. They were also quite proud of being able to sponsor a young Hong Kong resident, Fred Kat, while he was going to school at BYU-Hawaii. Fred, his wife Wendy, and their son and daughters would go on to be lifelong friends with our family.

Gaylen is survived by his 3 sons Michael (Melanie, who was thought of as a daughter), Bruce, and Bryan, 7 grandchildren, Clint, Ryan, Natalee, Corinne, Ashlee (Brandon), Andrea (Brian), and Jaron (Tana), and 9 great grandchildren, Weslee, Deidre, Corwin, Caleb, Jack, Railee, Olivia, Hailey, and Piper. He is also survived by his younger brother Fredrick (Colleen) and his younger sisters Marna (Lloyd) and Mary (LeRoy). He was loved by all and his steadying influence and subtle humor will be missed very much.

A viewing will be held Friday, March 20, 2015 at Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State Street, Midvale, Utah, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 21 at Mount Jordan 1st Ward, 8950 S. 400 E., Sandy, Utah, where there will be a viewing at 10:00 AM and services at 11:00 AM. After the funeral services, Gaylen will be laid to rest in the Sandy City Cemetery at 9000 South and 700 East, Sandy, Utah.