Ross "Lawry" Lawrence Hunsaker

Ross Lawrence “Lawry” Hunsaker passed away surrounded by family on September 10, 2023 at the age of 93. All his family and friends are left behind to celebrate his extraordinary life and mourn the reality that such a seemingly immortal figure has indeed rode into the sunset to his next great adventure.

Lawry was born January 30, 1930 to Helen and J. Ross Hunsaker in Salt Lake City, Utah and grew up in the Sugarhouse area alongside his older sister Elaine. His mother gave him two silver dollars as a young boy to use if needed in case of an emergency. He carried those coins his whole life, worn down to shiny blanks in his pocket as a reminder of her. He was an alumni of South High School where he played football and was elected president of the class of 1947. After completing high school, Lawry served as a faithful missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Great Britain Mission. At the end of his mission, his parents traveled by boat “across the pond” to meet up, and together with his best friend Lloyd Hansen, see the sights of Europe which ignited a lifelong passion of travel.

When he returned home, he attended the University of Utah and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. While a student, Lawry was an active member of Sigma Chi fraternity and through that brotherhood experience also met his lifelong sweetheart, Marilyn Madsen, who was a member of Chi Omega sorority. Lawry and Marilyn married on June 25, 1954, in the Salt Lake Temple and began a beautiful life together spanning nearly seven decades. They were blessed with four wonderful children and brought two additional boys into their home, all of whom were the center of their focus and attention.

The growing family lived in several homes that Lawry built with his own hands. His home away from home was always “The Ranch” or Beaver Creek Ranch near Smith and Morehouse Reservoir. He and Marilyn bought the property and together with family and friends constructed the original cabin, addition, and several more outbuildings with his own tenacity, skills, and sheer grit. Lawry and Marilyn's paradise was always open to any family or friend who wanted to visit. The secret to Lawry’s active longevity was his ever-growing list of chores to keep the cabin in tip-top shape all summer and winter, which took much of his time and energy. He loved the challenge and showed us that hard work was the best form of play and accomplishment, particularly if he could enjoy the view of the completed project and an ice-cold Coke Zero afterwards.

Early in his marriage, Lawry and Marilyn owned a Maddox restaurant franchise in Salt Lake City and used his acquired restaurant skills to cook amazing burgers and steaks to perfection-always finished off with a little butter on top. Lawry subsequently worked many years as an insurance adjuster for multiple companies and ended his career as the superintendent of claims at the State Farm Office in Salt Lake. He retired early at the age of 55 to fully live out his dreams of service, travel, and adventure in the world.

A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lawry served in many capacities, specifically as a counselor in the bishopric, Bishop of the East Millcreek 5th Ward, member of the Stake High Council, and in Ward and Stake Young Men's organizations. Lawry had a deep love of scouting and continued his participation as an adult as Scoutmaster for many years. Countless young men benefited from his encouraging leadership, camping, jeep adventures, and epic “Jim Bridger” stories. His dedication and service for the Boy Scouts of America continued as a volunteer for many years as Vice President and subsequently the President of the Great Salt Lake Council. He attended and helped at many National and World Jamborees, served as the chairman of the Philmont Training Center in New Mexico, and also participated nationally as a committee member of the BSA Advancement Committee. His decades of amazing commitment were recognized in 2004, when he received the Silver Buffalo award, the highest honor in scouting.

Lawry was a tough-old cowboy through and through. He enjoyed the simple joys of owning and riding horses, reading Louis L’Amour novels, hearing cowboy poetry, and attending the Oakley 4th of July and the National Finals Rodeo (and Cowboy Christmas) in Las Vegas every year for over 60 years. He felt the most comfortable wearing his special ostrich leather boots, white Stetson cowboy hat, and Wrangler jeans.

Ever the outdoorsman, some of his happiest memories involved riding, hiking, fishing, and hunting in the rivers, lakes, marshes, plains, and mountains of the intermountain west. He was an avid and skilled hunter that taught his family the thrill of the hunt, respect for nature, and appreciation of being in God’s country. In winter, he was a daring and skilled snowmobiler that pushed the high mark on steep hills and took many lucky guests to the serene powder covered mountain peaks of Utah and Wyoming. Nothing was better than enjoying a steaming hotdog that was specially cooked with some melted snow on the modified "mess kit" attached to the exhaust manifold of the snowmobile on top of the mountain. He loved his automobiles and motorboats and the freedom that these vehicles afforded him to seek out adventure, explore the canyons of Lake Powell, and also the many weekends spent pushing the limits of his Jeeps all over the trails of Utah. His axiom was "If at first you don't succeed, it's not another try that you need, but a Jeep".

Lawry and Marilyn loved to travel and enjoyed countless trips across North America in their motorhomes, as well as many exotic transcontinental cruises, and European vacations in their later years. Many of these trips were often shared unselfishly with his children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren as well as many close friends. Lawry was always eager to join you on an adventure, wherever it was, and valued his time that was well spent with those that he loved the most.

He lovingly cared for Marilyn in the last years of her life as she battled dementia and Alzheimer's disease and felt adrift when she passed away. He was blessed to find the companionship of Mabel Simister, a dear friend whom Lawry met and later baptized as a missionary in England over 70 years ago. They were married on March 22, 2023 and the Simister family became part of Lawry’s ever-expanding circle of friends and loved ones that added much joy to his life the last several months.

Lawry had unshaken faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ, and he had a powerful testimony of His divinity and Atonement. He valued his family above all else, and always shared his firm belief that families can be together forever hereafter. Loved and admired by all who knew him, Lawry leaves behind an incredible legacy of service, friendship, and honor. He loved life passionately, and squeezed every last drop from the moments he was given, "anything less is not appropriate!"

Lawry is preceded in death by his wife Marilyn, his parents Helen and J. Ross Hunsaker, his sister Elaine Call, and his daughter and son-in-law Jenni and Rob Richards. He is survived by his children Lawrie Dee and Robert Greene, Russ and Rosemary Hunsaker, Lisa and Kent Jensen, Scott Baker, Don Goulding, his wife Mabel Simister and her children David and Gayle Simister, Scott and Patti Simister, Debra Parker, Lisa and Carl Ellis, and 59 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

Viewings for Lawry will be held Sunday, September 17th from 6:00 – 8PM, and Monday, September 18th from 10:30-11:30AM. A funeral service will be held Monday, September 18th starting at 12:00 pm. All services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church building located at 1830 East 6400 South in Salt Lake City.

Family asks that "if" you can still fit into your Scout uniform to wear it to the funeral.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Scouts BSA, Crossroads of the West Council to name the lake at Camp Tracy in honor of “Lawry Hunsaker Life-long Scouter” through the website, https://www.utahscouts.org/memorial click on "Make a Tribute Gift" or call the scout service center at (801) 479-5460.