John Wall Thorum

John Thorum, 82, a loving husband, proud father, and respected mechanical engineer, passed away peacefully on January 20th, 2023, in the company of his family, after experiencing a stoke and vascular dementia. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, ingenuity, and adventure.

John was born on March 9th, 1940, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Elmer and Oleah Thorum. He grew up in Bountiful, Utah and was the middle of three boys. He met his future wife, Sidney Barron, through a classmate from Norway who was dating Sid’s roommate. He recalls she was the prettiest girl in the room. They eloped in Las Vegas, Nevada, and married at the Little White Wedding Chapel on June 23, 1967. They welcomed their daughter, Stacey, in 1970.

John was happiest when surrounded by his family and friends, fixing things, and helping others. He enjoyed road trips, and the longer the drive, the better. He had a special place in his heart for Moon Lake, where he loved to fish and relax. He also enjoyed tubing down the Virgin River in Zion and traveling to Norway to visit good friends.

As a mechanical engineer, John holds several U.S. patents in his name. He was known as a sought-after troubleshooter in his field, traveling as far as Peru and Taiwan to solve problems. John earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering (‘63) and an M.B.A. from the University of Utah (‘66). After retirement, he continued to be called upon to mentor former colleagues. He also volunteered making wooden toy cars for Toys for God’s Kids, inventing more efficient way to cut out the toys with a CnC machine.

John also served as an Army Reservist (‘60–‘66), where he was a part of the MediCorp. During the summer, he would work in hospitals in San Francisco and Texas as part of his duties. He was always passionate about helping others and caring for those in need.

John's playful and inventive spirit was contagious. He loved spending time with his daughter, Stacey, and was always finding new ways to make her laugh. Whenever Stacey walked into the room, her father's face lit up with joy. John's best advice was to accept people as they are, and not try to change them, and to enjoy the first time you experience something, as you can't replicate that excitement again. He was also a committed investor who taught his daughter the value of saving.

John is survived by his daughter, Stacey (Winston) Schultz of Crested Butte, Colorado; brother, Tom Thorum of Bountiful, Utah; sisters-in-law, Barbara Lehner of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Julia (Jim) Hicken of Temecula, California; and brother-in-law, Bill (Faye) Barron of Murray, Utah. John is also survived by many nieces and nephews. He was preceded by his dear wife Sidney (Barron) Thorum who passed a year earlier, as well as his younger brother Paul Thorum, and niece Jennifer Lehner.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to Hope West Hospice in Grand Junction, Colorado, for their compassionate care during John's final days, allowing him to pass with dignity and honor.

Rest in peace, John, and thank you for your service to others and the joy and love you brought into our lives.

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A memorial service for John and Sid will be held on Sunday, June 25 at 2:00pm at Cottonwood Country Club in Holladay, Utah. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations to be made in his wife Sidney’s name to Recovery, Inc. (recoveryinternational.org).