Jim Leroy Telford

Jim Leroy Telford passed away May 1, 2026, at the age of 79. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 15, 1947.

Jim returned home to be with be with his beloved eternal companion, Terrie Linea Telford, May 1, 2026, at the age of 79. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 15, 1947. Jim lived a life that left indelible moments, experiences, and memories for those who were blessed to know him. Together with Terrie they raised a family with love and care and most importantly together taught their family that life lived with faith in God, Jesus Christ and their plan of salvation would bring joy and happiness now and into the eternities.

Jim is preceded in death by his wife, Terrie Linea Leonard, his parents, Leonard and Leona Telford, and his sister, Marilyn Telford. He is survived by his children Shawn (Jalayne), Brian (Chrissy), Tracie Maughan (Greg), Michael (Mandy), Brooke, 16 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren with one more on the way, and his siblings Gary (Jill), Randy (Betsy), Janean Toone (Dan), and Dan (Karen).

Jim was born into a loving and faith-filled family. He was raised in Taylorsville, Utah where he attended Grainger High School and later attended Brigham Young University. As a 19 year old Jim volunteered and was called to serve as missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in the Copenhagen, Denmark mission. After 3 days of training, he left for Copenhagen where he spent the next 2 1/2 years learning the language, the transforming power of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and gaining a love for the people of Denmark that shaped the remainder of his life. As a senior couple, Jim and Terrie served a mission in Copenhagen creating hundreds of lasting relationships with youth and members of the Church as they served.

He returned from his mission and married Terrie in April 1969 in the Salt Lake Temple and focused his efforts on raising a family, work and school. After about a year of marriage circumstance led him to join the National Guard where he served until honorably discharged. After his service, Jim focused on working to support his growing family.

Naturally entrepreneurial, Jim's career included banking, real estate appraisal, title insurance, fix and flip (before it was cool), municipal bond sales, sewing machine dealer, carpet cleaning business, and oil and gas exploration. He was known in business for being honest, trustworthy, and dependable.

He had a passion for travel, taking hundreds of trips abroad for leisure, especially in later years as he maximized the free flight benefits from his daughter's work in the airlines.He served in the church wherever asked and loved serving in the temple with his beloved Terrie, both in Bountiful, Utah and Copenhagen, Denmark.

Both he and Terrie adored their grandchildren. They found great joy in spending time with their grandchildren and in seeing them grow and succeed in life. Jim would light up any time he had the chance to interact with his grandchildren.

A deeply loving and emotionally sensitive man beneath the surface, as he aged, he pushed himself out of his comfort zone to ensure everyone knew how much he loved and cared about them, and made sure those he cared about were aware of his love and gratitude for each of them. 

Jim and Terrie Telford served together as volunteer leader-couple mentors as part of Marriage Enrichment, an organization dedicated to helping other couples improve communication, connection, and commitment - work they loved and looked forward to.Jim was a righteous man who always lived and modeled his values. He regularly expressed his faith and gratitude for his knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ and his faith in the healing and redeeming power of the Savior. He taught all in his family the value of daily prayer and daily repentance.

One week before his passing, Jim graduated from Brigham Young University with his bachelor's degree. This extraordinary achievement at 79 years of age has inspired countless individuals and most importantly his family. Perhaps best of all, it gave his family and friends a chance to celebrate one last time with a remarkable man, and to honor him and to express our love and admiration for him. It was truly a wonderful occasion. 

Jim and Terrie's family will forever be grateful for the foundation and legacy they built, a legacy which will continue to shape their posterity, family, and friends forever.

As his children, we rejoice in knowing that our family will be together again in the eternities through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the Bountiful Hills Ward,1190 E. Bountiful Hills Dr., Bountiful, Utah, where a viewing will be held from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment - Lakeview Cemetery. 

Services will be streamed on YouTube and this obituary page.