Nathaniel Wright Naegle

Nathaniel “Than” Wright Naegle, age 91, passed from this life into the next on September 22, 2026.

Than was born on January 9, 1935, in Hurricane, Utah to Lynn Peter Naegle and Ruth Wright Naegle. He had an idyllic childhood in Toquerville, attending a 2-room schoolhouse and swimming in the Old Cradle on Ash Creek. Than attended high school in Hurricane. He married his high school sweetheart, Cherrie Gubler, in the Saint George Temple, on June 6, 1953.

He attended the College of Southern Utah in Cedar City, graduating in 1955, before moving to Salt Lake City with plans to attend the University of Utah. He chose to give up his plan for further education in order to provide for his family. Than encouraged his children to get all the education they could; all eight of his children received college degrees.

Than joined the Salt Lake City Time Clock Division of IBM. He maintained the time clocks for municipalities and schools up and down the state of Utah. Than moved from maintaining time clock systems to selling them and selling service contracts for them. He was a good salesman. One year he won the top salesman award from IBM, which is remarkable considering his competitors were selling much higher-priced computers.

Than was a life-long, devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a disciple of Jesus Christ. He served in many callings, including deacons' quorum instructor, cub master and assistant scoutmaster. He was called as a Seventy and served as a Stake missionary in the Liberty Stake. Than encouraged his six sons to serve missions. All of them did. Than also served in the Bishopric of the Liberty Ward. Cherrie was called 3 times to check on his age; they couldn't believe he was so young when he was called to the Bishopric.

When IBM sold its Time Clock Division to Simplex, Than had to adapt his career path. He was impressed by the fire protection equipment sold by Notifier Corp, and joined Fire Protection Service Corp, the holder of the Notifier franchise in Utah. Than put his salesmanship to good use there. He eventually parted ways with Fire Protection Service over a large job proposal for the Atomic Energy Commission in Nevada. When Notifier heard that Than had left Fire Protection Service, they encouraged him to start his own business and complete the job for the Atomic Energy Commission. This was the beginning of Alarm Control Company.

Than always looked out for his employees. He brought with him, the entire staff of Fire Protection Service's Salt Lake office, who had also been terminated. Than's formula for success was to help his employees succeed. This not only helped Alarm Control to grow, it fostered loyalty among his employees.

Than moved his growing family to Bountiful, Utah in 1965, purchasing 1 ½ acres of property with a home and a peach orchard. Than taught his children to work hard and have high standards for their work.

Than served in two High Councils in the Bountiful and Bountiful Heights Stakes. His talent as an organizer and builder were put to good use in the construction of a baseball diamond and park pavilion for one of the buildings in the Stake. He oversaw the Bountiful Handcart Days celebration for many years.

In the early 90’s a serious car accident involving his parents caused Than to turn operations of Alarm Control over to his children and relocate to Toquerville to care for them. Than was active in improving the town of Toquerville. He made many improvements to the water system, converting from ditches to a pressurized pipe system, significantly improving life in town. He extended the water system to the cemetery, donated land to extend the cemetery, and along with other citizens, erected a fence around the cemetery, and other beautifications and improvements.

Than put his negotiating skills to work, securing a surplus bridge from an I-15 reconstruction project, arranging to ship it to Toquerville and install it. He also secured land for a park in return for getting the bridge installed. In addition, Than helped develop access to the west side of Toquerville with another bridge. All of this came about as a result of Than's persuading many parties to work together.

Than and Cherrie served in the Family History centers in Hurricane and Saint George, where Than secured reliable internet service for the center to improve the efficiency of Family History work for the whole region. During their time there, Than maintained the computers and Cherrie helped people with her great knowledge of the history and genealogy of the area.

They also served a service mission in the Deseret Land and Livestock Pioneer Trek mission. Than was instrumental in constructing a large storage facility and visitors center for the Trek mission.

Than had a lifelong dream to become a pilot. He earned his pilot's license in 1979 and spent 20 years building his own Glastar airplane in his shop in Toquerville and his hangar in Hurricane. Than loved flying his whole life.

As Than and Cherrie advanced in years, their children convinced them to move to West Bountiful where they could be cared for. For many years they shared their time between West Bountiful and Toquerville.

Than is survived by his wife, Cherrie, his children, Nathaniel David (Beverly), Scott Harris (Mary), Jeanette (Dave) Clark, Karl Lynn (Liesa), Marianne (Robert) Meeks, Willard Frank (Dianne), Russell Paul, and Arlyn Thomas (Joy). His brother Mike (Beverly), sister Lynda Naegle Edwards, brother-in-law Joe Gubler (Dianne). He has 34 grandchildren and going on 90 great-grandchildren.

At a family gathering in later years, Than told the family how humble their young family beginnings were, as he and Cherrie had embarked on their married life amid great uncertainty. He felt he had been greatly blessed as he'd endeavored to fulfill the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth. Than counted his family as his greatest treasure, next to his testimony of Jesus Christ. He urged his children to have faith that the Lord's blessings would continue with them as they also strived to keep the commandments and nurture their families.

A viewing will be held at Russon Mortuary, 295 N. Main Street, Bountiful, Utah, on Friday, September 25, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and again on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 10:30 – 11:45 a.m. at the West Bountiful 8th Ward meeting house, 311 North 800 West, West Bountiful, Utah. Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. at the meeting house. Interment will be at the Toquerville Cemetery, Monday, September 28, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary and Crematory YouTube Channel and on this obituary page. See YouTube video below.