Richard Crockett Edgley

Richard Crockett Edgley was born on February 6, 1936, to goodly parents, Phenoi Harrison Edgley and Ona Crockett Edgley in Preston, Idaho. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was always of foremost importance to him, and led him to a happy and successful life. He passed away peacefully at his home on March 27, 2026, at the age of 90, content, and grateful for his blessings.

Richard was the second child and only son in a family with five children. Although his passion in his early years was athletics, he also took piano lessons, sang in quartets, and learned to work hard. He helped his father in the family dry cleaning plant, and worked like a man on the local farms. He developed leadership skills, and was a student body officer and was captain of his high school football and basketball teams. He attended BYU on a football scholarship before his mission.

Richard always claimed he served in the best mission in the Church, the Eastern States Mission, where his testimony grew, and his life was changed by his experiences there.

Returning home, he then completed his degree in political science at BYU, where he met his beloved wife, Pauline Nielson. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on August 12, 1960. The two of them then headed off to graduate school at Bloomington, Indiana, where he earned his MBA from Indiana University.

Richard worked for 20 years for General Mills, Inc., living in Minneapolis, Toronto, Boston, and back to Minneapolis headquarters, before returning to Utah in 1981. During that time he and Pauline had 6 children, and quality family time became a priority.

He had a successful professional career, working up to serving as a young vice president for General Mills. Richard was a natural leader, with “good common sense,” able to see through to the crux of a problem, allowing him to make good decisions. Some people considered him their favorite boss.

He was sociable and friendly, and loved to talk sports all his life, especially BYU sports. In the Glory Days of the early 1980s he was president of the BYU Cougar Club. He also couldn’t pass up a little child without talking to them and offering to be their “other grandpa,” or close a conversation without some comic quip.

Because of his love of the outdoors and desire for family time together while in Minnesota, he bought a tent-trailer and facilitated fun camping trips with the families of dear friends; He bought a boat where the family enjoyed waterskiing outings on some of Minnesota’s famous 10,000 lakes, and later the whole family learned to snow ski, which was perfect when they moved to Utah’s beautiful mountains. Later on, golfing, and cruising with family, or with friends, were favorite activities. He was also proud of his woodworking hobby, building bookshelves, crown moldings, wainscoting, and cabinets for his home.

Richard was perhaps best known for his lifelong faith and service in the Church. He served in many callings throughout his life, including as a young bishop in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. A hinge point in his life came in 1981 when he accepted an offer to leave General Mills and move to Utah to work for the Church. The family has lived in Centerville, Utah ever since.

He was the first stake president of the Centerville North Stake, and later became a member of the Presiding Bishopric, where he served as a counselor from 1992 to 2012. He loved being fully engaged in building the kingdom of God and treasured his association with his brethren. Richard had a significant impact on the Church, even before becoming a General Authority. As the Church’s first Managing Director of Finance and Records, he made key hires and implemented strategies that strengthened the organization’s financial position and accelerated its growth.

Above all, Richard loved his family. He and Pauline sponsored many family vacations and hosted many family dinners. He cherished his time with his posterity but in the last few years, one of the things he loved most was quiet evenings watching Dateline, snuggled up with Pauline.

Richard is survived by his wife, Pauline, daughters Stacey (Monte Fiala), Vickie Edgley, Christine (Ron Baird), Melanie (Tim Doane), and sons Steven (Jennilyn) and Mark (Katie); 20 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, sister Kathy Fellows (Stan) and in-laws Darlene Hurst, and Leon & Laraine Nielson.

Preceded in death by his parents, Ona and Phenoi Edgley, sisters and spouses Grant and Lenona Hawkes, Stanton and Evelyn Nuffer, and Ben and Marcia Packer, his grandchildren David Heiner, Eliza Edgley, and sons-in-law Steven Horne and Jeffrey Hansen.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 6, 2026, at the Centerville North Stake Center, 1461 North Main Street, Centerville, Utah. A viewing will be held Friday, April 3, 2026, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, Utah, and Monday morning from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment- Preston, Idaho.

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