Samuel Richard Holbrook

Samuel Richard Holbrook passed away July 30, 2025, in Bountiful, Utah. He was born August 7, 1932, in Bountiful, Utah, to Myron Fredrick Holbrook and Emily May Brough Holbrook.

Sam attended Stoker Elementary, South Davis Jr High (later became Bountiful Junior High School), and graduated from Davis High School in 1950.,He went on to study at the University of Utah and earned a B.S. Degree in 1954 and a M.S. Degree in 1964 both in Science Education.

While attending the University in 1954, he joined the Army ROTC and when he graduated he was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. While attending the University, he met and fell in love with Delia K. Meng. The two dated until he left for military service in New Jersey and Georgia.

On September 9, 1955, Sam and Dee married in The Salt Lake City Temple and left on their honeymoon traveling back to Georgia where Sam was stationed at Fort Gordon for the next two years.

In the fall of 1956, Sam started his teaching career at Bountiful Junior High School teaching science.

Sam’s grandfather Enoch Angel Holbrook was the first plumber in Davis County. His two sons, Leo and Myron also became master plumbers. Sam learned the trade from his father, Myron, and took the State of Utah’s Plumbing and Contractor’s License test in the spring of 1957, and Sam’s Plumbing was started. That same year the family began with the birth of Dyan, followed by Maureen (1960) and Michael (1962).

In 1965 Sam and Dee, with friends, purchased the Tally-Ho Motel in West Yellowstone, Montana. This started a long love affair with Yellowstone. The motel afforded nieces and nephews to come and work alongside the family and wonderful, strong relationships were made. This also made it so that Sam had a third career when he started working in Yellowstone Park as a Seasonal Interpreter Ranger in May of 1967.

When the family wasn’t at the motel they were at Old Faithful. When the motel was sold, the family then spent every summer at Old Faithful. Sam worked for a total of 47 summers and the family was able to join him, each working various jobs in the Old Faithful area. These were cherished summers for the family, affording quality time to spend with extended family and friends.

Sam has always been an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His favorite calling was being called as the first Branch President of the Old Faithful Branch. It was only active for three months each summer when visitors were there. He held Sacrament Meeting every Sunday at the Old Faithful Lodge for the visitors. He and Dee would greet the park visitors and offer them a chance to worship in what Sam thought was the most beautiful place in the world. He held that calling from the day the branch was started until he retired from the Park Service, over 20 years.

Yellowstone National Park was truly Sam’s favorite place in the world. He loved that there was a place that was set aside in its natural state and that he could appreciate and pass that love on in educating others with his position as a Ranger Naturalist.

Some of Sam’s favorite memories included hiking, backpacking, and camping with friends, Debra and John Dirksen, and Butch Bach as well as his kids and grandkids. He also loved fishing on Yellowstone Lake, nature walks, and picnics at Nez Perce.

Since all of Sam’s kids and grandkids lived in different states, they could all come together and spend time with Grandma and Grandpa in Yellowstone. However, Maureen and her boys had Sam’s same love of the park and spent every summer in Yellowstone with Grandma and Grandpa and went on many adventures together and all lived to tell about it.

Later in life, Sam and Dee loved getting ice-cream from the Lower General Store and driving to watch the Great Fountain Geyser erupt, or driving down to the Midway Geyser Basin to watch a spectacular sunset.

In 1994, Sam retired from teaching at Bountiful Junior High School after 38 years at the same school. Sam loved teaching his students and always said he was glad that he was able to retire while he still loved his job.

Sam retired from Yellowstone in the fall of 2013 at the age of 81, after 47 summers as a Seasonal Park Naturalist.

In 2009, when he was 77 years old, Sam was picked to be interviewed by CNN’s Wolf Holmes. The reporter followed Sam around Old Faithful while interviewing him. The show originally aired in June, but it aired again in CNN’s Favorites of the Past Year in January 2010. Wolf Holmes stated, “I have to tell you, that was one of my favorite stories of the year.” https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sm/date/2010-01-03/segment/01

In 1997, Vice President Al Gore came to Yellowstone to celebrate the park's 125th anniversary. Sam was asked to represent the seasonal rangers and was honored to do so. He had the opportunity to meet the Vice President as well as represent the park as he was presented with a beautiful painting of the Firehole River.

In 2015, Sam hung up his overalls after 59 years of dedicated plumbing. Sam often said how lucky he was to have three different careers that he loved.

Sam is survived by his children and their spouses: Dyan Stewart, Maureen (Eric) Barkdull, and Mike (Maryann) Holbrook. His Grandchildren: Austin (Annika), Kyle and Alex Barkdull, Maggie Stewart, Emily, Hayden and Sam Holbrook. His Great-Granddaughter: Brooke Hoskin. His Niece/Third daughter: Kathy Andersen (Brian), and their children, Dirk, Mathew, and Ashley-Marie. His “Adopted” Summer Children: Michelle Nielsen, and Deb and John Dirksen.

Sam was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Lois Hess, Elaine Hudson and Helen Gabler, and son-in-law Monty Stewart.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at the LDS Chapel located at 640 South 750 East, Bountiful, Utah. An evening viewing will be held Tuesday, August 5, 2025, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main Street in Bountiful. A Wednesday morning viewing will be held from 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services.

Interment – Memorial Lakeview Cemetery, 1640 E. Lakeview Drive, Bountiful, Utah.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.