After a life of love and quiet grace, Laurence Rudolph Wunderly of Salt Lake City, UT has passed.
Here is what mattered, in the years between the dates.
Laurence held deeply to the Latter-day Saints faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew him best.
Some find their compass in faith. Laurence was among them.
Laurence Rudolph Wunderly 93, returned to his loving Heavenly Father April 30, 2026. Born October 14, 1932, to Rudolph Lorenz Wunderly and Julia Clark. Laurence was the second of six children. He graduated from West High School. After graduation he went on to serve in the army. He was on the boat to Korea when the armistice treaty was signed. He would joke that they heard he was coming so they surrendered. After his time in Korea, he came home and was asked to serve a mission, to which his father eagerly told the Bishop that Laurence would serve. His time serving in the Swiss Austria Mission created friendships that lasted to this day. He would always be the first to share a picture or story of his time there.
When it came time to settle down and have a family, he chose the beautiful Arlene Ward for time and all eternity. Together they had 3 sons. Laurence was always a hard worker who tried to take care of his family. At the young age of 10 he was delivering milk for the Steenblik dairy. He would do milk runs on his lunch break at school, stopping by home to where his mother would have a sandwich ready for his walk back to school. He had various odd jobs as he tried to find what suited his talents. He ended up working for the city parks and rec. where he spent 36 years working out of the city cemetery. He picked up a second job working for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in custodial, where he worked for 30 years.
Few things made Laurence as happy as his service in the Salt Lake Temple. He served there for 24 years and four months. We knew that nothing could tear him away from Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Laurence loved the Lord, and it was evident through his Christ like service from greeting at the chapel doors on Sundays to being a taxi for his ministering families.
He is survived by sons: Scott (Shelly) of Salt Lake, Larry (Debra) of West Virginia, Vance (Stephanie) of Salt Lake, siblings: Leanna Bluemel, Evard (Nodia) Wunderly, and Rey (Diane) Wunderly, 10 grandchildren, and 1 great-granddaughter.
He is preceded in death by his bride Arlene, his parents, sisters Marleen and Audra, and granddaughter Diane.
Funeral Services will be held Friday, May 8, 2026 at 11:00 am in the Salt Lake Rose Park Stake Center, 760 North 1200 West. Friends may call at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple, Thursday evening from 6:00-8:00 and Friday at the stake center from 9:30 to 10:30 am prior to services. Interment, Salt Lake City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, Laurence requested a donation be made to the missionary fund for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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