Robert Rands

Robert Winter Rands

St. George, Utah

Robert “Bob” Winter Rands died peacefully in his sleep early Monday morning, October 5, 2015, at his home in Bloomington Hills, St. George, Utah. He was 92 years old, the father of six children, 41 grandchildren, and 101 great-grandchildren. Robert resided in St. George for nearly 25 years after returning from a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Boston, Massachusetts. Bob’s life was filled from beginning to end with enthusiastic service to all who needed his skills, including callings to service in LDS bishoprics and stake presidencies.

Bob was born in 1923 to Oswin and Anne Lund Rands in Inglewood, California. His great-grandfather, Joseph William Rands, joined the LDS Church in Capetown, South Africa, and emigrated to Salt Lake City in 1868. During the Depression years, Bob and his twin brother, Bill, were sent to help on a family farm in Plain City, northwest of Ogden, Utah. He attended high school in Ogden, where he met Lorraine Randall.

When it was clear that Bob would be called to serve during WWII, he married Lorraine in the Salt Lake Temple on 8 April 1942, and was shortly thereafter shipped to England, where he was quickly placed in charge of a crew of bomber engine mechanics. His ingenuity was largely responsible for a highly successful engine overhaul production line, for which he was well decorated. The leadership skills Bob developed during the war played a significant role in his responsibilities in the LDS Church throughout the rest of his life.

After the war, Bob was given a civilian position at Muroc, California, now Edwards Air Force Base, where he was assigned to work on the fledgling jet aircraft technology. As his family began to grow, he determined to earn an engineering degree at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where he graduated in 1953. From there a succession of positions led him to move his family from Inglewood eastward across Los Angeles County to Pasadena, to Azusa, and finally to Glendora, California. In each place, the LDS community grew and split into new congregations, making use of Bob’s leadership skills and willingness to serve.

After more than 30 years in Glendora, and with their children grown and married, Bob and Lorraine accepted a call to serve their church in the Massachusetts Boston Mission from 1990 to 1991. Upon their return, they purchased a lot in Bloomington Hills overlooking the St. George LDS Temple and built a home that has become a crossroads for their vastly spreading family. During that time they were called to serve a second mission to help establish the Deseret Industries Distribution Center in St. George. Bob also will be remembered for his years of organizing the Christmas lighting surrounding the St. George Temple grounds.

Bob is survived by sons Richard D. Rands (Janet Brigham) of Mountain View, California; Paul Jon Rands (Sandi Montelius) of Wilsonville, Oregon; and daughters Janice (Richard) Scott, of Mapleton,Utah, serving an LDS Mission at Southern Virginia University; Connie (Donn) Romito of Billings, Montana; and Marte (Von) Eyre of St. George. His wife, Lorraine, and a son, Robert David Rands, preceded him in death in 2013.  Also, his only two siblings, William Partington Rands and Gary Monroe Rands preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be Monday, October 12, 2015, at noon at the Bloomington Hills Stake Center, 1130 E. Brigham Road, St. George. A viewing will occur on Monday, prior to the service, at 10:00 a.m until 11:30 a.m. Robert Winter Rands will be interred on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at the Centerville Utah City Cemetery, with a Graveside service at 10 a.m.