Obituary: John Rodney Krist, July 19, 1951 – June 19, 2021

Rod Krist, age 69, passed away June 19, 2021, from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the San Juan Hospital in Monticello, Utah. Rod was a resident of Moab for over 50 years.

Rod was born July 19, 1951, in Kremmling, Colorado, to John and Ethel Krist. He graduated from Grand County High School in 1970 and then went on to school for heavy equipment in Buffalo, Texas.

After marrying, Rod and his sweetheart Kathy moved to their first home together in Fort Collins, Colorado. They decided to settle back down in Moab to raise their family.

Rod trusted Jesus as his Savior and was a man of God, with his greatest quality being his outstanding work ethic. He worked very hard for many years to provide for his family. His trucking career included millions of miles of service. He delivered propane for La Sal Oil, as well as for Pacific Intermountain Express Co. He transported livestock for the Rocky Mountain Livestock Company and hauled fuel for Basin Western. But Rod’s most cherished accomplishment was trucking together with his son J.R., as they built the Rod Krist Trucking company together, hauling everything from propane, dirt, gravel and transporting heavy equipment.

Rod is survived by his loving wife, Kathy; his children, Susan (Jamie) Johnston, Tabatha (James) Basher, Nicole (Cody) Demers, and J.R. (Brittany) Krist; his mother, Ethel Krist; his sister, Joan (Mike) Wilcox; his brothers Ron (Shannon) Krist, Roy (Denia) Krist; his grandchildren, Zachary (Ashlyn) Johnston, Cora Johnston, Cody Johnston, Grace Johnston, Justin Moore, Tiffany (Caleb) Rozman, Rozalyn Krist, Lincoln Krist, Kacedy Krist, Hailee DeMers, Wesley DeMers; his great-grandchildren, Benjamin Johnston, Jonah Johnston; and many extended family members in Utah and Colorado. He was preceded in death by his father, John Krist, and sister, Jill Guynn.

Funeral services will be held at the Moab Baptist Church (356 Kane Creek Blvd., Moab) on June 28 at 10 a.m. with a viewing one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment service will immediately follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery. You may send condolences to the family at www.spanishvalleymortuary.com

      Maggie McGuire has been the publisher of the Moab Sun News since 2021.

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