Milton Bryon Walston (Bryon) passed away at the age of 67 on July 5, 2022, at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. Although he was miles away from his beloved hometown of Moab, he was surrounded by his loving family as he peacefully passed on to his Heavenly Father’s loving embrace.
Despite the efforts of doctors, nurses and staff, he was not able to overcome the effects of cancer and its complications. Throughout his treatments, he provided a legacy of unwavering courage, work ethic and willingness to face the challenges of life with a smile and sense of humor.
Bryon met the love of his life, Nita Marie Jessup, at the Brigham Young University ward Family Home Evening, where Nita invited Bryon (a newly returned missionary from the Veracruz Mexico Mission) to take a seat and “stay awhile.” Their love story began with their marriage in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Manti Temple, leading to a posterity of six children: Jason, James, Jay (Kendall), Russell, Ashlyn and Preston, their spouses, and fourteen grandchildren (to date).
Bryon graduated from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in veterinary science and minored in chemistry and Spanish. He chose to return to Moab to raise his family.
Bryon retired after 28 years of serving the Moab community as a UPS delivery driver and had a second career as a real estate agent/broker. He loved to interact with people. He would practice his “dad jokes” on his family first before using them on visiting Moab tourists as part of his Hummer tours.
Bryon was an active outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing with his family and friends. He loved to start a project and would even finish most of them. He built a home for his family and his perpetual labor of love was his cabin and family retreat. He found great pleasure serving others in different capacities throughout the years as a Scout leader, clerical leader, and school board member, and he cherished the time he had as an Ordinance Worker in the Monticello Utah Temple with his wife.
Bryon reminds us all to appreciate what we have in our lives and to be thankful, keep smiling, and always be willing to give a hand, lend a tool, lift a box and share what we have.
We want to thank the wonderful caregivers that cared for Bryon, all those that expressed love and support to him through his life and during his treatment, and the heroic stem cell donor that gave sustaining cells that prolonged his life.
Funeral services for M. Bryon Walston will be held on Tuesday, July 12 at 11 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Moab Stake Center (701 Locust Lane) with live streaming on the Spanish Valley Mortuary Facebook page. A viewing will be held at the church on Monday, July 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. and for one hour prior to the Tuesday service. Burial will follow the services at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
You may send condolences to the family at www.spanishvalleymortuary.com.
