Richard Keith Childs

Richard Keith Childs, (82), of Huntington, Utah, passed away on September 20, 2023.

Richard was born on April 16, 1941 to Grant R and Tempe B Childs in Price, Utah. Richard grew up in Huntington, Utah with his 2 sisters Diana Taylor and Hope Huffman. Richard participated and excelled in multiple sports, played the trumpet in band, theater, hunted, fished, and worked on family farms. Richard graduated from North Emery High School in 1959. After high school Richard served a mission for the LDS church in Brownsville, TX from 1961-1963 where he learned Spanish. After his mission Richard attended some college at the U of U and then joined the Salt Lake Police Department in 1965.

In 1972 while at SLC PD Richard met the love of his life Dawn Mead Childs. She was a flirty secretary and he was a sarcastic detective. They dated and were married in 1976. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake temple in 1985. During those years they had 4 boys. Richard “Keith” Childs II (not junior, never junior), Kenneth Grant Childs, Kristopher John Childs, and Kevin Paul Childs.

During his 30,107 days on this earth Richard did a lot. Richard was known for his sense of humor, albeit generally Dad jokes. Years were spent teasing his sisters pulling them over to swindle them out of their lunch, making jokes to cover his nervousness as his children were being born, or a life full of teasing his boys, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. Richard was: a police officer, an ambulance driver, a watermelon picker, a coal miner, a warehouseman, a bus driver, a scout camp cook, held multiple church callings, a city councilman, and a sheep herder. Most of all he was a loving son, brother, husband, father, and friend.

Richard left this life peacefully. Richard is survived by his wife Dawn, sons Kenneth, Kristopher, Kevin, 16 grandchildren, and his sisters Diana and Hope. He was preceded into heaven by his father Grant, mother Tempe, and eldest son Keith. You will be missed, but your life legacy remembered.