Ronald M Batty
March 14, 1933 - January 6, 2021

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Ronald M. Batty, devoted husband, dedicated father, doting grandfather, devout Christian, teller of pup tales, dispenser of ice cream and chocolate chips, purveyor of wisdom, and occasional grumpy old codger, shuffled off this mortal coil January 6, 2021, at the age of 87. We are confident that he is free from both infirmity and pain, and is living in a better place. There, we know, he was greeted with open arms by his parents, brother Miles, great-grandson Reno, and other family and friends who had gone on before. We know that they are as happy to see him come as we are sad to see him go. And while we rejoice in their reunion, his passing leaves all our lives emptier. Ron Batty was our father.

Dad entered this life with his best friend, fellow mischief maker, and twin brother Don, on March 14, 1933, to parents Ella Leone and Marquis Ivan Batty in Riverton, Utah. Dad and Don spent their early years living on a farm in Wallsburg. After hearing tales of their childhood misdeeds, we have to assume that they came together because they were already in trouble in Heaven, and even God could not separate them. Later in childhood they moved to Vernal and eventually settled in the Ashley area, where Dad spent most of the next seventy-five years.

In high school Dad courted Nila Marie Haslem. They married in the Salt Lake City, Utah temple on August 18, 1952, at the ripe old age of 19. And so began one of the great love stories of our times and the tale of our family. They were married for over sixty-eight years and continue to look forward to eternity.

They had seven children; Ronald Dale (Linda) Batty, Donald Gale (Tammy) Batty, Laura (Manny) Padro, Susan (Henry) Peterson, Robert Bruce (Ana) Batty, Roger Alan (Penni) Batty, and Marci (Greg) Rechtenbach. They have 28 grandchildren and 38 great grandchildren, all of whom, strangely enough, are above average.

It doesn't happen these days, but after he was married, Dad was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Mexico in 1953. And because, once again, God could not keep them apart, Don was also called to serve in the Mexico Mission. There they both served faithfully, though, we strongly suspect, not without a few shenanigans.

Dad was a voracious reader in two languages - English and Spanish. He enjoyed every genre from popular fiction like Louis L'amour, and Tony Hillerman, to religious books by Hugh Nibley and the prophets, to classics like Cervantes (in Spanish) and Dante's Divine Comedy. No book was too much for him. Though he did say that he hated Moby Dick. But really, who doesn't?

As much as he loved other literature, as a reader, his first love was the scriptures. They played a central role in his life, and he was a faithful student. Never satisfied, he routinely studied The Book of Mormon, reading it cover to cover as many as eight times a year.

Aside from reading, Dad loved farming. And by farming, we really mean irrigating, and anything he could do from a tractor. The closest thing Dad had to a hobby was creative irrigation. He irrigated with the same level of passion that a pro golfer has for golf. For Dad it wasn't a chore; it was an art. He managed to put water on high spots that had never been watered, almost seeming to make water run uphill. And he loved his tractor, especially enjoying anything he could do with the bucket or the blade. A few years after he retired, not a hump of dirt or clump of brush remained on most of his farm.

Dad also had a knack for building a fence. He approached fence building with approximately the same precision that Stradivarius used when building violins. Though we were frequently reminded, as we moved a post for the fifth time per his instruction, that we were not, in fact, building violins.

He liked to garden, and every year we grew a big one. Dad's biggest secret to gardening was having lots of kids to do the weeding. But he enjoyed planting. He really seemed to come alive when we planted corn. Tomatoes seemed to be a close second, but the only thing better than seeing Dad plant corn was watching him eat it when the time came.

After his mission, Dad's commitment to the gospel remained strong. He served in many callings, including two service missions and a stint as a temple worker. The faithfulness with which our parents lived the gospel established the culture of our family. Honoring God, the gospel, and his covenants were of utmost importance to him, Dad left no room for us to doubt that he loved the Lord.

Dad really loved the Lord, but he also really loved our mother. There is no greater gift for a child than the knowledge that their parents genuinely love one another. And Mom and Dad did. Dad was very devoted to his family. Dad sacrificed his own dreams to care for his family. He worked day and night. He sacrificed time with friends. He sacrificed sleep. He sacrificed hobbies. He laid it all on the altar for us and we are eternally grateful. That is a legacy that will last for generations.

Services to honor the life of Ronald M. Batty will be held on January 13, 2021 at the Ashley 1st Ward chapel 3040 North Vernal Ave, at 11:00 am. A viewing for family and friends will be held January 12, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at the Ashley Valley Funeral Home. Interment will be in the Vernal Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to Utah Mission Tijuana, a 501(c)(3) that fosters independence through education. Ron was a founding member and a generous contributor. Donations can be sent to Ana Batty at 2740 Sandstone, Kingman, AZ 86401.

Alternatively, Dad would have appreciated donations to The Humanitarian Aid fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ronald M. Batty, devoted husband, dedicated father, doting grandfather, devout Christian, teller of pup tales, dispenser of ice cream and chocolate chips, purveyor of wisdom, and occasional grumpy old codger, shuffled off this mortal coil January 6, 2021, at the age of 87. We are confident that he is free from both infirmity and pain, and is living in a better place. There, we know, he was greeted with open arms by his parents, brother Miles, great-grandson Reno, and other family and friends who had gone on before. We know that they are as happy to see him come as we are sad to see him go. And while we rejoice in their reunion, his passing leaves all our lives emptier. Ron Batty was our father.

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