Park City-native and renowned sculptor Edward James Fraughton, primarily known for his sculpture depicting poignant moments celebrating the American West, died June 2 at the age of 85 of a rare blood cancer in South Jordan. His extensive body of work lives on, memorializing the faith, pain and struggle of the early West.

Fraughton’s first sculpture commission involved creating a series of historical portraits for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1968 the Sons of Utah Pioneers and Mormon Battalion associations commissioned him to create a heroic monument commemorating the historic Mormon Battalion trek from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to San Diego during the 1846-1847 Mexican American War. His heroic, nine-foot monumental Mormon Battalion Soldier stands at the highest point at Presidio Park in San Diego, California.

His more recent sculpture projects include A Man to Match My Mountains at Snowbird Resort, Utah. This towering sculpture depicts Dick Bass, climbing to one of his seven conquered highest summits, and on the other side, Dick Bass, the avid skier. His striking work The Ancient Ones at Mesa Verde National Park in Cortez, Colorado, depicts an Ancestral Puebloan descending a sheer narrow column of sandstone with a basket of corn. The 20-foot-high monument graces the visitor center and museum entrance.

His contribution to a 10-year collaborative effort, commissioned by the First National Bank of Omaha, is displayed in a heroic bronze installation titled Nebraska Wilderness and Pioneer Courage, in downtown Omaha. It depicts a historic pioneer wagon train traveling west through Nebraska’s wilderness. This project is the largest single installation of monumental sculpture in North America: The linear space covers approximately five city blocks.

Fraughton’s magnum opus, Resurrection, yet to be completed, sits waiting in his studio.

National recognition began in 1973 when Fraughton was awarded his first gold medal at the National Academy of Western Art for his sculpture Where Trails End. Awards from the National Sculpture Society, National Academy of Design, and other prestigious art organizations soon followed.

Most recently, Fraughton received a Lifetime Achievement Award in April 2024 by the National Portrait Society of America and in 2023 the National Sculpture Society – National Trust for Historic Preservation awarded Fraughton the National Sculpture Society Affiliated Sculptor in Residency at Chesterwood in Stockbridge Mass., Daniel Chester French’s summer studio.

In 1980, Fraughton was selected to create President Ronald Reagan’s inaugural medal, and Fraughton’s Where Trails End sculpture was kept in Reagan’s private quarters throughout his two terms in office. That same piece is now permanently displayed at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.

Edward James Fraughton was born March 22, 1939, in the then-impoverished Utah mining town of Park City. He attended Marsac Elementary School and, in 1957, graduated from Park City High School.

Entering the University of Utah as a civil engineering student, he later changed his major to sculpture and graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. While there, he studied, served as a student teaching assistant, assisted in the gross anatomy lab and completed his postgraduate work under the legendary Dr. Avard T. Fairbanks and his son Justin. He also played baritone horn in the university marching and concert bands. Following his formal education, which he financed mainly by working night shifts at a local steel fabrication plant, he struggled to make ends meet by working in sales, substitute high school teaching, driving a delivery truck and laboring as a foundry worker in a local bronze casting facility.

Fraughton’s greatest source of pride and joy was his family. His love for his wife, his children, and all his posterity was immeasurable. A lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he frequently expressed his devotion to the Savior through his words and his work. He chose sculpture as a career, convinced this would make the greatest contribution to humanity in his lifetime.

Fraughton was a true renaissance man and often referred to by his contemporaries as a modern-day Leonardo da Vinci. Following a mid-air collision over the Salt Lake Valley in 1987 that destroyed two airplanes and claimed ten lives, Fraughton, a pilot, invented and patented a new technology for tracking aircraft. This technology, now most popularly known as ADS-B, uses GPS satellite tracking to find and report aircraft positions. Fraughton’s U.S. patent and foreign patents were issued in 1992. Subsequently, he served on several committees associated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ADS-B has recently been announced as the FAA’s system of choice to upgrade and replace the outdated radar-based air traffic control technology.

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June 29, 1930 – June 12, 2024

Verna Corinne Adamson was born in Salt Lake City’s LDS Hospital, but spent her childhood growing up in Mercur, Utah, a mining town where her mother, Erna, singlehandedly ran a boarding house. All the miners adored “Little Dolly.” The name described her perfectly and she adopted it legally as an adult.
The family later moved to Salt Lake, where Dolly attended East High School.
In 1952, she married Samuel E Makoff Jr of Makoff, a women’s better apparel store in downtown SLC. She balanced motherhood with civic duties such as the Junior League. When Sam was away on buying trips, Dolly would pack up the kids and their cousins in her Chrysler Station wagon and take off on weekend adventures. She embodied energy and ingenuity, embracing life at every given moment.
After Sam passed away, she moved to Park City with her teenage children in 1973. Considering her options for living independently, she opened her own small bookstore and boutique on Main Street. Of the different locations a notable one was the old Olpin Mortuary. Dolly’s Bookstore remains an iconic reminder of the impact she made on the town. Dolly’s engaging friendly and appealing personality clearly aided the store’s success. Friends remember how no conversation with Dolly ever ended without including some humor.
More than a merchant, and inspired by her second husband, University of Utah professor Alan Crooks, she imported a chapter of Writers At Work, an adult classroom-type learning opportunity for aspiring writers. She mentored people with intellect and sincerity.
She was kind and generous, taking care of her younger brother, Dave (Ernest) in his later years.
Social and outgoing, she hosted wonderful parties right up to the end, with wine, cheese and crackers for her caregivers.
After a short illness with colorectal cancer, Dolly passed away peacefully and without pain. Loved by all who knew her and never to be forgotten, she is held in high esteem.
Preceded in death by her parents, Delbert & Erna Adamson, husband, Samuel E Makoff Jr, brothers Bud (Lou) and Ernest (Dave). Survived by her children, Samuel Bradford (Debra) and Colette (Don) Beall, beloved grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life will take place at O’Shuck’s-Ahh Sushi! Quarry Village Park City, September 14 from 3-6pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends of Animals or your personal favorite charity.

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A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held in honor of Tina Lewis on Sunday at 10 a.m. at Miners Hospital Community Center, 1354 Park Ave.

Martiena Stahlke Lewis, 77, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, May 23, due to a heart attack. The immense undertaking of writing an obituary for such a dynamic, creative, and magnetic woman is a daunting task, and no body of words can do her amazing and varied life justice. A perfunctory internet search of “Tina Lewis Park City” will result in a myriad of articles, dedications, and lists of Tina’s varied accomplishments throughout the years, but few truly know the depth and breadth of the impact that this intensely private woman had on the people around her. At her core, she was spectacularly interesting, possessed an insatiable curiosity, and held a deep desire to make the world around her more beautiful.

Tina was born in Seattle, Washington, on Aug. 31, 1946, to George and Helen Stahlke. From a very early age, Tina showed intellectual prowess and quickly learned how to sew from a next-door neighbor. Her father, an engineer, took a job at Sperry Utah in 1957, and the family relocated. While a student at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, Tina won the national Singer Sewing contest and traveled to Europe to model the dresses she created at renowned fashion houses. Her skill as a seamstress and her jaw-dropping beauty led her to model for Seventeen magazine and sew and model for McCalls Pattern Company. She was appointed the titles of Miss Wool and Miss Janzen Smile and modeled for Utah’s Glama Mink Association, all before graduating from Skyline in 1964. Tina attended the University of Utah and was affiliated with the Chi Omega sorority.

In 1966, she married James William Lewis, a Utah native, and she embarked upon the challenges of becoming a young military wife during the Vietnam War. She and Jim welcomed a daughter, Jennifer, in 1967 while stationed at Randolph Airforce Base in San Antonio, Texas. After Jim’s military service, the family relocated to San Francisco in 1971.

They returned to Salt Lake City in 1973 but soon re-engaged with Park City, Utah, where the couple had skied in the 1960s. They built their first home there in 1977. At the time, Park City was almost a ghost town, with Main Street consisting of neglected buildings, crumbling sidewalks, and tired shacks reminiscent of Park City’s silver mining boom and bust. The shabby town’s history captured Tina’s imagination. An avid and relentless researcher, Tina plunged headfirst into figuring out how to breathe new life into Park City while honoring its vibrant and distinctive past. Where others saw a dilapidated heap of a house, Tina would describe it fondly as “quaint” and “charming” and then slowly transform it into the embodiment of her ever-optimistic vision. One of the dilapidated heaps became our family home in historic Old Town, which she proudly filled with love, good cooking, and hundreds of pieces of Delftware china.

Tina joined the staff of the Park City Chamber of Commerce and quickly got to work organizing events highlighting Park City’s natural beauty while promoting economic development. Tina was elected to the City Council in 1979. Around that time, she was instrumental in restoring the Miner’s Hospital and its movement from the Park City Resort area to where it is now, adjacent to the City Park. The legend of the human “book brigade” to transfer library volumes from the main street library to the new library in the Miner’s Hospital went down in Park City’s lore. Always busy, Tina had a way of focusing on the smallest details of the town (she coined the name “Park City Transit” and designed the Park City logo) while never losing sight of the big picture. Her lasting influence is embedded in Park City’s cornerstone events, which she nurtured for the past four decades: the Arts Festival, Autumn Aloft, Taste of Park City, and, of course, the Sundance Film Festival.

Tina used her political prowess to gain support from the Utah legislature for the Sundance Film Festival. She pushed for Park City and the State of Utah to value and prioritize historic preservation while caring for her growing family — her second daughter, Erika, was born in 1984. Growing up with a mom like Tina was a world of dynamic conversation, endless to-do lists, and involvement in obscure missions fueled by her passion and lead foot in a sports car. Because of her drive and pragmatism, there was no better teammate than Tina, and she served on numerous boards for organizations such as the Kimball Art Center, Utahns for Choice, the Utah Heritage Foundation, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In the 1990s, Tina shifted her focus to Utah’s bid for the Winter Olympic Games. She was heavily involved in event planning and organizing for Utah’s Olympic delegation. She acted as “den mother” for the Utah delegation to Birmingham for the unsuccessful 1998 bid and Budapest for the successful 2002 bid. When the Games finally arrived, Tina facilitated business partnerships between international organizations and the state of Utah. It is unsurprising that after the Olympics, Tina became the marketing director and acting director of the Utah International Business Development Office.

Her insatiable curiosity, engineer’s mind, and unmistakable charisma made Tina unstoppable. She loved research and relished solving problems. This made her remarkably good at event planning, but she was also a fantastic artist. A true Virgo, she was obsessed with tiny details. She could converse on any number of esoteric topics, from switchplates to stroganoff. She had the unique ability to see how something was made (a suit jacket, a quilt, an old house, a citywide event, a tomato soup recipe), take it apart, and put it back together again more beautifully than its original. Her Christmas trees were perfection, her homemade chocolate pudding and pies otherworldly. But throughout her life, Tina’s true artistic passion was sewing and textiles. Whether it was English hand-smocking, restoring quilts, creating original patterns for nationally distributed sewing magazines, or devising elaborate Halloween costumes for her daughters and granddaughter, Tina transmitted her love for her life and the people in it through her sewing.

Although she was a self-proclaimed introvert, Tina had the unique ability to make people feel welcome and at home. She would remember the smallest details someone had shared in passing about their life and interests and then incorporate that memory into a later gift for them, or a connection with another friend. As a mother, she was maddeningly inquisitive, brutally honest, patient, and always generous. She endured her family’s knack for sarcasm and dark humor, often countering our snide remarks with a scoff and a knowing smirk. A favorite phrase of hers was, “No good deed goes unpunished.” She was full of good deeds and true acts of selflessness, and we hope that in whatever comes after, this tireless woman can finally get some rest.

Tina is survived by her husband of 58 years, James; daughters Jennifer Rachelle (Walt) Brett and Erika Morgan (Monica David); granddaughter Maya Anne; brothers Karl Stahlke (Loula) and Eric (Laurel) Stahlke. She was cremated as she wished. 

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November 25, 1948 – May 16, 2024

Thomas Michael “T.R.” Richards, 75, of Park City, Utah, passed away unexpectedly on May 16th, 2024.

Born in Peoria, Illinois to Josephine and Kenneth Richards on November 25th, 1948, T.R. was a lover of music, the outdoors, and adventure, with a vast collection of stories featuring a cast of quirky characters to prove it. A solo cycling trip down the Pacific Coast Highway was equally at home on his calendar as a relaxing vacation on the beaches of Mexico, a week at Burning Man, or a month-long stint captaining a sailboat in the Virgin Islands with his friends (AKA, “The Retirees of the Caribbean”).

After graduating from Illinois State University, Tom joined the United States Air Force, serving during the Vietnam War flying the C-141A out of Norton Air Force Base. Following his time in the Air Force, he was hired by Delta Airlines on May 9th, 1977. This took Tom to Atlanta, where he met and married his former wife, Amy, with whom he relocated to Park City in 1993. He spent his tenure with Delta flying both domestically and internationally before retiring off of the B-777 in September 2004.
 
He was an avid skier, hiker, biker, and former runner and golfer, which he balanced with an affinity for good bourbon, the occasional cigar, and trips to Sturgis and Bike Week on his Harley. Like clockwork, you could find him on one of Park City’s many trails each morning for his daily “walkabout”, where he greeted everyone and knew all the dogs by name.

As a self-described “old retired guy”, T.R. spent his early retirement growing a ponytail, acquiring an ear piercing, and playing “dance mom” by cheering on his daughter, Sara, at weekend dance competitions and Friday night football games. Sunday Night Movies were a favorite tradition, which always included a giant pizza, a tin of “Dad’s Famous” homemade popcorn, and, most importantly, a chance to educate Sara on “the classics”: The Princess Bride, My Cousin Vinny, The Blues Brothers, and (seasonally) A Christmas Story.

After Sara left for college, he traveled to visit her in Italy and later in Tallahassee, where he became a devoted college football fan (Go Noles!).

Quick to offer a smile and crack a joke, T.R. made friends everywhere he went. He filled his schedule with social events and plenty of trips to visit friends near and far, frequently loading up his Subaru and heading South when the temperatures in Utah dropped. He had recently started spending a few months in Tucson, AZ, each winter.

When he wasn’t traveling, T.R. spent his downtime enjoying views of the Swaner Preserve from his deck, where he followed the comings and goings of the hawks, beavers, moose, and otters – almost always with one of his carefully compiled playlists playing in the background. During the summer season, he was a regular at many of Utah’s outdoor concerts, which combined a few of his favorite things: a cold beverage, good friends, and a great live band.

Tom is survived by his brother Steve (Laura), daughter Sara, former wife and friend Amy Richards, niece Lindsay (Mike) Hallman, Great-niece Maddie, and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions can be made in Tom’s honor to Buffalo Blessings (buffaloblessings.com) or Nuzzles and Co. (nuzzlesandco.org). A celebration of life will be held at O’Shucks White House on Saturday, July 27th between 4 and 7 p.m.

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April 10, 1943 – July 5, 2024

William (Bill) Martin passed away peacefully on July 5th following a series of strokes. He was surrounded by his family. Bill and Jean had just returned from a family reunion in Lake Tahoe the Sunday before his passing. The last picture ever taken of him was surrounded by the love of family.

Bill graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Computer Science. He then went on to serve in the Airforce as a Captain during the Vietnam War.

Bill was a prominent member of the real estate community where he received numerous awards: the most prestigious being Real Estate Broker of the year. He was also a mentor to many up-and-coming Real Estate Agents. He was known for his visionary mind and innovative thinking. He embraced technology and probably had the first cell phone and video camera ever made. He loved capturing “movies” of his family over the years.

Bill loved skiing, duck hunting and all types of fishing. When he retired, he could often be found at Flaming Gorge or the Duck Club he belonged to.

He was married to the love his life, Jean Martin, for 51 years. Bill is proceeded in death by his parents; Lieutenant General William K Martin and Mary Fister Martin.

Bill is survived by Jean (wife), daughters Laurie (Heath and granddaughter Emma), Brenda, his two brothers Mike and Bob Martin, his sister Mary Martin Gill. He has many loving nieces and grand nieces and nephews who will surely miss his funny antics at family events.

There will be a Celebration of Life in Park City on July 28 2024 for family and close friends.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the VA Hospital or a charity of your choice.

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– April 3, 2024

Rob Roetman passed away at home on April 3, 2024, with his wife and daughter by his side after a long, courageous battle with ALS. Humble, hardworking, funny, and beloved by all who knew him, Rob was someone who deserved to get the most out of a long life. Rob moved from Minneapolis, MN to Park City in the late 70’s and started working at PCMR. There he met his wife, Gayle, with whom he built a beautiful life. They married in August 1983 at St. Mary’s. They lived briefly in Atlanta, where Rob began a 30-year long career as a mechanic with Delta Airlines. In 1990, they welcomed their daughter Erika and soon after returned to Park City. A lifelong skier, Rob hoped to instill a love of the sport in his resistant daughter, who is now a ski patroller at PCMR. Rob was a man of many talents and hobbies. He restored vintage Volkswagen bugs and buses, many which were featured in magazines and won awards. Rob also rode the 203-mile LOTOJA bike race 20 times, including the year he was diagnosed with ALS. He was an amazing husband, father, and friend. He will be deeply missed and remembered by many as someone who was always willing to lend a hand to solve any problem. Rob is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years Gayle, his daughter Erika, and his sister Nancy. A celebration of life will be held this Fall. Those wishing to pay respects are encouraged to donate to the ALS Foundation, or to ski a little too fast down the slopes next season in remembrance of Rob.

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June 30, 1948 – February 8, 2024

Sharon Christine Hill Stevens was born June 30, 1948, to the late Eugene and Lillian (Jacobsen) Hill. She passed away February 8th, 2024. She married Lynn Stevens in 1975 and they were together at her passing.
When in doubt, be happy, you can always change your mind.
Those are words she lived by. She enjoyed hiking, bicycling, windsurfing, skiing, working in her yard, camping, playing with Ely (Dog) Tiger (dog) Bandit (dog) Amigo (dog) and parrot, Sunny, and husband, Lynn.
She enjoyed life to its fullest for over 50 years, married 49 years. She loved her hometown of Grand Haven, Michigan, and its beach.
Graduated from Grand Haven High school in 1966, and from Ferris State University with a degree in secretarial science, lived in Arizona, then Park City, Utah where she worked for Royal Street (the owners of Deer Valley Resort) from 1991 till she retired in 2014. Moved to Salt Lake City Utah in 1997 and her dream house with a view of the whole valley.
She leaves behind her husband Lynn Stevens, sister Pamela Tober, nephew Richard (Paige) Tober, grandniece Addilyn Tober and grandnephew Jaxson Tober.
She believed that love is giving one another space to be all that they are, and all that they are not. Never give up, get up and try again.
A Celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 6th at her home (7622 S Cambria Circle, Cottonwood Heights, Ut from 3 PM till 7 PM If you can, please RSVP by Text to the number below. Instead of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Association. Any questions, please call 801-518-2145 or you can e-mail at lynn@lynninfo.com Please mark important.

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January 31, 1954 – June 11, 2024

John Winston, age 70, made his transition on June 11, 2024, in his hometown of Park City, Utah. He was born in Saco, Maine, and is survived by his brother Tom Winston (Cathy) of Orrington, Maine, sister Jean Donald (Bill) of Viera, FL, sister Mary (Bailey) Deveneau (Michael) of Viera, FL, and his many nieces and nephews. 

During the 50 years John spent in his beloved Park City, he worked as a bartender and taxi driver and eventually owned his own painting company. John was a talented guitarist with his own rock and roll band, Johnny and the Rockers. John’s passions were skiing (he was proud that he had 50 season passes at Park City), golf, the desert of southern Utah, and his family.

John had a special place in the hearts of many in Park City, many of whose children affectionately called him Uncle John. His gentle nature and warm smile always brought joy and laughter to their lives. John was an even-tempered, kind soul who left a lasting impression on everyone he met. 

John’s life will be celebrated in Park City in July. We invite you to share your condolences and inquire about the date of his celebration. Your support and presence would mean a lot to his family. Please reach out to us at marydeveneau@gmail.com.

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– May 3, 2024

Ruth Sandra Gooden, born May 9, 1939, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, passed away on May 3, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia surrounded by her loving family. She will be remembered as an intrepid adventurer, a globe trotting traveler, a two-time 2,190 mile Appalachian Trail and a 497 mile road to Santiago in Northern Spain hiker extraordinaire, an amazing ski instructor at both Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Ski Area, a volunteer for the Sundance Film Festival and The Eccles Theater in Park City, a member of Park City Leadership squad always seeking to create a strong sense of diversity and an esteemed docent at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, working tirelessly on “From Harlem to Utah: Stories of Blackness”. She also recorded an audio tour for “Portrait of a Young Musician(1970), by Beaufort Delaney, and finally a creative, thoughtful artist in her own right!
Through her travels around the world, she built a vibrant community of admiring friends and will be remembered as a delightful dinner guest who would regale everyone with her inspiring travel adventures, her sharp wit and sassy sense of humor! She is so very missed!

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February 14, 1940 – June 8, 2024

Alice Noreen Goff Nelson, 84, of Park City, Utah, passed away at home on June 8, 2024.
Noreen was born on February 14, 1940, in Park City, Utah to Jessie and Cereal Goff and was the youngest of five kids. While in high school, she met her husband Kurt Nelson and went on to marry him on April 27, 1956. The two of them lived most of their lives together in Park City, Utah; it was their home and the place they loved more than anywhere else. They had two daughters together, Lori Morden (Clifford) and Jacqueline Nelson. For further obituary information, service details, or to share a photo or memory, please visit Noreen’s obituary at www.probstfamilyfunerals.com.

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