Merrill James Langford Sr.

On Saturday, November 28

th

, 2020, Merrill James Langford Sr. passed away at the age of 92. Merrill was born May 19, 1928 in Las Vegas, Nevada to Dorothy and Fountain Horace Langford.

Merrill served in the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers from 1951 – 1952 where he served in the Korean War and then in the Army Reserve.

He is survived by his son, Mark Dee Langford of Chandler, Arizona; daughter Janette Marie Freeman of Chandler, Arizona; Linda Sue Hebert and husband Joseph Hebert of Clovis, California; daughter Jennie Lynn Langford of Friant, California; and Minnie Louise Lawrence and husband Robert Lawrence; 20 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren; 5 step-children, 28 step-grandchildren and 83 step-great-grandchildren; and the mother of his children, Jennie Lee. He is preceded in death by his wife, Pat Nay Martin Langford, and his sons Merrill James Langford Jr., and William Scott Langford.

Merrill was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He served a mission to Mexico from 1949 – 1951 and later served in Ecuador and Maine with his late wife, Pat.

After Merrill’s first mission he married Jennie Robinson from El Paso, Texas. They had seven children, an active life in the church, and lived in several western states.  Merrill was a hard-working provider for his family and a loving father.  He instilled in his children his entrepreneurial spirit, big dreams, and a strong work ethic- but he also loved to have fun.  He made sure all his kids learned to waterski, snow ski and enjoy other fun activities together.  He was well-known as the dad that would play games such as, “Run, Sheepy Run,” with all the neighborhood kids!  Having fun was a big priority, as he lived by the adage, “Work hard, play hard.”  He was the life of the party!

Later in life after a divorce, Merrill reconnected with his first love and high school sweetheart, Pat Nay Martin.  He was blessed with a second chance at love.  Together, they built a wonderful life in Manti, Utah and were happily married for 35 years.  Pat’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were always such an important and valuable part of his life and he loved them as his own.

Merrill was in a sales career all of his life.  He was a mechanic who loved to restore old cars and tractors.  He could build or fix anything.

He was a loving father and will be dearly missed. Due to COVID-19, a celebration of life will be postponed to sometime next spring. Interment will take place on December 2, 2020 at the Valley of the Sun Cemetery in Chandler, Arizona.