Obituary - David Patterson Firmage

Spanish Fork Business, Church Leader, 78, Dies

SPANISH FORK-David P. Firmage, 78, of Spanish Fork, well known Utah department store operator, died Tuesday morning in a Spanish Fork hospital after a brief illness.

Mr. Firmage, with his brothers, was a partner with J.C. Penney in the establishment of the first J. C. Penney stores in Utah, managing Penney stores in Nephi and in Spanish Fork.

Mr. Firmage was born April 21, 1883, in American Fork, a son of William and Catherine Adamson Firmage. He married Florence Jones, Nov. 10, 1909, in the Salt Lake Temple, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 1915 he moved to Heber where he was assistant manager of the first J. C. Penney store there, and in 1917 he opened the first Penney store in Nephi, where he was manager.

From 1927 to 1939 he was manager of the Penney store in Spanish Fork. He was a director of the Bank of Spanish Fork for 26 years.

Active in civic work, he served 13 years on the Spanish Fork Board of Adjustments, 11 years as chairman, and served on the city Zoning and Planning Board as president and chairman.

Mr. Firmage was an active member of the LDS Church, serving as budget chairman of the Spanish Fork Second LDS Ward and as finance chairman for the new Spanish Fork LDS Stake House.

He was a charter member of Spanish Fork Rotary and was a member of the city's Kiwanis Club.

Mr. Firmage is survived by his widow; two sons and three daughters, Kenneth, Chatham, N.J.; Allen, Provo; Mrs. Lee (Doris) Chambers, San Carlos, Calif.; Mrs. W. R. (Florence) Liechty, Logan; Mrs. Paul (Barbara) Stewart, Downey, Calif.; 18 grandchildren; two brothers and a sister, Edwin, Provo; Andrew, Salt Lake City, and Mrs. Mack (Agnes) McIntyre, Sacramento, Calif.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 1 p.m. in the Spanish Fork LDS Stake House. Friends may call at the Walker Mortuary Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday prior to services. Burial will be in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.

Learn more about David on the Firmage Family History website:

https://sites.google.com/site/firmagefamilyhistory/families/firmage/david-patterson-firmage.

Obituary - William Kenneth Firmage

William Kenneth Firmage, age 91, passed away on Saturday, February 16, 2002 in Sun City, Florida.

Kenneth was born October 17, 1910 in American Fork, Utah to David P. Firmage and Florence Jones Firmage. He grew up in Nephi and Spanish Fork, Utah. He graduated from Spanish Fork High School in 1928. After a year at the University of Utah he served a 30-month mission for the LDS Church in Germany. After returning home he attended Brigham Young University and received a B.S. degree in business in 1935. He then enrolled in the MBA program at Harvard University. He received a MBA (MS) degree in 1937. He was employed in the eastern states with several firms.

He married Phyllis Fletcher in the Salt Lake Temple in 1936. They first made their home in New York City. During World War II he was employed in Washington D.C. as a coordinator of petroleum shipments to the Allied Forces in Europe. At the end of World War II he served three months in Germany as a member of the Strategic Bombing Survey. In this capacity he used his ability in the German Language. He then started an insurance agency in Chatham, NJ and remained there until retirement. While in Chatham he and Phyllis had two sons and one daughter. Phyllis died of a heart attack in 1966.

In 1968 Kenneth married SuZann Swain. They then made their home in Alford, Mass., in the summer and Sun City, Florida in the winter. Kenneth was active in the LDS Church serving in several callings including High Counselor in the New Jersey Stake. Kenneth and wives, Phyllis and SuZann traveled extensively in Europe and Asia.

He is survived by his wife SuZann; daughter Karen Skousen (Loran) of Arlington, Texas; son David (Zan) of Fairfield, Maine; son Charles (Mavis) of Boise, Idaho; one brother Allan (Provo) and sisters Doris Chambers and Barbara Stewart of Modesto, CA; and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his sister Florence Liechty.

A brief service for family and friends will be held in the chapel of Walker Mortuary, 187 South Main, Spanish Fork at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2002. Burial will be in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.

--Deseret News, February 28, 2002

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FIRMAGE, William Kenneth, 91 of Sun City Center, passed away Feb. 16, 2002.

A native of American Fork, Utah, Mr. Firmage moved to the area from Chatham, N.J.

He was a retired life insurance agent and Realtor. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and had served as a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserve during World War II. He was the author of several books, including "Season of Fire, Season of Faith" and "Flight From Destiny".

He is survived by his wife, SuZan of Sun City Center; two sons, David of Fairfield, Maine, and Charles of Boise, Idaho; two stepsons, Tom Swain of Venezuela and Ralph Swain of Virginia; a daughter, Karen Firmage Skousen of Arlington, Texas; a brother, Allan of Provo, Utah; two sisters, Doris Chambers and Barbara Stewart, both of Modesto, Calif.; 18 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 5207 12th St. NE, Apollo Beach. Burial will be in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Learn more about William on the Firmage Family History website:

https://sites.google.com/site/firmagefamilyhistory/families/firmage/william-kenneth-firmage.