WILTBANK, Ronald Earl

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 04/15/2014 Ronald Earl Wiltbank Fourth generation Arizonan Ronald Earl Wiltbank died April 11, 2014, in Mesa. He was born April 22, 1930, in Phoenix. He was the oldest living grandson of Joseph Udall and William Ellis Wiltbank Sr., who helped settle Eagar more than a century ago. His parents, who grew up together in Eagar, were William Ellis Wiltbank Jr. and Mary Alta Udall. Ellis and Alta lived in Albuquerque, N.M., for most of Ronald’s school years. He is survived by his daughters: Carol (David) Hartwig and Sandra Lunt, son Gale Ronald (Cathy) Wiltbank; 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The Wiltbanks lost a son and daughter in infancy and their son Gary as a mature adult. He and Edith graduated from Round Valley High School together in 1948 and they were married Aug. 11, 1952, in Socorro, N.M. Their marriage was later sealed in the Arizona Temple. Ronald spent 13 years as a coach, teacher and administrator in public schools. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from New Mexico State University and was an assistant coach there for basketball and baseball. His father died when he was 19, so he worked his way through college with help from his wife. His father’s premature death was softened financially by insurance payments to his mother. This experience gave him knowledge of the benefits of life insurance. Ronald later became an agent for Beneficial Life Insurance of Salt Lake City, and assisted people with insurance products for more than 50 years, starting in 1958. Ronald’s desire to become active in the legal field led to his receiving a juris doctorate degree from Arizona State University in 1971. He opened a law office in Mesa later that year. He was soon appointed as the first public defender for Mesa and served there for about 10 years. The town council of Eagar also appointed him town attorney for about 20 years. His career as an attorney continued until 2014. Ronald, Edith and their family traveled to Salt Lake City for church conferences for many years. Ronald was the president of the David Udall family organization for 25 years. Plus the Spencer Watson Wiltbank Family for many years, the George Henry Crosby Family, Benjamin Brown Family, and had both his horse buggy from George Henry Crosby and the Model T truck at the reunions, Fourth of July parade, etc. Which provided many happy memories of relatives in the truck or buggy. Ronald complied or authored books entitles Joseph Udall and his extended family, the Browns and Crosbys in Round Valley and the Wiltbanks of northeastern Arizona. He also helped his wife Edith compile “Family Love,” a book about the family of her grandparents, Sam and Mae Love of Eagar. Long active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sanits, Ronald served in many positions, including the high council of the Maricopa Stake for 22 years. Plus a mission in the San Jose, Calif., Mission in 2001-03. In civic activities, Ronald served as the Mesa Chamber of Commerce president and president of the Mesa Optimist Club, plus the Arizona Optimist Club president. He loved them and served the Sunshine Acres children for decades. A viewing will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 15, at with memorial services following at 10 a.m. Interment services will be held at 11 a.m. at the Eagar cemetery Wednesday, April 16, with lunch at the Eagar church.