On Easter Sunday Archibald Dee Stanger watched peach trees blossom in the backyard. He said it was April fools trick because the blossoms will not produce any peaches. One month shy of his 91st birthday, Arch peacefully passed away at home on April 4, 2018. There will be a viewing from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 8, at Owens Livingston Mortuary in Snowflake. A second viewing will take place in Ogden, Utah, and graveside services are being arranged with Myers Mortuary. Arch was born May 12, 1927, in Odgen, Utah, as the seventh of eight children. His parents, Archibald Stanger and Beatrice Elizabeth Holmes raised him on a farm in Marriott, Utah. He was comfortable under the hood of a car, hunting ducks and pheasants or out on a rock hunting expedition. In 1944, Arch joined the Navy. He served on the McCassier Straight Aircraft Carrier training pilots between San Diego, Calif., and Honolulu, Hawaii. After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he opened up Arch’s Service Station in Ogden. In 1951, Arch married Rachel Ball. They lived in Ogden then moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. Arch was a mechanic in a service station near University of Utah that served doctors, lawyers and church general authorities. In 1958, he received additional mechanics training at Faris Institute in Big Rapids, Mich. Returning to Salt Lake City he worked for Brewer tire as a wheel alignment and brake specialist. Five years later he owned and operated his own station at 17 East and 13 South. When he retired in 1988, he moved to St George, Utah, and then Perry, Utah, to be closer to family. He entered many restored vehicles in car shows. One time a previous owner could not believe a 1929 Model A Ford truck would actually run normal. He sold it because he could not keep it running. Arch was pleased when his nephew used the car in his son’s wedding. Arch also had a special skill for cooking. Bonnie Lou Smedley agreed to marry him in 2003 after he made her a birthday cake. Rachel, Arch’s wife of 52 years, died one week before Bonnie’s husband, Al Welker. Arch and Bonnie exchanged sympathy cards having known each other for 50 years. Arch came to Arizona to see Bonnie. The rest is history as they had 15 happy years together. Arch is survived by his wife, Bonnie; sister, Sharon Turnbloom of Bountiful, Utah; Fred and Laura Mitchell of Clinton, Utah; beloved nieces and nephews; and many nurturing friends. Owens Livingston Mortuary of Snowflake handled the arrangements.
