Linden Charles Maxfield

Linden Charles Maxfield passed on peacefully on August 3, 2025. He was born on April 6, 1927 to Lavera Bailey Evans and Ellis Reed Maxfield. His family was living in Mt. Home at the time of his birth. His Uncle Grant Maxfield had a car so he came out to get his mom and dad and bring them into S.L.C. where he was born. His early years were spent there in Mt. Home and Mt. Emmons. During the depression the government came in and destroyed all of their cows. For the next year they tried to make a go of it but eventually they had to move back to S.L.C.

Linden was a farmer and rancher his whole life. He learned real young how to work and be dependable. When he was in 11th grade his father was in an accident so he had to quit school and run the farm. Some years later he went to work at the Kennecott Mine he started on the truck gang and then was the yard master dispatching all of the work trains in and out. He was also helping his father with his Ore mine above Moon Lake.

Linden met Wilma when she was 13 years old. The two travel companions who drove up with him to the dances that were held in Heber City was dating Wilma’s two older sisters. He told Wilma that he was going to wait for her for the next couple of years. In late 1950 Linden told Wilma that he had received his draft papers, and they agreed to write and keep in touch. In the early part of 1951 she was 16 yrs old. When he came home on furlough they went on a date and they got married on Oct. 8, 1951, and on October 11, 1956 they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple for time and eternity.

His grandfather Robert Burns Maxfield got him a job with Arrowhead Freight lines. They lived in the Sandy apartment where Wilma drew up the plans to the building which his father used to build some duplexes. Then they moved into a duplex his father had built. In the fall of 1954 Wilma’s grandma Simmons past away and they purchased her home in the early spring of 1955 in the town of Charleston, Utah. In 1955 he was working for Capital City Steel, a commissary owned by Rulon Dahl and Ralph Fugate which dealt in special steel. He commuted back and forth to work. It was when they were putting the freeway up Parleys canyon and he had to go down City Creek Canyon. He would take Nelly Farnsworth, Ethel Wright and another lady down to the genealogical library as he went to work and bring them home when he came home. Nelly said they were looking for a school bus driver as her husband Warren Farnsworth was the Superintendent of Wasatch County School. He got the job and his days as a school bus driver began. Later he became the Transportation Supervisor where he served for a total of 39 years. His brother Reed started Uinta Finance, which had 5 offices in Utah and 2 in Arizona. He made Linden Secretary and General manager of the company.

He made an agreement with the owner of the Homestead to use his horses, to rent them out for trail rides up the canyon. He started the Homestead Stables where they had horseback riding, took trail rides, gave hay and sleigh rides. His children all helped him to run the operation. Linden also served in the Search and Rescue as L188 for 18 years.

Linden served in several church callings in the Sunday School Presidency, bishopric clerk, and a primary teacher with Wilma. Linden and Wilma served an LDS Mission from 1999 to 2000 in Nauvoo, Illinois. Linden was over the team horses where he was instrumental in improving the buildings and the operation.

Linden is survived by 4 of his children: Gary Lynn (Merilee) Maxfield, Bonnie Von (Norman) Durtschi, Cindy Lou (Wayne) Richardson, and Kathy Ann (Kevin) Maxwell; 18 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Wilma Von; his parents, Lavera Bailey Evans and Ellis Reed Maxfield; son, Dennis Charles Maxfield; brother and sisters: Reed Robert (Mildred) Maxfield, Dorothy Bailey (Marvin) Coulter, Donna Cynthia (Rulon) Dahl, Neva Jane Maxfield and Susan Lavera (Shirl) Hone; grandson, Robert Keith Durtschi; and great-granddaughter, Ellie Mae Pullham.

Funeral Services will be held at the Charleston Ward Building 3450 South 3500 West ~ Charleston, Utah; on August 12, 2025 at Noon, with 2 hours of viewing prior to the service. Interment in Charleston Cemetery.

The funeral service will be livestreamed and recorded. Click here to view the funeral service.