Richard L. Bird Jr.

Richard L. Bird Jr. 1907 ~2008 Richard L. Bird, Jr. passed away peacefully at home, just as he wished, on February15, 2008. He was born April 13, 1907 in Salt Lake City, the son of Richard Leo and Hannah Bertha Bird. His mother died when he was six years old, and his father later married Mae Alder. He grew up in Forest Dale, attended LDS High, and then the University of Utah, where he affiliated with Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He served a mission for the LDS Church in England in 1926 to 1928. He was accepted into Harvard Law School and received an L.L.B. Degree in 1933. He returned to Salt Lake City, passed the Utah Bar exam and fell in love with Mirra Jacobs, but decided that opportunity lay in Washington D.C. with the Department of Justice. On August 18, 1935, they were married in Salt Lake City and she joined him in Washington D.C. They enjoyed being in the nation's capitol, but the West beckoned and they returned to Salt Lake City for good in 1938, where all four of their children were born and raised. Richard's Utah legal career started as a law clerk in the Utah Supreme Court, then as a Utah State Tax Commission attorney. In 1944 he formed a law firm with Lynn S. Richards, which has continued until the present time, eventually being known as Richards, Bird & Kump. The firm has included Lon Rodney Kump, Richard's son, David J. Bird, and Lynn's son, James Richards, and others. He was active in the practice of law until just recently, and was reputed to be the oldest practicing lawyer in Utah. He was happily married to Mirra 57 years until her death in 1992. Three years later, he married a long-time friend, Alex Clawson, with whom he enjoyed 11 wonderful years until her death in 2006. He built lasting relationships with Alex's family that brought him joy to the end. Richard was active in many church callings including as Bishop of the Federal Heights Ward, High Councilor, Guide on Temple Square and always a consistently faithful home teacher. One of his favorite callings was as Boy Scout and Explorer leader, which he held more than once. He was also involved in the leadership of community service organizations, including the Community Services Council, Mental Health Association of Utah, Governor's Mental Health Advisory Council, Salt Lake County Housing Authority Bonneville Kiwanis Club and Kiwanis International, the U of U Alumni Association, and the Salt Lake County Council on Aging. He received the Merit Honor Award from the U of U Emeritus Club in 1978, the Distinguished Service Award from the Community Services Council in 1981 and the Distinguished Service Award from the Utah State Bar Association in 2006. Always hungry to keep involved and learning, he was a long-time member of the Timpanogos Club, the Ensign Club, several Church study groups, and a Great Books group. Richard led an active life. He exercised daily past age 100, loved golf, and taught his children to ski and play tennis. He loved to travel. He enjoyed helping others and has friends of all ages. He valued and promoted close relations among all his extended family. He was preceded in death by wives, Mirra Jacobs Bird and Alex Clawson Bird, son Richard Henry Bird, daughter Julie Bird Hendry, step-son Robert Bowers and all his six brothers and sisters and their spouses. He is survived by daughter Katharine Bird Evans (Fred); son, David J. Bird (Karie), of Salt Lake City, and his son-in-law, Malcolm Hendry, of Lafayette, California; grandchildren, Lisa Hendry Olson (Brian), Robbert Hendry (Diane), Becca Evans Staker (Wayne), Mirra Evans Mitchell (Harlin), Peter and Stephen Evans, Hailey and Victoria Bird; and seven great-grandchildren; and by the family of his wife, Alex, who all knew him as Papa Dick, children, Suzanne Bowers and Douglas "Duff" Clawson (Susan), of Salt Lake City and grandchildren: Tuckfield Bowers, Ridgley Bowers (Tanni), Whitney Bowers Sprunt (Tom), Courtney Bowers (Manon), Romney Clawson Duerden (David), Orson, Annie and Alexander Clawson, and eight great-grandchildren. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, February 23, 2008 at 11 a.m. at the Monument Park 2nd Ward, 1005 South 2000 East. Friends and family may call at Larkin Sunset Lawn Mortuary, 2350 East 1300 South, Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. and at the ward on Saturday 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. On line condolences www.larkincares.com