Nilan Ross Beardall

Nilan R. Beardall born February 5, 1938 in Springville the son of George Ross and Efa Shakespear Beardall, passed away December 5, 2025 at age 87 in Springville due to long debilitating physical ailments.

The middle child of a family of 12 children, when born only weighed 3 pounds, a 7 month preemie, spending his first several days living in a shoe box behind the old coal stove in the kitchen to keep him warm.

He attended schools in Springville, where he was an exceptional student, receiving many "A's" all through school. Upon graduation from Springville High School to avoid being drafted in the military he joined the Utah National Guard.

He worked at Hill Field in the Data Processing Dept, then B YU Data Processing located in the Maeser building when key punch, sorters and other types of machines were the state of the art. He later moved to the Smoot and Talmadge buildings. He witnessed the massive explosion of the computer industry technologies, with the area now known at BYU as the Information Technolgies Dept. He also taught computer classes. He witnessed the massive progress of new buildings on campus: Wilkinson Center, Law School, Knight, Harris Fine Arts, Art Museum, Marriott Center, Student Housing, and various other buildings. Ernest Wilkinson was the President, then Dallin H Oakes and Jeffrey R Holland, who are now General Authorities, and Merrill J Bateman.

Upon retirement after 41 years, according to records from the Benefits Office, he had the title of working at the University continuously longer than anyone in "Y" history at that time.

He is survived by his wife Helen Barnes, whom he met at BYU, their three children, Karen (Bernell) Cloward, SueAnn (Ronald)Wallace, and Kalen (Lynda) Beardall, eight grandchildren, (Amanda, Lance, Nicholas, Jessica, Holly, Rylie, Cheyann, Cole), three step-grandchildren.

The loves of his life were his family. He loved them more than they knew. He was thrilled with their many successes, various careers, college, and church missions. Fishing, hunting, shooting, playing basketball, and racquetball at the Smith Fieldhouse with many of the famous of BYU Campus. He cherished those days and the friends he made.

A special thanks to the Heritage Gardens Staff for their kindness and care of Nilan during his time there.

Funeral Services will be held Friday, December 12, 2025 at the Hobble Creek West Stake Center, 555 So. Averett Ave., Springville. A viewing will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. with services following at 11 :00 a.m. Interment at Springville Evergreen Cemetery.

Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.