Norman Dee Tanner

Norman Dee Tanner, age 90, of Mapleton, Utah, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2026, surrounded by his loving family at Utah Valley Hospital. He was born October 9, 1935, in Ioka, Utah, at the home of his grandmother, Jane Harriet (Haws) Mecham, to Harriet Pearl Mecham and Francis Marion Tanner.

Norman grew up in the Uintah Basin, where he learned the value of hard work at an early age while helping on the family farm. Those formative years instilled in him a lifelong appreciation for agriculture, learning, and service. He graduated from Union High School in Roosevelt, Utah, and earned a degree in Soil Science from Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University).

His career reflected dedication and adaptability. Norman worked as a soil scientist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and later served in the United States Army with the 101st Airborne Division as a medic. After his honorable discharge, he continued a long federal civil service career across several departments, earning a second degree from Weber State College and concluding his service as an Information Systems Security Specialist with the U.S. Army Intelligence Center at Fort Huachuca.

Norman married Wilda Bascom on October 17, 1961, in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they raised six children and built a life centered on faith, education, and perseverance.

Norman enjoyed gardening, hiking, swimming, writing, and lifelong learning. He was deeply interested in preventive health practices and documented his life extensively through personal journals.

Norman is survived by his wife, Wilda; their six children; twenty grandchildren; and seventeen great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Arva Marie (Tanner) Redden.

Viewings will be held Friday, January 30, 2026 from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at Wheeler Mortuary in Mapleton, 82 West 400 North, Mapleton, Utah, and Saturday, January 31, 2026 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel, 6877 North 10600 East, Lapoint Utah, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. Funeral services will follow from 1:30–2:30 p.m., with graveside services immediately afterward.

The family expresses heartfelt gratitude to all who cared for Norman. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Utah Primary Children’s Hospital or to Norman and Wilda's headstone (venmo annette-warnick-1).

Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.

For those unable to attend the services in person, you may view the Livestream HERE