Garth Willard Atwood, 88, passed away Aug. 23, 2010, in Ogden after an extensive battle with bone and prostate cancer. He was born June 18, 1922, in Vernal to Ivan Willard and Marie Hall Atwood.

Being the oldest child, Garth learned at a very young age to harness and drive a team of horses to do all of the farmwork. By age 11, he was driving a 10-ton truck with 12 speeds forward, seven in reverse and three gearshifts. Lessons learned on the 880-acre ranch they homesteaded on Diamond Mountain near Vernal gave him a work ethic that was a great blessing throughout his life.

He married the love of his life, Marjorie Lee Thurman, in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple on Aug. 3, 1943. The first few years of their marriage, he worked at J.C. Penney in Salem, Ore. He then served a stint in the Army's field artillery during World War II. Atwood went on to graduate from Western States Chiropractic School and School of Naturopathy, and then practiced in Baker, Ore., for awhile. He started his own practice in Buhl, Idaho, in 1950.

People came from far and wide to be treated by Dr. Atwood who genuinely loved helping his patients, many times providing his healing services at his own expense. In addition to his chiropractic practice, he farmed 80 acres at Black Bear corner in Buhl, and raised and trained Arabian, Appaloosa and American showhorses.

Garth loved hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and camping, and swam a mile every day with his family at Banbury Hot Springs near Buhl. He was an avid private pilot, owning many different airplanes during his life while flying to all parts of our great country. Mountain and back-country flying was his passion.

Together, Dr. and Mrs. Atwood worked hard serving their community as active members of the Jaycees, Kiwanis, PTA, Chamber of Commerce, Grange, and in establishing the College of Southern Idaho when it was located in Buhl. Additionally, Atwood also served in his profession "going up the chairs" and as the president of both the state and national chiropractic associations. In 1978, he moved his practice to Preston and then Mink Creek, Idaho, when he entered semi-retirement.

Dr. Atwood served as a bishop in the LDS Church, served a full-time mission in Texas with Marge, and loved to work in various temples of the church. Marge passed away in August 1999. Garth then married Ida Frodsham of Burley, Idaho. Later, in 2008, he married Doris Stock of Ogden, who lovingly stood by his side through these trying times.

Garth is survived by his five children, Linda (Diamond) Loosli of Syracuse, Utah, Betty Jo (Dale) Quigley of Twin Falls, Idaho, Beverly (Dr. Trent) Harrison of Taylorsville, Utah, Mary Sue (Steve) Crookston of Preston, Idaho, and John (Susan) Atwood of Bristol, Va.; 27 grandchildren; and 79 great-grandchildren. He also is survived by his siblings, Ella (Arvel) Allred of Vernal, Marvel (Dick) Kearsley of Ogden, Alice (Lee) Mecham of Redding, Calif., and Charles (Linda) Atwood of Tillamook, Ore.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Garth's life on Sat., Aug. 28, during a viewing from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and services at 10:30 a.m., to be held in the Jensen Park LDS Chapel located at 3024 South 1200 West in Syracuse, Utah. He will be laid to rest at 5 p.m. after graveside services in the Rock Creek Cemetery in Vernal.

-Vernal Express, August 2010