LaNell Topham

LaNell Stevens Topham, 84, of Orem, Utah, passed away in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, on February 6, 2026. He was born in Cedar City, Utah on July 1, 1941 to Joseph Ernest Topham and Bertha Alice Stevens, and was the youngest of 5 children. When he was 11, his world was turned upside down when his father passed away. He often spoke tenderly of his grandparents who stepped in to help his mother raise him during his teenage years. He lived in Paragonah, UT until he graduated from Parowan High School, 2nd in his class, in 1959. (He later created a scholarship for the student graduating 2nd in his or her class each year at Parowan High School.) It is during these next two years that LaNell credited three different people with changing the trajectory of his life. During his last year of high school, his English teacher told him that he was a smart kid and that he should go to college. He said before that day he had never thought about going to college. When he graduated from high school he moved to Salt Lake City to work and attend the University of Utah. He boarded with a woman named Mrs. Love, who noticed he never went to church. Mrs. Love did not attend his church, but still thought he should go. She marched next door to her neighbor called Brother Hanks and said, “I have a nice boy staying with me who goes to your church, but he is not GOING to your church.” Brother Hanks began to invite LaNell over for ice cream on Sunday nights. He became a friend and a mentor, and by the end of the year, LaNell had been called to serve a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the British Mission, South. He served for two years from 1961-1963, first under President T. Bowring Woodbury, then under President Marion D. Hanks, his dear friend and former next door neighbor.
LaNell worked at various jobs before starting at the University of Utah, including on an oil rig in Wyoming, digging irrigation on a farm, and switching out ties on a railroad. It was while he was working as a salad chef at a restaurant in Salt Lake City that he met a waitress named Claudia. After his mission, he and Claudia Clayson were married on August 8, 1963. He attended The University of Utah until he was accepted as a dental student at the University of Pacific in San Francisco, California in 1966. He graduated from dental school as a Doctor of Dental Surgery in June of 1969 and moved to Modesto, California that same year. In 1975, he and Claudia finished building their house on Foxcroft Lane and spent the next 22 years there raising their children. This was a wonderful community to grow up in and his children will always be grateful for the families they were raised with and the lifelong friendships that were nurtured there. During this time, LaNell served in the Stake Presidency in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 19 years and after as a Gospel Doctrine Teacher. He enjoyed practicing dentistry and loved his patients and his staff. He was known for having an extraordinarily gentle chair side manner. He loved attending his children's school and sporting events and was also a passionate BYU football fan. LaNell and Claudia enjoyed traveling and, not long after they became empty nesters, were able to see Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land.
Claudia’s death in 1997 was a difficult time in LaNell’s life. The following year, when Ellen came into the picture, both family and friends were pleased to see him happy again. In fact, it is rumored that his office staff threatened violence if Ellen ever broke up with him.
LaNell married Ellen Toolson Stanger on January 22, 1999. This was the beginning of an adventurous and very happy chapter of his life. LaNell retired from practicing dentistry in 2005. During the prior 10 years or so, LaNell had occasionally enjoyed a round of golf but was always frustrated that he wasn’t able to practice more. In 2005, he began to play a little more golf; and then, as time allowed, a lot more golf; he started playing golf when he traveled; and eventually, he would travel just to play golf. The game fostered deep relationships with family, friends, and strangers alike. Golf, and the people he played with, became a cherished part of his life, but he never lost sight of the source of his greatest joy: his family. With a combined family of nine children, LaNell and Ellen traveled constantly to see children, grandchildren, and eventually, great-grandchildren. LaNell used to say, “Eight is enough, but nine is too many.” He loved participating in any and all of his grandchildren's activities. He and Ellen tried to attend as many sporting events, concerts, baptisms, weddings, and baby blessings as they could. His children and grandchildren adored him.
LaNell was best known for his bald head, big smile, and firm handshake. He was very recognizable and would make a new friend wherever he went. He genuinely enjoyed and was interested in every person he met.
One thing he did not like was cold weather. In fact, when he and Ellen applied to serve a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he wrote on the application in 4 different places, “Do not send us somewhere cold.” When he and Ellen received the call to the England, Manchester Mission, he was shocked. When I asked him what the assignment letter said he replied, “It says I’m too old to go.” But off they went and served for 18 months in 2017 and 2018. He loved serving with Ellen and was fascinated by all things British. He had an unshakable faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the eternal nature of families.
After his 10th round of golf in two weeks, and a wonderful lunch with family, LaNell’s heart quietly stopped. It is a tender mercy to know that, had he been given the choice of how to close this life and begin the next, this is exactly the way he would have wanted it. He is survived by his loving wife Ellen, five children: Steve Topham (Teri), Tina Zwahlen (Brad), Tami Dixon, David Topham (Kim), and Julie Hulme (Richard), as well as his four step-children (although he preferred to call them his “bonus” children and always loved them as such): Ryan Stanger (Heidi), Tim Stanger (Gabriela), SuEllen Morrill (Ryan), and Sara Rossington (Julio). He has 32 beloved grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind cherished cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.

For many years, LaNell has asked friends and family members to contribute to the LaNell S. Topham Memorial Scholarship Fund in lieu of giving him gifts for Christmas or his birthday. We likewise ask that you consider contributing to this scholarship fund in lieu of flowers.
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