Allan Gene Birch's Obituary
Allan Gene Birch died August 14, 2024, in Taylorsville, Utah. Allan was born August 17, 1943, in Montpelier, Idaho to Gene and Eva Birch. He grew up in Cokeville, Wyoming where he attended Cokeville Elementary School, and in 1962, graduated from Cokeville High School.
Allan attended Utah State University and the University of Wyoming, and then earned a degree in engineering from the University of New Mexico.
Allan married Sybil Ray Butler on June 28, 1968. Their daughter Christy came into their lives on October 30, 1972. Allan and Sybil were later divorced.
Allan served in the National Guard and received an honorable discharge on March 18, 1967.
Allan always loved sports and had a reputation for being a fast runner. He played on the high school basketball team. He loved skiing and helped build two ski lifts in the Cokeville area: a rope tow on Big Hill, and the Pine Creek poma lift. He also enjoyed hunting and fly fishing.
Allan enjoyed building and flying control-line model airplanes. He and his father and his brothers spent many hours enjoying this sport. They even made skis for their planes so that they could fly in the winter. Sometimes on weekends, they traveled to cities in Utah and Idaho for flying events.
While he was attending college and after graduating, Allan worked for companies that built large electric power lines. He was working as an engineer on a power line near Farmington, New Mexico when he fell from a tower and suffered a severe spinal cord injury leaving him partially paralyzed. He and his family then moved to Taylorsville, Utah so that he could receive medical and rehabilitation services at the University of Utah hospital.
While they were living in New Mexico, Allan and Sybil became very interested in Native American turquoise jewelry and learned the art of jewelry making. Since Allan could no longer work on power line projects, this jewelry hobby provided many hours of creative work, and they designed and assembled many beautiful pieces.
Allan was a serious student. When he was curious about something, he would research and study it thoroughly. After moving to Taylorsville, he became interested in the stock market, especially the options market. He was a successful investor and became so knowledgeable that other investment advisors would send their clients who were interested in the options market to him.
Allan was preceded in death by his parents Eugene Birch and Eva Lewis Birch, and his brother Lanny Birch.
He is survived by his daughter Christy (Davis) Guilbert; his brothers Glenn (Mary Lue) Birch, and Jim (Cyndie) Birch; and three grandchildren.
Services:
There will be a graveside service at the cemetery in Cokeville, Wyoming, on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 1:00 P.M.
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