John David Faddis, born in Price, Utah, Feb. 28, 1931, to Edith Alice Smith Faddis and Russell David Faddis. He grew up in the coal camps of Carbon County, working in the mines in his later teen years. He graduated from Carbon High School where he excelled in football and baseball. He is still in the Utah High School Athletic Association’s record book for having the longest kickoff return.
After graduation, Dave attended Carbon Jr. College for a year and then enlisted in the United States Navy, serving for four years during the Korean War. He was proud to serve his country! He married his childhood sweetheart Vivian Naylor in 1951 later solemnized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake Temple. Dave attended BYU after the Navy and received his bachelor’s degree in education. After graduating he signed a contract with the Tooele County School District and he and Vivian took their two little girls and moved to Tooele County to begin his career in teaching and coaching.
He loved teaching and enjoyed the relationships with the other educators in the district where he made lifelong friends. He always had a great rapport with his students helping and guiding when he could. He was a great coach serving in the athletic department at Tooele High School in football, basketball and was the head baseball coach for ten years. He was also involved in coaching young sports teams. During his career he was asked to implement and originate the Tooele Alternative High School with fellow teachers. He felt this was an important step to help students who needed to graduate from high school.
After teaching for 29 years, Dave retired from the school district and took a job at Tooele Army Depot in the physical fitness center. He was there for seven years at which time he was contacted by the Tooele County Sheriff’s Department who offered him a job as a bailiff. At 67 years old he attended the Fred House Correctional Academy and received many accommodations for inspiring other youthful candidates at his advanced age. He served Tooele County as a bailiff and as jailer. During this time he was proud to be a member of the search and rescue for five years, when at the age of 75, he finally decided it was time to retire.
In 1981, Dave ran for and was elected to the Tooele City Council. He served on the council for 16 years, 15 of those as the chairman. Dave enjoyed serving the citizens of the city during those 16 years.
Dave is a sportsman and supported all the athletic teams in the city, but his passion was golf. One of his astounding golf feats was hitting 7 holes-in-one. He was an accomplished musician, playing his saxophone in dance bands from the ages of 14 to 80. During his seventies he started his own band that played at special events throughout Tooele County and other venues in Utah. They often played at the senior citizen’s center.
Dave and Vivian would have celebrated their 73 years of marriage on Dec. 22. They have four children: Karen Sue, Brenda (James), Dave (Ali), and Darren (Julie). They have 18 best grandchildren, and 34 best great-grandchildren.
Dave’s motto was always “Forever and Forever in Tooele.”
The funeral will be held Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, at the Skyline Ward Building, 777 Skyline Drive, Tooele, Utah, at 12 p.m. A viewing will be held Friday night at Tate Mortuary, 110 S. Main St., from 6 to 8 p.m. There will also be a viewing from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. before the funeral at the Skyline Ward Building.
Our thanks to Debbie, manager at Our House, and the workers there who have taken good care of our mom and dad during this time. Also, our thanks to dear friends, neighbors, and all those who have reached out to comfort our family.
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