Obituary: W. Cleon Skousen

W. Cleon Skousen 1913 ~ 2006 W. Cleon Skousen, prolific supporter of God, family and country, peacefully passed away at his Salt Lake City home on January 9, 2006, of natural causes incident to age, just 11 days shy of his 93rd birthday. He was lovingly surrounded by his family and wife Jewel, with whom he was anticipating their 70th wedding anniversary in August. Well known across the nation and overseas for his devoted understanding and support of the U.S. Constitution, his love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his insights into politics, religion, good government, and human nature, he leaves behind an exhaustive work of scholarship created over three-quarters of a century that covers dozens of specialties. Among the 46 books he authored are the best sellers, The Naked Communist, So You Want to Raise a Boy?, The Making of America, and The Five Thousand Year Leap. His books on religion, such as The First 2,000 Years, Prophecy and Modern Times, Isaiah Speaks to Modern Times, Treasures from the Book of Mormon, and Days of the Living Christ, reached millions of readers in the Christian and Jewish communities. Skousen served 16 years in J. Edgar Hoover's FBI as a Special Agent, an assistant to Mr. Hoover, and Director of Communications during the waning years of the gangster era and World War II. He was Alumni Director and a very popular teacher of several thousand students at Brigham Young University where he taught for 16 years. Skousen was also a popular speaker throughout the nation and in many other countries where he sometimes gave more than 300 speeches a year. Known for his devotion to principle and integrity, he served four years as Salt Lake City's chief of police and created what Time Magazine called "A model police force." His devotion to America's founding fathers and the Constitution led to the creation of the National Center for Constitutional Studies, an organization through which his speeches and writings educated and united large segments of voters to elect senators, congressmen, governors and presidents who loved the Constitution. Skousen was born in Raymond, Alberta, Canada on Jan. 20, 1913, and was educated in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. He served a two-year mission in England for the LDS Church at age 17. He earned his J.D. at George Washington University. He and Jewel are the parents of eight children, 50 grandchildren, and 69 great-grand- children. He was preceded in death by four brothers and two sisters, his daughter Kathleen, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. He is survived by his wife Jewel, and children David (Judy), Orem, UT; Eric (Cheryl), Orem, UT; Julianne (Glenn) Kimber, Alpine, UT; Sharon (Russ) Krey, Gig Harbor, WA; Harold (Anne), Riverton, UT; Paul (Kathy), South Jordan, UT; Brent (Myralynne), West Jordan, UT. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2006, at 12 noon in Parley's Stake Center, 1870 E. Parley's Canyon Blvd. (approx. 2300 South), Salt Lake City, Utah. A public viewing will be held Friday, Jan. 13, 2006, from 6:30-9 p.m., and Saturday 10-11:30 a.m., also in the Parley's Stake Center. Friends may contact the family at www.skousen2000.com.