Co-founder of the National Mormon Trail Foundation dies at 75

The co-founder of the National Mormon Trail Foundation, C. Booth Wallentine, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 24. He was 75.

Wallentine was involved with many organizations throughout his life, such as the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Council on Economic Education, the Utah Board of Vocational Education, the Agribusiness Development Council, the Utah Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom and Utah FFA Foundation.

But perhaps his service with the National Mormon Trail Foundation has become the most long-lasting. Wallentine installed one of the first trail signs, in 1972. Soon there would be 1,547 official National Parks service signs placed along the 1,400-mile Mormon Trail, which leads through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Utah, according to this Ensign News of the Church item from September 1985.

Wallentine worked most of his life with the Utah Farm Bureau and later on in life served a mission with his wife, Reada, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York. The couple was married for more than 50 years and are parents to two sons and a daughter.

An online guestbook has been created for his behalf at legacy.com. Comments may be left until Nov. 27.

Email: spetersen@deseretnews.com