Harold "Auer" Warren

Harold Auer Warren was born March 12, 1931 in Mount Pleasant, Utah to William Harold Warren and Alice Ruth Rasmussen Warren.

He was #4 of 7 children. They love and support each other’s family. 

His siblings; Wilma Blanchard (Deceased and late Carl), LaRue Jensen (Deceased and late Jack), Newell Warren (late Marilyn), Karen Stewart (late Gene), Connie Hacking (Deceased), and Gary Warren (Gloria). 

His early years were spent in Bluebell. He has shared fond memories of his time there. In 1941 his father got a government contract to provide housing for soldiers returning home. They moved to 81 Wasatch Avenue in Vernal and his father started the Warren Trailer Court where the Western Park’s west parking lot is today.

His father got a job with the construction of Geneva Steel and the family moved to Salem. In his last few weeks, Auer was recalling his time there and yearning to return one more time. He loved his Rasmussen aunts and uncles and loved spending time with them in that area.

Auer graduated from Uintah High School in 1949. He took a job working on a drilling rig in Nine Mile Canyon on Peter’s Point. He was a hard worker.

He separated from the Army 11th Airborne Division on January 14, 1954 as Sgt. First Class Harold Auer Warren during the Korean Conflict and was transferred into the Army Reserve. He made a life-long friend there and they had phone communications up until September of this year. 

He married his sweetheart, Rita Stewart Warren on March 18, 1954 at the Little Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. They were married in the Salt Lake City Temple in 1966.

His sister Karen Warren Stewart was married to Gene Stewart (Deceased) and Gene is Rita Stewart Warren's brother. This created a unique bond with those two families and all of the children growing up together and sharing many family activities together along with Auer's other siblings. This also resulted in those two families sharing the same maternal (Luther Jackson Stewart and Josephine Murray Stewart) and paternal grandparents (William Harold Warren and Alice Rasmussen Warren).

Auer took a job with his uncle’s building homes in Durango, Colorado before going to work for Standard Oil company in Rangely, Colorado. He had 35+ years of service with what later became Chevron Oil. 

Auer was a dedicated son, brother, uncle, father, grandfather, great grandfather, provider and member of his community.

He provided free services to many people in Rangely and Jensen—work of all kinds, wood cutting and hauling, plumbing, yard work and anything that needed done He was a jack of all trades, a true handyman.

He was drawn to those who were unfortunate or down and out, those struggling in anyway. He called himself “a bleeding heart”. He and Rita opened their home and hearts to many people throughout the years

He worked 2 side jobs in Rangely but still had time to hunt, camp, fish, run hound dogs for bear and mountain lion with his family and brother, Newell. 

He loved nature and enjoyed walking the hills, canyons and creek beds—we’ve often wished he wore an odometer to track the many miles.

When we went camping the white canvas tent and huge load were tied to the truck rack looking like the Clampets. 

Auer and Rita grew a beautiful garden with vegetables of every kind and beautiful flowers. The family favorite was the large pea patch and picking peas a 5-gallon bucket at a time. Everyone enjoyed raspberry patch, the cantaloupe and watermelon.

He loved his family and cherished his sweetheart, he called “dollie”.

He loved babies and children and they all loved him. He willingly played school and restaurant with each that came along.

He retired from Chevron in 1986 while farming the family farms on Brush Creek and in Jensen.

He served on many local boards; Western Park Museum, Burns Bench irrigation, care center and others

Auer was generous with his hard-earned money, helping those in need and he loved passing dollar bills to the little children so they could buy an ice cream.

Auer was the Bishop of Jensen Ward for over 5 years starting in December of 1997, and he served in many other capacities in the LDS Church.

The young men of the communities loved him. He took them on many outdoor adventures: lives were touched, fond memories made and life lessons learned

Things he taught us:

How to grow a garden

How to work hard and take pride in a job well done

Look ahead, be aware of what needs to be done without being asked

Beautify your space

 Leave a place better than you found it

Use your head for something besides a hat rack

Mind your pennies and you never have to worry about your dollars

Just Do It! 

Get’ter done!

Turn off the lights when you leave a room

Turn off the water, don’t let it run

Be happy

Have enthusiasm for life

Don’t waste the day laying in bed

Places he loved and took his kids and always a cousin or three:

Hogle Zoo 

Snelgroves Ice Cream in Sugar House 

Lagoon 

Red Pine Setting 

Skinny Fish Lake

Jones Hole 

High Uinta Mountains

Blue Mountain 

Southern Utah

Bloody Basin Arizona 

Marapis Creek

Baxter Pass 

Paria Plateau 

In fact, Karen came home one day to see a note on the table, “gone to Southern Utah, I have Mike.” 

Auer passed away at his home on October 20, 2024 after a long struggle with Lewy Body Dementia.

He is survived by Rita, his sweetheart of 70 years, children; Melanie (Monty) Pratt, Alisa (late Bryan) Fairchild, Mont (Kimberly) Warren. His life’s pride and joy were his 8 grandchildren: Tyler Pratt, Eric Pratt, Justin Pratt, Stefanie Sullivan, Tiffany Morton, Amber Kinsey, Breanna Warren, and Garrett Warren. 20 great grandchildren: Josie Pratt, Dallin Pratt, Zoey Pratt, Cash Pratt, Pailin Pratt, Colton Pratt, Dace Pratt, Breckyn Pratt, Ali Sullivan, Ashton Sullivan, Grayson Sullivan, D’Estee Sullivan, Abigail Sullivan, Ramsey Morton, Milo Morton, Indie Morton, Leo Morton, James Kinsey, Nixon Kinsey, and Oliver Kinsey. 

Funeral services will be held Friday, October 25, 2024 at 11:00 am at the Jensen Ward LDS Chapel.

Visitation one hour before the service. Burial will be in the Jensen Cemetery under the direction of Blackburn Vernal Mortuary, with military honors by the American Legion Post 11.