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James Durward Wardle

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James Durward Wardle

Birth
Magna, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA
Death
1 Nov 1997 (aged 82)
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA
Burial
West Valley City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA Add to Map
Plot
Deseret-189-?
Memorial ID
View Source
Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT) - November 5, 1997
Deceased Name: James D. Wardle
James D. Wardle passed away on November 1, 1997 in Salt Lake City, Utah at his home.
He was born November 1,1915 in Magna, Utah to Allan C. Wardle and Gretchen Mayberry Wardle . He married Betty E. Forsyth on April 1, 1945.
He owned and operated Wardle Barbershop for 62 years. Was Utah State champion for three years in dance and figure skating. Was a student of religion with an extensive library on the subject and was freely used by all those interested. Was an elder in the RLDS Church.
Survived by his wife; one daughter, Afton A. (Al) Sorensen; three grandchildren, Lee C. Sorensen, Strider J., and Heather Wardle . Also survived by three sisters, Wanda Hirsch, Lyda Oldham, and Lois Kimball. Preceded in death by his son, Allan J. Wardle in 1991.
Memorial services will be held November 6, 1997 at 2 p.m. at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the American Cancer Society, 941 East 3300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106.
N 11/4T 11/5
Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT)
Date: November 5, 1997
Born to Allan Clyde Wardle and Gretchen Mayberry Wardle in Magna, Salt Lake County, Utah. As a young man Wardle served in the army for a few years. While there he lost all interest in traveling, having been shipped from pillar to post across the country. This sedentary outlook related to his chosen profession. At age 21 he followed his father in the barbershop business when he founded the Wardle Barbershop near 4th South and Main in downtown Salt Lake City. He operated for sixty-two years. Wardle was also a skater and achieved Utah State championship for three years in dance and figure skating. He married at age 36 and gave up skating. Wardle's grandparents converted to the LDS Church in Europe and migrated with the pioneer companies in the late 19th century. While in Utah they changed affiliation to the RLDS Church. Wardle's parents were strong local members and raised him in the faith. Wardle was an active participant from his youth in the RLDS Church in Utah. From a young age he formed friendships with local church luminaries such as J. W. A. Bailey and with more distant ones like J. T. Curtis. He was an elder in the RLDS Church and served in various positions, including branch president. An intense interest in religion led him into what he termed his avocation, collecting information on the Restoration (Mormon) churches. In 1938 he began issuing a single-sheet periodical called "Sketches" (the name was later changed to "Thoughts" For Today). It carried brief articles treating doctrinal and historical issues which often challenged the avowed views of the LDS Church. In the 1960s he wrote a series of articles called "Beliefs of Our Neighbors" for the Priesthood and Leaders' Journal, an organ of the RLDS Church, in which he outlined the basic belief structures of a number of American Christian faiths. By 1975 he described himself as "a member of the RLDS Church, an Elder and one time the Pastor of the Church here in Salt Lake City...More than all that, I am the local Heretic." He became disaffected from the mainstream RLDS Church in the 1970s and from that time until his death he participated in the local expression of RLDS fundamentalism or restorationism. The 1970s were an exciting time for Mormon history researchers and Wardle's shop was a center for the circulation of ideas and texts. At this time various historians' methodologies were being applied for the first time to Mormon historical and scriptural texts, often urging doubt on orthodox interpretations of the Mormon past. Furthermore, at this time many new historical documents were being discovered and released to the public. The barbershop was a gathering place common to a few networks of historians, writers, researchers, and others interested in Mormon history; by agency of Wardle, many documents saw public light. Wardle is remembered by many for his oddball behavior, his knowledge of things Mormon, and his enormous, open, and always growing collection of Mormon and religion-related books and manuscripts. (Adapted from University of Utah Special Collections Website).

I visited with Wardle a couple of times and found him to be quite enthusiastic to discuss Mormonism. I remember he showed me some copies of some old LDS books. CWM
Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT) - November 5, 1997
Deceased Name: James D. Wardle
James D. Wardle passed away on November 1, 1997 in Salt Lake City, Utah at his home.
He was born November 1,1915 in Magna, Utah to Allan C. Wardle and Gretchen Mayberry Wardle . He married Betty E. Forsyth on April 1, 1945.
He owned and operated Wardle Barbershop for 62 years. Was Utah State champion for three years in dance and figure skating. Was a student of religion with an extensive library on the subject and was freely used by all those interested. Was an elder in the RLDS Church.
Survived by his wife; one daughter, Afton A. (Al) Sorensen; three grandchildren, Lee C. Sorensen, Strider J., and Heather Wardle . Also survived by three sisters, Wanda Hirsch, Lyda Oldham, and Lois Kimball. Preceded in death by his son, Allan J. Wardle in 1991.
Memorial services will be held November 6, 1997 at 2 p.m. at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the American Cancer Society, 941 East 3300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106.
N 11/4T 11/5
Salt Lake Tribune, The (UT)
Date: November 5, 1997
Born to Allan Clyde Wardle and Gretchen Mayberry Wardle in Magna, Salt Lake County, Utah. As a young man Wardle served in the army for a few years. While there he lost all interest in traveling, having been shipped from pillar to post across the country. This sedentary outlook related to his chosen profession. At age 21 he followed his father in the barbershop business when he founded the Wardle Barbershop near 4th South and Main in downtown Salt Lake City. He operated for sixty-two years. Wardle was also a skater and achieved Utah State championship for three years in dance and figure skating. He married at age 36 and gave up skating. Wardle's grandparents converted to the LDS Church in Europe and migrated with the pioneer companies in the late 19th century. While in Utah they changed affiliation to the RLDS Church. Wardle's parents were strong local members and raised him in the faith. Wardle was an active participant from his youth in the RLDS Church in Utah. From a young age he formed friendships with local church luminaries such as J. W. A. Bailey and with more distant ones like J. T. Curtis. He was an elder in the RLDS Church and served in various positions, including branch president. An intense interest in religion led him into what he termed his avocation, collecting information on the Restoration (Mormon) churches. In 1938 he began issuing a single-sheet periodical called "Sketches" (the name was later changed to "Thoughts" For Today). It carried brief articles treating doctrinal and historical issues which often challenged the avowed views of the LDS Church. In the 1960s he wrote a series of articles called "Beliefs of Our Neighbors" for the Priesthood and Leaders' Journal, an organ of the RLDS Church, in which he outlined the basic belief structures of a number of American Christian faiths. By 1975 he described himself as "a member of the RLDS Church, an Elder and one time the Pastor of the Church here in Salt Lake City...More than all that, I am the local Heretic." He became disaffected from the mainstream RLDS Church in the 1970s and from that time until his death he participated in the local expression of RLDS fundamentalism or restorationism. The 1970s were an exciting time for Mormon history researchers and Wardle's shop was a center for the circulation of ideas and texts. At this time various historians' methodologies were being applied for the first time to Mormon historical and scriptural texts, often urging doubt on orthodox interpretations of the Mormon past. Furthermore, at this time many new historical documents were being discovered and released to the public. The barbershop was a gathering place common to a few networks of historians, writers, researchers, and others interested in Mormon history; by agency of Wardle, many documents saw public light. Wardle is remembered by many for his oddball behavior, his knowledge of things Mormon, and his enormous, open, and always growing collection of Mormon and religion-related books and manuscripts. (Adapted from University of Utah Special Collections Website).

I visited with Wardle a couple of times and found him to be quite enthusiastic to discuss Mormonism. I remember he showed me some copies of some old LDS books. CWM

Inscription

Married Apr. 1, 1945

Gravesite Details

Burial: Nov. 6, 1997



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