July 22, 1948 – Aug. 4, 2013

Calvin Donald Bayles of La Crescenta passed away peacefully on Aug. 4 in the presence of his wife, children and their spouses. He is survived by Marilyn, his devoted wife of 43 years, and 38 descendants including three beautiful daughters-in-law and three stalwart sons-in-law (the children and their spouses are David and Lonna Bayles, David and Dena Blood, Brock and Mary Bayles, Rebekah and Aaron Peterson, Stacy and Grant Clark, Scot and Brittany Bayles and Michael Bayles).

Most of Calvin’s immediate family also survives him including three brothers, three sisters, five brothers-in-law and three sisters-in-law. He also has 40 adoring nieces and nephews.

Everyone who knew Calvin knows that he loved Marilyn with all his heart and that he believed she was the crown jewel of his life.

Crippen Mortuary is handling the arrangements for the family. There will be visitation and a funeral on Aug. 17 at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4550 Raymond Ave., La Crescenta. Burial is Aug. 24 in Blanding, Utah.

Calvin was born on July 22, 1948 in Monticello, San Juan County, Utah to Grant and Helen Bayles. Many of the towns in San Juan County were founded with the help of Calvin’s great grandfather, Mormon pioneers. Calvin spent most of his adult life in La Crescenta but will be buried 25 miles from the place of his birth in Blanding where he spent some of his most formidable years growing up with his loving parents and talented six younger brothers and sisters, and graduating from high school with honors (San Juan H.S. ’66).

The lives of his forefathers were often on his mind throughout his life and he often discussed their remarkable faith-filled lives with his family. Many fireside chats were about one grandfather in particular who pulled a handcart across the plains as a Mormon pioneer. Calvin was a modern pioneer in his own immediate family, one of the first to effectively balance a successful professional life with the demands of a large family.

The four cornerstones on which he balanced his life were Scouting, faith, education and hard work. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout (Scoutmaster Leonard Hurst ’61) and attended the National Jamboree (Valley Forge ’64) and the LDS International Explorer Conference (Provo, Utah ’65).

As for faith, he often declared before both family and strangers his abiding conviction that a loving Heavenly Father watches over us and that Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son and the Savior of the World. Similarly, he revered all men he believed were prophets including, especially, Abraham, Israel, Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Accordingly, he served an honorable Mormon Mission (Brazil, ’69) and fulfilled every calling and assignment he ever received in the church, including Elders Quorum president, seminary teacher, high councilor, high priest group leader, bishop, and two terms as Scoutmaster.

As for education, he loved his college years in Provo at Brigham Young University (BYU) where he earned an undergraduate degree in history with a minor in political science (’72). He was also a pioneer at BYU, earning a law degree in the first class ever to graduate from BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School (J.D. ’76).

All of this involved and inspired his commitment to hard work, which began when he was a child and asked his dad for a bicycle. To earn the bike, Calvin started a business mowing lawns that grew so much he soon had employees of his own. As an attorney, he was a litigator with an emphasis in cartage claims and real estate.

As a father of seven and grandfather of 25, his emphasis was coaching sports, attending games and recitals, and leading family discussions about Heavenly Father’s plan for the happiness of His children. All these he did with Marilyn by his side.

We love you, Dad. See you soon.