Ellis (Skinny Al) Geddes Lutz

Ellis (Skinny Al) Geddes Lutz 1930 - 2016

Our loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and best friend Ellis Geddes Lutz, 85, passed away on September 18, 2016 at his home in Sunset, UT from heart failure. Ellis was born to Cortell and Lenald Geddes Lutz in Logan, UT on November 1, 1930. Ellis met the love of his life, Cora Ann Norris at the Berthana Ballroom in Ogden, UT where they enjoyed many great nights of dancing and on February 12, 1955 they were married. From 1960 - 1965 they adopted their first three children, Brent Allen, Vickie Lynne, and Mark Ellis and in 1971 they had their fourth child, Dirk Jason. Ellis is survived by his wife Cora, sons Brent, Mark (Terry) and Dirk (Deanna), grandchildren Keysha, Shawntell, Brady , Tyler, Erika, Haley and Lily, and great grandchildren Jessie Jr., Abraham, Bostyn and Quincy. He was preceded in death by his daughter Vickie, his parents and brother Darrel C.

Skinny Al, as he was fondly known for most of his life, was a workaholic. He began his career at age 7 mowing lawns in shoes that were twice his size. He moved on at 13 to work for 25 cents a day as a soda jerk for Farr Better Ice Cream serving our military boys that would arrive on the trains at Ogden Union Station and knew at that time what his next career move would be.

Al joined the Navy in 1947 during the Korean War and served aboard the troopship USS General H. W. Butner until 1951. When he came home, he held several odd jobs. He was a taxi cab driver,a hide tanner for Swift Meat Company, a parts salesman to gas stations in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho, a foreman at Albers Milling Company, and an electrician at Hill AFB. In 1957 he bought his first business at the age of 26. It was the Hammond Motel and Trailer Court and The Corner Cafe in Clearfield, UT. Shortly after, he opened Al’s Paint and Pawn on the opposite corner, which, by the way, had the best candy counter in town. In 1964, he bought Morby’s Apartments and Hardware Store in Sunset, UT. For a short time he ran a furniture and appliance auction in the basement and then changed that to Al’s Furniture, Appliance and Lumberyard, the store where you could “Buy, Sell, Trade or Rent Anything But Mother’s In Law”. Shortly after opening the Sunset store, he opened Al’s Furniture Bin in an historic building on 25th St.in Ogden, UT. When he wasn’t working ,which wasn’t often, he enjoyed shooting pool and going to his cabin and fishing on the boat at Bear Lake or going out for the annual deer hunt where he and his friends did a little hunting and played a lot of poker. Al was as frugal as they came, he wouldn’t dream of wasting anything and would recycle everything. He was very stubborn yet generous, he would hardly spend a dime on himself but didn’t seem to mind spending a lot of his hard earned dimes on his family. Al retired in 2001 and left the family business after 37 years to sons Dirk and Mark to continue the tradition. Even though he retired from the business, he worked everyday up until a few months ago when his declining health forced him to finally relax.

Skinny Al’s favorite clothes were tennis shoes, jeans, a t-shirt and a flannel shirt.

Come casual for a graveside service which will be held at the Clearfield Memorial Park, 1050 S. State St. Clearfield, UT on Saturday September 24, 2016 at 11am. Afterwards, please join family and friends at Skinny’s favorite watering hole, The Circle Inn and Pizzeria 2253 N. Main Sunset, UT for a Celebration of Life. If you desire, in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity and give a big hug to someone you love.”Live a good life, And in the end it’s not the years in a life, it’s the life in the years. Abraham Lincoln