Carl Grant Ingersoll

Some people live their lives quietly, leaving footprints along the way. Others, like Carl Grant Ingersoll, leave an extraordinary legacy that stretches across generations, communities, classrooms, basketball courts, and countless hearts.

Carl Grant Ingersoll, 94, passed away peacefully at his home in American Fork, Utah, on October 28, 2026. Born September 11, 1932, in Lehi, Utah, to D. Grant Ingersoll and Helen LaBell Andersen, Carl spent his 94 remarkable years doing what he loved most: teaching, coaching, serving, laughing, making friends, and, above all, loving his family.

To know Carl was to love him. He had an unmistakable enthusiasm for life, an infectious personality, and an extraordinary ability to make everyone he met feel like they mattered. Whether you knew him as Coach Ingersoll, Brother Ingersoll, Mr. Ingersoll, Dad, Grandpa, or simply Carl, chances are he made an impression you never forgot.

From a young age, Carl had a love for athletics, particularly baseball and basketball. He graduated from American Fork High School in 1950 before attending Branch Agricultural College in Cedar City, Utah. He later proudly served his country in the United States Army as a medic. Following his military service, he used the GI Bill to continue his education at Brigham Young University, graduating in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and a minor in Botany.

Carl was born to teach, and anyone who ever sat in his classroom would agree.

For 20 years, he taught biology at American Fork High School, earning the well-deserved reputation as the "King of the Classroom." But Carl was never an ordinary teacher. His classroom was full of energy, creativity, laughter, and discovery. Students often began class singing songs, and his hands-on approach to learning made even the most complicated scientific concepts come alive. He didn't simply teach biology; he taught his students to be curious, to ask questions, and to appreciate the incredible world around them.

His influence extended well beyond the classroom walls. He encouraged students pursuing careers in medicine through the Future Physicians Club and created an unforgettable four-week summer biology course, taking students into the mountains to camp, explore, and study ecology firsthand. For Carl, some of life's greatest lessons were learned outdoors, with dirt on your shoes and wonder in your heart.

While he was a gifted educator, Carl was equally passionate about coaching. At American Fork High School, he spent eight years as an assistant basketball and football coach before becoming the head basketball coach for another ten years. Under his leadership, his basketball teams reached the state tournament every single year, finishing fifth once, third once, and second twice before capturing two state basketball championships in 1976 and 1979.

Those championships were tremendous accomplishments, but Carl's greatest victories were never measured solely by a scoreboard. He believed in the potential of young people and understood that coaching was about far more than winning games. He taught discipline, hard work, teamwork, confidence, and character. His players weren't just athletes to him; they were young men whose lives he had the privilege of helping shape.

Following a year at Alta High School, Carl joined the basketball coaching staff at Brigham Young University in 1980, where he served alongside head coaches Frank Arnold and Ladell Andersen. His time at BYU gave him the opportunity to mentor athletes at the collegiate level and travel with the team throughout Europe and Asia. Whether coaching high school boys in American Fork or college athletes at BYU, Carl brought the same passion, dedication, and unwavering belief in his players.

Of all the teams Carl was part of throughout his life, however, his favorite and most important team was always his family.

On August 17, 1953, Carl married the love of his life, Gene Oborn, in the Salt Lake Temple. Together, they built a beautiful life rooted in faith, hard work, generosity, and an abundance of love. Their marriage was the foundation of an extraordinary family and a lifetime of cherished memories.

Carl and Gene's home was a place where everyone was welcome. With seven children of their own, there was certainly never a shortage of activity, but somehow, they always found room for one more. Over the years, they opened their doors and hearts to exchange students from Russia, Mexico, Germany, Australia, Yugoslavia, and Brazil. Those students became part of the Ingersoll family's story, forming friendships and connections that reached far beyond American Fork and across the world.

Carl's devotion to his family was matched by his deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ. A faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he dedicated countless hours to serving the Lord and those around him. Throughout his life, he served in numerous callings, including bishop, high councilor, institute teacher, temple worker, and other leadership and teaching positions.

He was also a devoted home teacher who genuinely loved the people he visited. To Carl, service was never simply an assignment or an obligation. It was an opportunity to make a friend, lift a burden, share his testimony, and remind someone that they were loved.

Together, Carl and Gene served three full-time missions, each one another chapter in their lifelong commitment to faith and service. Their first mission took them to BYU-Hawaii, where Carl coached basketball and both he and Gene taught college courses. They treasured their time there and the wonderful people they met. Their second mission brought them to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they taught institute. Their third mission took them back to the islands they loved, teaching institute at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.

Wherever they were called to serve, Carl and Gene gave their whole hearts. Their lives were a beautiful example of what it means to love God by loving His children.

When Carl wasn't teaching, coaching, or serving, he was most likely outside enjoying God's creations. An avid outdoorsman, he loved fly fishing, tying his own flies, hunting, cross-country skiing, bicycling, running, swimming, and camping. He was never one to sit still for long, and his appreciation for nature was something he eagerly shared with others.

He was also a remarkably talented gardener. His yard was a source of great pride, filled with beautiful flowers and meticulously maintained landscaping that earned him frequent Yard of the Month recognition from American Fork City. His vegetable garden was truly second to none, producing prizewinning vegetables of every kind. And then there was his corn! Carl took particular pride in growing the most delicious corn around, and nothing made him happier than sharing the fruits of his labor with family, neighbors, and friends.

But perhaps Carl's most remarkable gift wasn't found in a classroom, on a basketball court, or in his beautiful garden. It was his ability to connect with people.

Carl Ingersoll never met a stranger. He simply met friends he hadn't gotten to know yet.

He loved a good conversation, a good story, and any opportunity to visit with someone. Whether at church, a basketball game, the grocery store, or a family gathering, Carl always found someone to talk to. He was often the last person to leave, not because he was running late, but because there was always one more person to greet, one more story to share, and one more conversation worth having.

His friendships were deep and lasting, including his cherished friendship with Don Mower, which spanned more than 70 years. He understood the value of people and never took relationships for granted. His warmth was genuine, his enthusiasm contagious, and his interest in others sincere. He had a way of making people feel seen, appreciated, and important, and that may be one of the greatest gifts he leaves behind.

Carl was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Gene Oborn Ingersoll, who passed away on April 30, 2019; his parents, D. Grant and Helen LaBell Andersen Ingersoll; his sister, Mayrl Richards; and his granddaughter, Sage Ingersoll.

He leaves behind an extraordinary family who will forever cherish his memory, including his seven children: Jeff (Cindi) Ingersoll, Jan Ingersoll Davies (Ronald), Jody Ingersoll Sargent (Don), Julie Ingersoll Melton (Jon), Jillinda Ingersoll Wahlin (Rob), Jarod Ingersoll (Jamie), and Jason Ingersoll (Monica); along with 30 grandchildren, 72 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

What an incredible legacy for one man and the sweetheart by his side to have created. Seven children, generations of grandchildren, and a family tree filled with lives that began with the love Carl and Gene shared so many years ago.

For his family, Carl will always be so much more than the accomplished teacher, celebrated coach, faithful servant, and respected member of his community. He will always be their dad and grandpa: the man with the larger-than-life personality, the beautiful garden, the love of basketball, the endless stories, and a heart big enough to make room for everyone.

Carl lived a life that was rich in all the ways that matter most. He gave generously of his time, shared freely of his talents, and loved without reservation. He taught thousands, coached hundreds, befriended countless others, and built a family that will carry his influence forward for generations.

His name will be remembered in the halls of American Fork High School and on the basketball courts where he spent so many years. His lessons will live on through former students and players who became better because of his influence. His testimony will continue through the lives he touched. And his love will remain woven into the hearts of his children, grandchildren, and generations yet to come.

Carl Grant Ingersoll didn't simply live 94 years. He filled those years with purpose, passion, faith, friendship, and an extraordinary amount of love.

His was a life beautifully lived, a family deeply cherished, and a legacy that time will never erase.

And while we will miss his voice, his stories, his laughter, and those conversations that always lasted just a little longer than expected, we find peace in knowing that this is not goodbye forever.

Until we meet again, Dad and Grandpa. What a remarkable life you lived. What a beautiful example you set. And how incredibly blessed we are to call you ours.

Funeral service will be held on Friday, November 6, at 11 a.m. at the Alpine Tabernacle (110 E Main St, American Fork, UT 84003). A viewing will be held on the same day of services at 9:30 a.m. A pubic viewing will be held the night before services on Thursday, November 5, from 6-8 p.m. at the American Fork 8th Ward (320 North 100 East, American Fork, UT 84003).