David Allen Thompson

David Allen Thompson departed for his final jobsite on October 14, 2026. From a precocious hobbyist to a lifelong tradesman, building was his passion, his profession, and his calling in life.

David was born as the fourth of six children to Darwin Abraham Thompson and Lorene Stewart on February 4, 1963. Tragedy struck when his mother passed; he was only 7 years old. A stepmother in Sharon Hoopes and five more siblings soon followed. David filled his Blackfoot,

Idaho home with projects: a barn for toy animals, a garage for toy cars, a crate for his sisters' dolls. His Eagle Scout project was building basketball backboards for the local church meetinghouse. David graduated in 1981 from Blackfoot High School and went on to serve an honorable full-time mission in Auckland, New Zealand.

Upon returning home, David enrolled in Ricks College, where he met Lisa Strong. After relocating to Utah, the two were wed in Manti. While their marriage was brief, it did result in David's favorite project of all: his son Weston Tyler Thompson.

In 1993 David began a long career with Layton Construction. He quickly rose to become a lead carpenter then a foreman. He worked on projects such as Rice-Eccles Stadium, the Redlands California temple, and the performing arts center at Snow College. Throughout this period, he also worked a number of after-hours side jobs: a concrete patio here, a door installation there, a shed for his brother-in-law's fancy new riding lawnmower. But in 1999 he broke ground on his most ambitious moonlighting project: his own home in Eagle Mountain. He took to the concrete work, framing, plumbing, and electrical with relish, but was happy to contract out the drywall.

In 2007 David was promoted to superintendent and began a long period of travel. He did various commercial remodeling projects in and around Scottsdale, Arizona; a recreation center in Gillette, Wyoming; and his professional crowning achievement: a 1.3-million-square-foot warehouse for Macys in Owasso, Oklahoma.

David had earned his way into the air-conditioned trailer, his job description more concerned with spreadsheets and phone calls than swinging a hammer. But he was never quite able (or willing) to get all the blue out of his fancy new white collar. The Layton-emblazoned trucks of his colleagues transported paper and iPads; David's still hauled more tools than the actual tradesmen. Given a punch list or subcontractor mistake or any half-valid excuse whatsoever, David gleefully grabbed a toolbelt and got back down in the dirt, his salaried status blissfully forgotten.

David parted ways with Layton in 2020 after 27 years of service. Several months later, he suffered a stroke which left him noticeably diminished. After concluding it could have been worse, he took odd jobs and temp work until he joined Mortenson Construction in 2023 and worked as a carpenter at the Meta data center just around the corner in Eagle Mountain. David passed away in his own hand-built home in 2026, leaving testaments to his craftsmanship on his property, in neighbors' backyards, and scattered across the western United States.

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While I'll always admire Dad's industriousness and envy his expertise (I can barely change out a toilet handle), the memories I'll hold dearest are the small moments:

● He liked to pick up a bag of Twizzlers before long road trips, and when he pulled the first one out, he was going to whap me with it. I thought I heard something about it being a character-building exercise, but I wasn't paying attention over trying to whap him back.

● He bought me my suit for high school concert band, and he talked me into choosing a double-breasted, pleated, cuffed monstrosity that fit like a tent. But when I walked onstage at my first concert, I felt like I could have walked onto a GQ photo shoot.

● We must have watched every episode of Dukes of Hazzard, Gunsmoke, and M*A*S*H they ever shot. We had many spirited debates about the structural integrity of the General Lee, Marshal Dillon's body count, and how much mischief Hawkeye could really have gotten away with.

Dad was my hero and my best friend. He was an angel who descended one night a week and every other weekend. He was a wise mentor, balancing discipline with compassion. He taught me my times tables and how to drive a stick shift. He was my confidant and fellow conspirator.  He was my lockout service, my tow truck, and my mechanic. He taught me a hard day's work and told me the truths I needed to hear. While his guiding hand has gone cold, the warmth of his spirit lives on.

I love you, Dad.

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David is preceded in death by his mother Lorene; father Darwin; brother Abe; niece Christy; and nephews Joseph, Alan, and Jace. He is survived by his stepmother Sharon; sisters Mayda, Mary Ann (Mark), Kim (Gary), Karen (Mark), Michelle (Ted), Cynthia, Stephanie (Eric), and Jennifer (Dan); brother Warner (Casey); son Weston; and many nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held Tuesday, October 20 th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Anderson & Sons Lone Peak Chapel 141 West 11000 North, Highland, Utah, and Wednesday, October 21 st from 9:45 - 10:45 AM at the church at 9475 Mustang Way, Eagle Mountain, Utah. Funeral services to commence there at 11:00. Graveside service Thursday, October 22 2026 at 1:00 PM at the cemetery in Georgetown, Idaho.