Dell R. Van Orden, who witnessed — and documented — the news of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than 30 years, died Thursday, June 27, 2024, at age 88.
Van Orden was the editor of the Church News from 1976 to 1999 and originated the Deseret News Church Almanac in 1974. When he retired in October 1999, Van Orden reflected on his career and said it “has been great to stand at the window for the past 31 years and see the work of the Lord unfold.”
Through his view at the window, the Church News went from using manual typewriters and hot lead type to cover a 2 million-member, mostly western U.S. Church with 13 temples and 450 stakes to the rise of computers and the use of the internet to cover nearly 11 million members in more than 160 nations and 2,500 stakes, with more members outside the United States than inside, and with 115 temples in operation or announced.
During his tenure, he watched the flow of news grow “from a trickle to a torrent,” and it was through his words and photos that many important events in the Church were recorded. He traveled to 45 nations and six continents and helped cover the ministries of six presidents of the Church — from President Joseph Fielding Smith to President Gordon B. Hinckley (“Glimpses of prophets through the window of the Church News,” Church News, Oct. 23, 1999).
In an article celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Church News, Van Orden commented, “I wanted the paper to be able to touch the lives of the readers.” He didn’t want to just inform readers of what the Apostles and Prophets were doing or saying. “I wanted to be able to have written by the staff the fruits of the gospel so they could touch [readers’] lives, they could make a difference in their lives.”
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Van Orden’s obituary notes he “was a meticulous storyteller, a careful crafter of words, and a proud grammar and spelling nerd.”
That attention to detail was something remembered by Sarah Jane Weaver, current Deseret News editor, who was hired by Van Orden as a reporter in 1995.
“In the three decades I have worked in media, I have never met anyone who understands or appreciates the English language better than Dell Van Orden,” Weaver said. “For him, punctuation, spelling and grammar mattered — a lot. And by extension, it also matters to all of us who had the opportunity and privilege to learn from him.”
Van Orden was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Sylvin and LaVinia Van Orden at the height of the Great Depression in 1935. As a young child, he sold newspapers on street corners to help the family make ends meet.
After serving a full-time mission to the West Central States, he attended Brigham Young University where he earned a degree in journalism.
During a summer break of college, Van Orden worked at Hart’s Bakery in Idaho Falls. He was soon charmed by one of his coworkers, Sharon Larsen. They were married in the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple in 1958. Of their meeting, the two often joked, “He thought she was a smart cookie and she thought he was rolling in the dough. She was his ‘butter half.” They are the parents of six children and have 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Sharon Van Orden passed away almost exactly two years ago, on June 24, 2022.
Van Orden worked for three years at the Salt Lake Tribune before beginning his 38-year career with the Deseret News. He worked at the news desk of the daily Deseret News before transferring to the Church News in 1968. With his colleague and friend, J Malan Heslop, Van Orden also co-authored several books.
His obituary notes, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was central to Dell’s identity, values, purpose, and service throughout his life.” Through the years he served as an elders quorum president, bishop, high councilor, stake president and, for many years, as a Gospel Doctrine teacher.
Van Orden was also a veteran, having served for seven years in the U.S. Army Reserve, receiving a direct commission to First Lieutenant.
Besides being a writer, journalist and photographer, Van Orden was a genealogist, competitive board game player, gardener and traveler.
A viewing will be held on Monday, July 1, from 5-8 p.m., at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 So. Redwood Road, Taylorsville, Utah.
Another viewing will be held on Tuesday, July 2, 9-10:30 a.m., at the Church meetinghouse, 3836 West 4100 South, West Valley City, Utah, prior to the funeral service which will begin at 11 a.m.
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