Ray and Linda Van Tassell

Linda Pitt and Ray Van Tassell were born and raised in Kamas, Utah where she was a city girl, and he was a farm boy. They met at South Summit High School and started dating. That romance flourished into something more when the high school sweethearts got married a year after Linda graduated. The Van Tassells moved to Salt Lake City, Layton, and then settled in Morgan as Ray was working for Hill Air Force Base (HAFB) as an equipment specialist/program manager for the next 41 years. For the past 55 years, the Van Tassells have lived in Morgan putting down roots as they established a family and made many friends. 

While Ray worked at HAFB, Linda also worked at HAFB, then Browning Arms before becoming a freelance court reporter for 50 years, starting her own firm and retiring two years ago. Her work has taken her coast to coast and border to border in the U.S. and to Brazil, London, Mexico, Canada, and South Africa. Linda loves the challenge of meeting people, discovering new and exciting places, and continually learning.

Ray and Linda have seven children: Shelly, Wade, Jason, Ryan, Shawn, Travis, and Chris. They attribute one of the most fulfilling parts of their lives to raising their children in Morgan Valley where the family was able to grow in the beauty of the valley and with the goodness of the people! The children were very active in sports and academics and had many wonderful friends, teachers, coaches, and mentors who all helped contribute to the success of their own lives. The Van Tassell home was often filled with friends, laughter, music, and energy. Their children have pursued careers with two following Linda’s footsteps as court reporters with the others taking up a wide variety of other vocations including a ranch manager, sales manager, Green Beret, Delta pilot, and Astro engineer. Ray and Linda have 21 grandchildren, many of whom live out of the country or out of state, giving the Van Tassells many travel opportunities to visit family.

With a zest for life, the Van Tassells enjoy a range of activities! Linda loves four-wheeling, biking, skiing, rollerblading, pickleball, line dancing, reading, travel, and socializing. Ray also enjoys four-wheeling; is a gun enthusiast; loves to mow the lawn and feed birds and deer and whatever else ventures into the yard; and will travel with Linda most of the time. Their favorite trips have been international bike trips to Austria, Holland, and Prague, cruising, and road trips. Beyond the thrill of traveling abroad, the Van Tassells also love “joyriding” around the valley, East Canyon, and beyond. As they drive past the houses, Linda and Ray fondly reminisce about the people in the valley they have known and loved. 

The Van Tassells joyfully celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary July 27. Linda’s motto for a happy life is to not take life too seriously and enjoy the moment, not looking back at the past or toward the future so as not to miss the gift of the present. λ