Ronald Franklin Read

Dr. Ronald Franklin Read
1927-2016
Ronald F. Read passed away October 17 in San Diego, California. He was born on June 10, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the son of Waldemer P. and Ethel Olsen Read. He graduated from East High School, and at the age of 18 he served in the Army Air Corps for a year at the end of World War II.

Returning to Salt Lake City he began studying at the University of Utah, where he earned a bachelor's degree in microbiology and then entered medical school. He worked several jobs during those years to pay for school, including as a lab assistant in the microbiology department. There he met his wife-to-be, Helen Jensen of Mt. Pleasant, Utah. They were married in the Manti LDS Temple on September 12, 1957.
After graduating with a medical degree in 1958, Dr. Read interned at the San Diego County Hospital, followed by a three-year residency in psychiatry at the University of Utah. During that time and afterward, he worked at psychiatric hospitals in Utah and Wyoming.

In 1964, Dr. Read accepted a position with the San Diego County Community Mental Health Service, which later became the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital. He served most of his career in community mental health capacities. His first position was director of a day center for psychiatric patients. Later in his career he worked in the psychiatric emergency room. He retired at the end of 1995.

In 1981 he helped establish a monthly newspaper for the San Diego LDS community, the San Diego Seagull. He served as publisher for 18 years.
Dr. Read had many interests beyond medicine. He particularly enjoyed music, computers, astronomy, gardening, camping, traveling and photography. He played the piano and was a tenor soloist. He sang with several choirs over the years and had parts in various musical productions.

Above all, he loved his family. He and Helen had five children: Matthew, Christopher, Karen, Spencer and Allen. They have 26 grandchildren.

Funeral services and burial were held in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, on Saturday, October 22. A memorial service will be held in San Diego at the San Diego East Stake Center, 6767 51st Street, San Diego 92120.