05/11/2026
David Mareau Ackley
David Mareau Ackley, beloved husband, father, grandfather, disciple of Jesus Christ, friend and engineer, passed away peacefully on May 10, 2026, just five days after celebrating his 85th birthday.
David was born in Cortland, New York, and grew up in Syracuse, where his family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a young teenager, David sought to gain his own personal testimony of Jesus Christ. That testimony became the foundation of his life as he devoted himself to serving the Savior and living as a faithful disciple of Christ.
As a young man, David served a mission for the Church in the Eastern United States, where he developed a lifelong love for serving others and sharing his faith. During his freshman year at the Church College of Hawaii, he met the love of his life, Joan Maxine Brown. Their love story continued through heartfelt letters written during the two years David served his mission. They were later sealed for eternity in the Los Angeles California Temple on June 28, 1963.
Together, David and Joan built a beautiful life centered on faith, family, service, and learning. They spent most of their married life in Provo, aside from six unforgettable years living in the Marshall Islands.
David dedicated his professional life to civil engineering and was known for his remarkable work in the Marshall Islands, where he became the first person to successfully tap into a freshwater lens beneath the ocean to provide water for the atolls. His work improved countless lives and remains an enduring contribution to the people there. During those years, he also provided his growing children with an extraordinary life experience filled with adventure, culture, and lasting memories.
David faithfully served in his church throughout his life. In later years, he ministered with great compassion to residents of the rest home near his home in the Sunset area of Provo, offering friendship, kindness, and Christlike love. He and Joan also opened their home to many Marshallese teenagers who came to America to finish their education and begin new lives on the mainland. Their home was a place of safety, warmth, and belonging.
David was an avid reader, and it was common to find him in his favorite chair reading three or four different books at a time. He loved learning and carried a quiet wisdom that blessed everyone around him.
David will be remembered for his loving nature, accepting heart, and the way he welcomed everyone without judgment. He treated everyone with kindness and respect, making people feel valued and welcome. He was a delight to be around, and his gentle goodness left a lasting impression on all who knew him.
David was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joan, who passed away eight years earlier after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease; his grandchildren, Michael and River Ackley; his parents, Robert Berdette Ackley and Eunice Lucille Burkitt Ackley; and his siblings, Robertta “Bobbi Lou” Lucetta Ackley, William Thurlow Ackley, and Diane Louise Ackley.
He is survived by his younger brother, Don (Karen) Ackley; his eight children: Jennifer; David (Neilani); William (Denise); Eric (Kelsi); Joseph (Stacey); Michael (Sarah); Jeremy (Becca); and Jeffrey; along with 43 grandchildren, 51great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild all of whom brought him immense joy and pride.
David’s life was one of faith, service, curiosity, compassion, and love. His legacy lives on through his family, his work, his discipleship, and the countless lives he touched through his quiet and steady goodness. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always
A viewing and funeral service for David will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1090 W. 1020 S., Provo, UT 84604.
The viewing will be held from 9:30–10:30 a.m., concluding with a family prayer. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will take place at East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery in Provo.
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