Ed & Evelyn Bee Madsen

Edward Lawrence Kimball

Edward L. Kimball is gone. He was born 23 Sept. 1930 and died Nov. 21, 2016 leaving behind a family of which he and his wife of 58 years, Evelyn Bee Madsen (who predeceased him Sept. 27, 2012) were rightly proud. Their seven children: Christian & Linda Kimball, Paula & Teryl Gardner, Mary & David Dollahite, Miles & Gail Kimball, Jordan Kimball & Rebecca England, Joseph & Becky Kimball, and Sarah & Kevin Whisenant provided Ed & Bee 28 exceptional grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

By occupation Ed was a teacher, having taught law at the Universities of Montana and Wisconsin and at Brigham Young University. During a teaching career from 1956 to 1996 his main areas of teaching and scholarship were crimes, trial and lawyer ethics. He served as a member of the Wisconsin special parole board for sex offenders and as a member of the Utah parole board. In 1973 he joined the original faculty of the new BYU law school, taking pride that he was the first to commit himself to join the faculty being assembled by Dean Rex Lee.

By faith he was a Mormon boy, so reared by his parents Spencer W. Kimball and Camilla Eyring and older siblings Spencer Levan, Olive Beth and Andrew. He served as a missionary to The Netherlands, 1949-52. His most satisfying church experiences were teaching adult Sunday school classes and terms as bishop in Missoula, Montana, in his 20s and Provo, Utah in his 50s. He was by inclination a questioner, but early in life he had been impressed by the admonition: "Dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." He found repeatedly that experience confirmed his faith, though it never freed him from questions.

Childhood polio made his walk awkward and also made him shy, though few perceived that. More people mistakenly thought him aloof. His truest friend was his wife Bee, who provided him home, family, affection, patience, and a willingness to live with his lawyer's penchant for endlessly qualifying her statements. He had a mild temperament. He had a dry wit, though he saw himself as "stuffed shirt." He was hard to get started, but impossible to stop once he got under way. He was both thrifty and reasonably generous. He felt he had to clean his plate. He ate little meat, but was big on cookies and pie. His interests included words, history, religion, teaching and writing. He was happy at home and typically sat at his desk for hours on end.

Ed knew his departure was like taking a pebble out of a stream, but he hoped a few would miss him more than momentarily.

In memory of Edward L. Kimball, the family encourages a donation to the March of Dimes or the Mormon History Association.

A memorial service will be held on Sat. Dec.3, at 11 a.m. at 925 East North Temple Drive, Provo, Utah ("Bell Tower Chapel").

[this obituary written by Ed himself, except the death and service dates]

See also:

Deseret.com: Edward L Kimball Son and Biographer of Late LDS President Spencer W Kimball Dies at Age 86

Salt Lake Tribune: Obituary of Ed Kimball  

Evelyn Bee Madsen Kimball

[Deseret News, October 3, 2012]

Bee was born to Sarah Evelyn Ellsworth and Elmer Leroy Madsen and grew up in Salt Lake County the youngest of eight on the seven-acre wonderland of her family's Guernsey dairy farm. She adored her brothers Donald and Wayne and enjoyed an especially close relationship with her sisters Erma, Lela, Rae and Peggy. (Edna died in infancy.) After graduating from the University of Utah and spending a brief time working in San Francisco, she returned to become the secretary to the dean of the University of Utah law school where she met Edward L. Kimball whom she married in 1954. Bee reared a family of seven children (Christian, Paula, Mary, Miles, Jordan, Joseph, and Sarah), moving to Missoula, Montana, then Madison, Wisconsin, and finally Provo, Utah, with Ed while he taught law. She served faithfully in teaching and leadership positions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was notably loyal to her large circle of family and friends. In her last days she battled multiple myeloma, but the immediate cause of death was kidney failure. She died at home surrounded by her family.

A memorial service in her honor was held Sunday, September 30, 2012.

Memories of Bee may be shared with the family at

memoriesofbee@gmail.com.