Acell William Bown

Acell William Bown, age eighty-nine, passed away on March 11, 2026, in Santaquin, Utah. Born on October 30, 1936, in Provo, he was the sixth of seven children born to Emma Amelia Peck and John Martin Bown. From the age of three, Acell displayed a remarkable gift for music, playing, writing, and performing on the piano under the influence of his mother, a piano teacher. As a young man he taught himself to play softball and later pitched a no-hitter. He graduated from Orem High School in 1954, served in the army, and then fulfilled a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Western Canada Mission. Upon returning, he served in the US Air Force before studying at Brigham Young University, where he met his beloved wife, Anne Marie Sorenson. They married in 1967 and became the parents of eight children. The couple built a home in Payson, where they lived for many years.

A man of diverse talents and quiet creativity, Acell was the owner of an artisan jewelry business and worked as a stonemason and builder. He remained a gifted musician throughout his life, serving as a master piano tuner, and was also an accomplished gardener, amateur magician and magic trick designer, Saint Bernard breeder, tabletop game designer, expert picture hanger, and talented whistler. Above all, he was a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. He blessed countless lives through his priesthood service, wisdom, love, and enthusiasm. He magnified many callings in the Church, including branch president, counselor in a bishopric, high councilor, music director, and scoutmaster. He served for many years in the temple, working with new grooms, an assignment that brought him deep joy. In their later years, he and Anne served two missions together, one in Sri Lanka and Malaysia and another in the Philippines.

Acell was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Norma and Ann, his brothers Jay, John, Clyde, and Bruce, and his daughter Gaea Louise. He is survived by his loving wife, Anne, seven children, twenty-two grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.