Obituary of Parley Leland Belnap

Parley L. Belnap, 90, passed away on November 7, 2018, in Payson, Utah. Parley was born on February 19, 1928, in Hooper, Utah, to John and Zina Belnap. He married Bona Belliston in the Salt Lake Temple on June 22, 1962.

Parley graduated from Weber High School, attended Weber College, and received a BA degree from Brigham Young University.  He then served for 2 1/2 years in the East German Mission, studied organ under Marcel Dupre in Paris, earned a Master of Arts degree in Organ and Music Theory at BYU, and served for 2 years in the U.S. Army. He also completed two graduate degrees under Flor Peeters at the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp, Belgium, and earned a Doctorate of Music degree at the University of Colorado.

For 33 years Parley was a member of the BYU Music faculty. He then served for 1 ½ years as organist at the BYU Jerusalem Center. He and his wife completed a mission to London, England, where Parley not only was assigned to serve in the Hyde Park Family History Center but also helped pianists learn to play the Hyde Park Chapel organ.

Survivors include: his wife Bona; his children: David (Julie), John Daniel (Laura), Kevin (Catherine), Lynn (Janeal), Newell (Rebecca), Sandra, and Steven (Hiroko); 19 grandchildren; and 5 great grandchildren. Parley is preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings: Wendell, Verness, Glen, Kimball, Max, and John LeClair.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 11 am at the American Fork East Stake Center, 825 E 500 N, American Fork. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 9:45 to 10:45 am and on Friday, November 16, 2018 from 6 to 8pm at Anderson and Sons Mortuary, 49 East 100 North, American Fork. A graveside service will be held at 3 PM in the Hooper Cemetery.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Parley Belnap Organ Scholarship Fund at Brigham Young University or at Utah State University. Please share a memory at andersonmortuary.com.