Billy Badger was outed as gay in about 1962. He lost his job as a school teacher in Holden Utah, was excommunicated, and his wife divorced him.

Stephen Badger was Billy Badger's son, about 5 or 6 when his dad was outed. Stephen grew up in Salt Lake. Stephen attended Salt Lake elementary schools, Clayton Jr. High, and Highland High School. He was a superb athlete in high school, and spent a lot of time with his grandpa Badger in Holden. He went to BYU, went on a mission, and became a military officer after he graduated.

Stephen Badger was killed in 1995 at Fort Bragg NC by a nutcase soldier who'd got up on a little hill and was sniping guys who were doing a Regimental run. He was buried according to his wishes at the Holden cemetery near his beloved grandfather. I don't know if he knew when he made out his will that the Holden cemetery was where his father had been caught and outed all those years before.

From findagrave.com:
William Burton Badger (1925-1988)Member of the Affirmation a Gay Mormon group out of Utah. William Burton Badger was born on October 24, 1925, in Holden, Utah. He was baptized in the LDS Church on November 5, 1933. He married in Salt Lake City on June 6, 1950, and had four sons. Later he divorced. William was a teacher, working in the Alpine, Salt Lake City, Millard, and Davis County school districts. He was a member of the Metropolitan Community Church.William committed suicide on July 3, 1988, in Salt Lake City. He was 62 years old.William is buried at the Orem City Cemetery in Utah.
- Affirmation

I have joined the Toastmasters and I want to do a talk about this. I was just wondering if anyone knew either father or son.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/2016 06:21PM by Cactus Jim.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=35072699

Birth: Dec. 13, 1957
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake County
Utah, USA
Death: Oct. 27, 1995
Fort Bragg
Cumberland County
North Carolina, USA

Major Stephen M. Badger was a son of William Burton and Maurine Romney Badger. He married Nancy Peck and later divorced and then he married Diane Wallace, February 19, 1993 in the Washington D.C. Temple. Stephen attended Salt Lake elementary schools, Clayton Jr. High, Highland High School and graduated from BYU. He joined the ROTC at Highland High, served in the National Guard, and graduated from BYU ROTC as a 2nd Lt. in 1985. He was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg and served in Italy for three-plus years. An active member of the LDS Church, Stephen served a mission to Milan, Italy, 1977-1979. Survived by his wife, Diane; children; Heather, Celeste, Michael and Francesca; stepchildren, Douglas and April, Joy and Morgan; his mother, Maurine; two brothers, Robert Badger; David Badger; and grandmother, Lila B. Badger. Preceded in death by his father; his brother, Michael and a stepson, Robert. Stephen died at age 37. He was killed in an attack during an early morning exercise formation of the soldiers in the 82nd Airborne Division's 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.

Family links:
Parents:
William Burton Badger (1925 - 1988)
Maurine Romney Badger (1926 - 1998)

Sibling:
Michael Rodney Badger (1955 - 1955)*
Stephen Mark Badger (1957 - 1995)

*Calculated relationship

Burial:
Holden Cemetery
Holden
Millard County
Utah, USA

Maintained by: Elynn Badger
Originally Created by: Elizabeth Reed
Record added: Mar 22, 2009
Find A Grave Memorial# 3507269

BYU has ROTC?

I have a niece who has lived in Holden since 1966 or there-bouts. Holden is a small enough town that I am sure you could get lots of information from her (or from about anyone in that community)

I am not really in communication with my niece but if you are interested and want to email me I can give you more particulars and maybe put you in touch with her. (Perhaps Admin can help out with forwarding my contact info or let me know how I can contact you.)

Thanks. I have quite a few friends and relatives who live there as well. I was just wondering if anyone on this board knew about either of them. I hadn't known anything about Stephen until I read his obituary in the local paper.

There was a SP of mine in Seattle named Badger, he sent me on my Mish, '67.

Yes, I'm as old as dirt.

I knew Steve, he and I were friends at Clayton Jr. High and Highland High Schools. Steve would save my mountain climbing rope and carabiners, because my parents disapprove of me going mountain climbing. Still, Steve and I would save up money for an extra carabiner and buy them at the local climbing store (Mountaineer?) on 13th East and 2nd South, but I forgot the name of the store, but the location is still there.

He and I attended Highland High and I have few short memories of Steve (Stephen), he proudly wore the ROTC uniform and I have heard some of the kids making stupid remarks, but Steve would press on and I have always wonder how he did that. But after all these years and having sons in the military, now I know. YOU LOVE THE COUNTRY YOU SERVE. Way to go Steve!!! You showed them. They are not making stupid comments now, right bro!

I did attend his viewing, I could not make it to the funeral. I still think from time to time about Steve and our little adventures of climbing big rocks and using various techniques to repel down the big rock or mountain side (Pete's Rock) on Wasatch Blvd.

I sincerely hope all is well with his wife Diane and his children. God Bless your family Steve as you have served our country. GOD BLESS!!! jeff