Michael Broadbent Obituary (1943 - 2020)

Michael Verl Broadbent returned to the arms of his mother, father and His Savior, Jesus Christ on Monday December 7, 2020 with his loving and devoted wife by his side. He was a victim of the horrible disease Parkinson’s dementia which rapidly took his life after contracting Covid-19. Dr. Michael Verl Broadbent (of Lisle, Illinois and Cedar City, Utah) was born to two loving and doting parents, Dr. Leroy Verl Broadbent and Esther Lucile Lambert Broadbent on Feburary 13, 1943 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was raised as an only child to Verl and Lucile and loved many grand adventures with them while growing up in Cedar City, Utah. They established in him a great love for the National Parks in Southern Utah and the Grand Canyon. After losing his mother at the age of 18 he went on to make her proud by serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Southern States Mission and graduating from College of Southern Utah (now Southern Utah University) and UCLA with a PhD in Medical Physics. Michael was blessed with a second mother who came into his life after he returned home from his mission. Catherine Giles McDonough Broadbent loved him fiercely and added the great blessing of a brother and two sisters to enhance his life. Michael met the love of his life, Carol Lee Hafen and married her on June 13, 1968. Together they were sealed for time and all eternity in the St. George Utah Temple. Soon after he married, Mike left to serve in the Navy during the Vietnam War. After the war he and Carol went on to raise 5 children in the Chicagoland area while he worked in hospitals throughout Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin. There was never a drive he made without a book on tape or music playing throughout his car. Michael was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings throughout his lifetime, all of which he served faithfully. His very favorite calling, however, was that of a temple worker in the Chicago Illinois Temple. There was no place on earth that brought him greater joy. Mike instilled a love of culture to his family. He enjoyed music, books, theater and many other genres of the arts. He grew up with beautiful art work hanging on the walls of his family home. Although an only child, he was surrounded by many cousins. He participated in many mischievous endeavors with them by his side. He continued to be mischievous throughout his life. One learned quickly not to trust him when that twinkle entered his eye and grin spread across his face. Michael is survived by his wife, Carol Hafen Broadbent, and children JaNae (Dan) Horrocks, Lynette (Brian) Baird, Kevin (Catherine) Broadbent, Ann (Tyler) Burningham, and Deborah (Nic) Crossette and 13 grandchildren, with 2 additional bonus grandchildren and their families, his stepbrother Steve (Lynne) McDonough, and stepsisters Susie (Ed) James, and Dianne (Ed) Castro along with many cousins whom he loves as siblings. He is proceed in death by his sister Kay Broadbent, his parents L. Verl Broadbent, E. Lucile Lambert Broadbent and Catherine Giles McDonough Broadbent, along with his in-laws Ralph Ruesch Hafen , Iris Buchanan Hafen and brother-in-law Steven Roy Hafen. On behalf of Mike, his family would like to sincerely thank Stonehenge and BeeHive care facilities and Canyon Hospice Services for their tender loving care through the last year and a half of his life. A special thanks goes out to “our” nurse Amber Gloster. Funeral services will be held, in person, on Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 1:00 pm at Southern Utah Mortuary in Cedar City, Utah (190 North 300 West, Cedar City, Utah). A viewing will be held Friday December 11, 2020, from 6 - 8 pm and Saturday morning from 12-12:45 at the same location. Interment will be at the Cedar City Cemetery under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary. Live-streaming of the funeral service can be viewed below. Please wear a mask to attend in person. In lieu of flowers please find someone to serve as Mike loved to do. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Michael Verl Broadbent, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.