Military service showed Ted Crittenden the world and carried him thousands of miles from his hometown of Hoytsville. For his 99th birthday, he chose to once again travel somewhere new: on a gondola ride that gave him a bird’s-eye view of the Heber Valley he now calls home.
Crittenden joined the U.S. Navy as a teenager toward the end of World War II. He wore his veteran’s cap for the trip to Deer Valley East Village, which features military benefits including a Morale, Welfare and Recreation hotel.
His family wheeled him aboard the new East Village gondola for a trip to the top of Park Peak, then listened to Crittenden’s stories over breakfast in the lodge.
Born in 1927, Crittenden grew up roaming Utah’s mountains and working on his grandfather’s ranch.
“When I was growing up, I had something to do all the time,” he said. “I hiked into the Uintas, fishing, I trapped bobcats, I had some hounds and chased cougars, done some wood carving, wood burning – always had something to do.”
In 1945, when Crittenden was 17 years old and World War II was not quite over, he joined the military. The teenager was sent to boot camp in California, then overseas to Guam.
“I was there for about 17 months, and then I got a 30-day leave,” he remembered. “I went home to Hoytsville and took my girlfriend out a time or two, and then I went back.”
After the war ended, American troops were sent on a “goodwill tour” of Asia. Crittenden saw Australia, the Philippines, Japan and China. He remained in the Navy until 1948.
From then on, Crittenden worked a range of jobs: as a farmer, as a milkman, as the custodian of the Summit County courthouse. He is also a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Crittenden has five children and seven stepchildren, 32 grandchildren, 95 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
“I could go to a stake president and say, ‘You need a new church? I can furnish it for you,’” he joked.
Just a few of his family members joined him for the gondola ride Tuesday.
His son, Wasatch County Councilmember Kendall Crittenden, said his dad has been a good example all his life.
“He’s always been busy; he’s been involved in a lot of things,” he said. “I think that’s why he’s doing as well as he is at 99: because he’s always physically and mentally been challenged and doing things.”
Kendall Crittenden’s sister, Cindy Odekirk, agreed. She said she’s glad so many of Ted Crittenden’s great-grandchildren have the chance to get to know him.
“I hope they see how strong he’s been, and what an example,” she said. “That’s really a blessing. A lot of kids don’t have that – they don’t even have grandparents – so it’s pretty special to have someone that’s that age.”
Crittenden is among a shrinking number of surviving World War II veterans.
The National WWII Museum estimated that less than 0.5% of those who served were still living as of 2025.
