John David Roper was born on October 28, 1980, in Salt Lake City to David and Meleea Roper. During his childhood, he made friends across the country as his family moved to Massachusetts, Oregon, California, Wisconsin, Iowa, and back to Utah. He strongly identified as the oldest brother and was the creative mastermind behind treasured home videos such as “Silly Commercials” and “Eight Little Blankies.”

During high school he was a DJ at the local radio station where he went by Johnny Anonymous and sang in a joke band where they performed songs such as “Nucular Wombat” (with the intentional mispronunciation). He graduated from LeMars Community High School as the class salutatorian before serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Chile Santiago West Mission.

John returned home to attend Brigham Young University where he had the great fortune of meeting Wendy Cottam in his student ward. Wendy’s wonderful sense of humor was a great companion to John’s own sharp wit, and they married on July 18, 2003, in the Salt Lake Temple. He graduated in 2005 from BYU Summa Cum Laude with a degree in business and returned to BYU one year later to receive an MBA. Throughout their marriage, John’s work took his family to California, Ohio, Washington, and eventually back to Utah. One highlight of his career was working at Disney, where he received a credit on the movie The Princess and the Frog. He loved his work when it felt meaningful, particularly his jobs where he could work on transformation projects and see he was making a difference.

When asked what his favorite decade was, he responded with “The decade my children were born.” Natalie, Henry, Hyrum, and Naomi were John’s greatest joys and he loved being on baby duty wherever he went. Being a husband and father were his favorite callings in life, and he served in many callings as a church member. Teaching was clearly a true calling and gift for him, and he was a beloved Gospel Doctrine teacher who asked thoughtful questions while harboring a safe place for people to be vulnerable.

John will be remembered by his family and friends as someone who was intelligent, hilarious, and a lifelong learner. He enjoyed watching airplanes take off and land, and never passed up an opportunity to go to the zoo (especially to see the red pandas). We miss him already and wish we had gotten many more years of memories with him, but we know his strong faith in Jesus Christ carried with him into the next life.

John is survived by his wife, Wendy; his children Natalie, Henry, Hyrum, and Naomi; his mother Meleea; and his siblings, Laura (Johnny) Berry, Mark (Britta) Roper, and Anne (Tom) Rowley. He was preceded in death by his father, David, as well as his siblings Emily and Daniel.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 29, 2026 at 11 a.m., at 1835 South Washington Fields Road, Washington, Utah. Friends may call at a viewing preceding the funeral from 9-10:30 a.m. Interment will take place at the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Primary Children’s Hospital.

Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 South Bluff Street, St. George, Utah. 435-673-2454.

Friends and family are invited to share their condolences and sign John’s online guestbook at www.SpilsburyMortuary.com