Mormon Thrill Ride Creator Still Generating Excitement at Age 74

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Image via Deseret News.

This article was originally published in Deseret News by Kelsey Schwab. Below is an excerpt.

Stan Checketts is a 74-year-old grandfather who loves to throw his grandchildren into the air as they giggle with delight.

And thanks to his career, he gets to do the same thing for adults.

Checketts, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from Cache Valley, Utah, has been inventing thrill rides and attractions for 40 years, and his resume is impressive. According to a press release from Soaring Eagle Inc., Checketts has more of his rides in amusement parks than any other person in the entertainment industry. In 1997, he was named National Entrepreneur of the Year by USA Today.

His thrill rides have been featured in the Guinness Book of World Records, and he was highlighted in Rolling Stone Magazine on Aug. 22, 2002, according to the Logan Herald Journal. Among his well-known attractions are Knott’s Berry Farm’s Supreme Scream and the Big Shot on top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas.

To read the rest of the article, go to Deseret News.

Bridget is a newsroom writer at LDS.net. She graduated in April 2015 from Brigham Young University in communications with an emphasis of public relations. She served a Spanish speaking LDS mission in McAllen, Texas. She is a skilled pianist and an expert baker of chocolate chip cookies.