Marie Fitzlaff

Our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and loving, sweet wife, Anna Marie, 74, was received by our Father in Heaven, as she gained her angel wings surrounded by her loving husband and children on October 12, 2023 in Mesa, Arizona after several years of battling her health.
Marie was born July 2, 1949 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Anna LaDonna Christensen and Bryce Carroll Reynolds. Marie was the second oldest of 4 children. When she was little, her family lived in Ledgemere, which is now known as the Sandy or the Cottonwood Heights area. She played with the Fitzlaff kids, including one little boy, James Albert (Jim) Fitzlaff, who resided in the same neighborhood behind the Reynolds family. The children played together in the sand pit and made memories to last a lifetime. The Fitzlaff family relocated and they lost contact with Marie until she discovered a wedding announcement for Mavis Fitzlaff (Chatwin) in the local newspaper. She reached out and eventually became one of Mavis' bridesmaids and at that time she was also reintroduced to Jim. They started dating after Mavis' wedding. Jim and Marie were married a year later on August 29, 1967 in Salt Lake City, Utah. A year after their wedding, in 1968, Bryce Charles was born, sadly he passed away the same day; a heartbreaking moment that Marie carried with her the rest of her life. In January 1971, they welcomed their first daughter, Anna Laura. That same year, Jim, who was enlisted in the U.S. Army, left to battle the war in Vietnam. Marie stayed with Jim's mother in Las Vegas with their baby during Jim's tour of duty.
Jim was severely injured in Vietnam and returned stateside on a medical discharge. During his healing time, they resided in Texas and then moved and settled in Salt Lake City, where they welcomed their second daughter, Jennifer Lynn in 1972. In 1975, they welcomed their son, James Jeffery. Jim and Marie raised their family in Midvale and Murray and later in West Valley City.
While raising her children, Marie found joy in various hobbies. She loved doing tole painting and ceramics and was very talented in painting many of her projects. She enjoyed sewing and quilting. Marie was a remarkable cook and baker. Jim and Marie squared danced together for many years. Marie loved and served the Lord Jesus Christ and followed his gospel as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She attended the Temple and served in positions in the church in both Primary and Relief Society.
Jim and Marie frequently took their children camping and fishing and they also enjoyed traveling together, taking trips to Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, North Dakota, Nevada, Washington DC, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas, California, Oregon, Washington and Arizona, among other places. During their retirement, they became snowbirds traveling back and forth from Salt Lake City to Apache Junction, Arizona, where they gained numerous friends. They loved the climate in Arizona and later decided to call Apache Junction home.
When Marie was not with her children, she was working. She worked hard and was dedicated. Marie spent her career in the field of eye care as an Ophthalmology Technician, assisting with eye surgery. She worked for FHP and then the Moran Eye Center and later at Salt Lake Eye Associates with Dr. Rachel Benator. She cherished her profession and was greatly admired and respected by all who worked with her. She was knowledgeable about eye care and shared her knowledge over the years to assist others.
Marie was one of kind with a heart of gold. She loved her children and was very proud of each of them and all they achieved. She talked about them often and always loved to tell people about them and what they were doing in their lives. She loved how her kids called her every day and sometimes twice a day. She was generous and enjoyed being in the service of others. When asked, she was readily willing and able to manage various projects. She was a natural leader. She was kind and thoughtful and always had a keen interest in other people and what was happening in the lives of others. Although Marie struggled with her own health for many years, it never hindered her from enjoying life and expressing her love to others and doing whatever she could for her family and friends.
Marie is preceded in death by her first son, Bryce Charles, her brother, Robert Reynolds and her parents, Anna LaDonna Christensen Reynolds Whitlock and Bryce Carroll Reynolds and step father, Glenn Whitlock. Marie is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, James Albert (Jim) Fitzlaff, their children, Anna Laura (Terry) Hay, Jennifer Lynn (Michael) Petersen, and James Jeffrey (Jamie) Fitzlaff. She also leaves behind her 8 grandchildren who were the light of her life, Cody (Hannah) McNaughton, Anna Josephine McNaughton, Ray Petersen, Madison Fitzlaff, Jayden Fitzaff, James T. Fitzlaff, Kelsea Harward and Alexandria Whitaker. Marie also leaves behind her 6 great-grandchildren who she adored; the twins, Braxton and Bryon Hicks, Michael Bazaldua, Mia Bazaldua, Benji McNaughton, Remington Henderson and another great-grand baby on the way in January. Marie is also survived by her siblings, Steven (Sherrie) Reynolds, Billy (Debbie) Reynolds, Richard (Jean) Reynolds and a foster sister, Lelia McCabe.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 2:00 pm at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home located at 1007 W. South Jordan Parkway, South Jordan, Utah. A viewing will be held at the same location from 1:00 – 1:45 pm prior to service. A graveside service will be held at Larkin Sunset Gardens following the funeral service located at 1950 East 10600 South, Sandy, Utah, where Marie will be laid to rest.
The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to the healthcare staff at Banner Baywood Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona and the Center at Val Vista in Gilbert, Arizona for the loving, compassionate and respectful care of their mother.
We will miss mom very much, as will so many other people who knew and loved her. We will all miss our daily conversations with her. "Mom, we all love you so very much!" "Sweetheart, my Ms Muffet, I have no words only to say, I love you and will miss you until we see each other again."