Marilyn Marsh

1942 - 2026

Marilyn Marsh

1942 - 2026

- Marilyn Manning Marsh, age 83, passed away peacefully at St. Marks Hospital surrounded by her family on Tuesday afternoon, February 10, 2026. She was born November 20, 1942 in Murray, Utah to Murlen C. Manning and Rilla Anderson. She was the only child of this couple and had three half-brothers, one half-sister and one step-brother.

Marilyn's mother, Rilla Anderson, was placed in the Utah State Mental Hospital three months after Marilyn's birth, and spent the rest of her life in different hospitals and nursing homes. Marilyn lived in Union, Utah until she was twelve years old. Her memories of Union were happy ones, even though she didn't have a mother. Her father was both father and mother to her until her father married Ruth Thorpe in 1954. She remembered attending rodeos, drive-in movies, vacationing at Bear Lake and Yellowstone National Park. She attended Union Elementary School in Union, Utah. When she was nine years old she was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There was not much religious training in the home, but her father made sure she went to Sunday School every week. In the 5th grade she took a band class, and her father got her a saxophone. She enjoyed being in the school band and marching in parades. She played the saxophone until the end of ninth grade.

When she was twelve she moved to Farmington Utah, where her father managed her uncle's dairy farm. Marilyn learned to milk cows and feed the calves. Her father even gave her a calf to take care of and sell to make some money. She loved being on the farm and learning new things. She attended Layton Jr. High School in Layton, Utah and Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah. She enjoyed singing in the choir in junior high and high school. She was in the musical "Oklahoma" in high school. After her father married Ruth, they started going to church regularly. As a teenager Marilyn began to develop a testimony of the gospel. She realized that being a member of the church was how she wanted to live her life and how she wanted to raise her family. Marilyn enjoyed three years of seminary at Davis High School. She graduated from Davis High School in 1961. When Marilyn was sixteen she had a Young Women's leader named Alta Hess that took a special interest in her. Through Alta's encouragement and help, Marilyn ran for Farmington Fiesta Days Queen and won.

The summer after Marilyn graduated from High School her uncle's dairy farm was turned into a golf course and the Oakridge Country Club was built on it. That summer Marilyn was able to waitress at the Oakridge Country Club in Farmington, Utah and work at the A&W in Layton, Utah. In the fall of 1961 Marilyn attended Hollywood Beauty College in Salt Lake City. She worked very hard and graduated top of her class as valedictorian. After she graduated she was able to work in a beauty shop in Salt Lake City. After that she worked for a time in the Church Office Building as an index filer.

She met Walter Karl Marsh in the Ninth Ward in the Liberty Stake, Salt Lake City. She was eighteen and he was twenty-two years old. They enjoyed going to dances. He left on his mission and it was some time before she saw him again. They met at a dance at the University of Utah and began dating again. They were married August 20, 1964 in the Salt Lake Temple. Marilyn and Karl moved to Murray, Utah where they raised six children, and opened up their home to a Lamanite daughter and a Japanese foreign exchange student.

While raising her children Marilyn managed to find the time to volunteer in drives such as Cancer Drives, Heart Fund, Muscular Dystrophy and March of Dimes. She served on the PTA board and was a room mother. She also worked in the political field serving as Judge of Election in 1983, Registrant Agent in 1982, 1984 and 1986. In May of 1984 she was elected as Delegate to the State Republican Convention, and in November of 1984 she served as Campaign Representative in her area for Utah Governor

Norm Bangerter. After her children were raised they sold their home on Utahna Drive in Murray, Utah and moved to Taylorsville, Utah. Marilyn then worked in Food Service at Vermont Elementary School in Murray, Utah from 1987 to1994. She worked at Beehive Clothing sewing garments from 2001 to 2009. She volunteered with the Salt Lake County Legacy Corps Program where she worked with the elderly in Companionship/Respite Services from 2009 to 2014. Marilyn so enjoyed her time with the people she served in this program. Karl and Marilyn also volunteered at BYU/Provo Education week for several years. Marilyn was an example of service and leadership.

Marilyn had a very strong testimony of the gospel. She served in many different callings throughout her life. She served in all of the organizations in some way; and in Relief Society presidencies, Primary presidencies and as Primary President, in the Stake Primary presidency, and she served as Stake Young Women's President. Marilyn felt that she learned and grew so much in her callings. She gained a testimony that our Heavenly Father's hand is in everything that we do, and she definitely felt his presence in her life. She loved the church so much and was very grateful for the opportunities she had to serve. Marilyn and Karl were able to serve together on two church service missions. They were called to the Inner City Project in Salt Lake City for both missions. The first mission they served in the Granite Park Stake, Eldredge Ward in September 2006 for eighteen months. The second mission was in the Taylorsville Utah Stake, Riverbend Ward for eighteen months. They loved their missions and saw blessings and miracles come from their service.

Marilyn definitely passed down a love of music to her children. She had a beautiful soprano voice. She could always be seen in the ward and stake choirs, and performed and shared her talent many times. She loved musicals and some of her favorites were "Oklahoma", The Sound of Music", "The Music Man" and "My Fair Lady". Her two daughters took piano lessons and sang in choirs and have used their talents many times as well. Her four sons are also musically inclined and play at least one or more instruments. Two of her sons had bands in high school and sometimes those bands played for the church stake dances.

Marilyn was very talented and could do most anything she put her mind to. She was an excellent seamstress and made a lot of the clothes for herself and her children as they grew up. She used her cosmetology degree to give her family and others haircuts, perms and manicures. Her hobbies were writing poetry, singing, drawing, journal writing, scrapbooking, cheering on her children and grandchildren in anything they were involved in and being the best wife, mother and homemaker she could possibly be. After her children were raised she took up puzzles and oil painting. She was a talented artist and her paintings can be seen in the homes of her children and grandchildren.

Marilyn was loved by all. She served others unselfishly, putting others needs before her own. She was so proud of her children and grandchildren and was their most avid supporter. She showed forth an abundance of unconditional love to her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When everyone was down or being critical, Marilyn would have a good word and a smile and always be looking for the positive. She was loved and cherished by the staff and other residents in the Mt. Olympus Rehabilitation Center where she lived for the last two years of her life.

Marilyn is survived by her loving husband of 61 years, Walter Karl Marsh; her children; Tami Hickman (Randy) of Pingree, Idaho; Val Taylor (David) of Winnemucca, Nevada; Todd Marsh of Salt Lake City, Utah; Trent Marsh of Salt Lake City, Utah; Neal Marsh (Lili) of Spanish Fork, Utah; Brad Marsh of Herriman, Utah; grandchildren and spouses, great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents and four of her siblings.

We would like to thank the wonderful staff at Mt. Olympus Rehabilitation Center who gave Marilyn, and are continuing to give Karl, so much good care and love. We appreciate all of you very much.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, February 19 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary in Murray, Utah on 4760 S. State Street. A viewing will be held on Friday, February 20 from 10:00 - 10:45 am with the funeral service at 11:00 am at the Riverview Ward church house on 895 W. 4800 S. Interment and Dedication of the grave will be held at Elysian Burial Gardens on 1075 E. 4580 S., Millcreek, Utah.