Marilyn Minardi Rona

Our dear mother, sister, wife, and matriarch, Marilyn Minardi Rona passed away on September 30, 2024, at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah. Marilyn was born on a cold winter's day to Antonio Paulo and Margaret Anderson Minardi on December 28, 1941.
Marilyn attended Cheyenne High School in Cheyenne Wyoming, graduating with the class of 1960. During her high school years, she and her sister, Jeannine, were taught and baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This decision changed the rest of her life. After graduation, Marilyn pursued a career in nursing in Salt Lake City, Utah for the next three years. She graduated from Holy Cross School of Nursing in June 1963. Later that year she met her future husband, a newly returned missionary of Jewish heritage, Daniel Denis Rona, and they were married in the Salt Lake City Temple in April 1964.
In 1967, with two children in tow, the young growing Rona family moved to New York where Daniel pursued career opportunities. Later that same year, their adventure took them to Chicago, and then to St. Louis Missouri in 1970, where their third child joined the family. In 1973, Daniel turned to Marilyn and asked her how she felt about moving to Israel. She simply replied, "I will go where you go." Daniel and Marilyn and their three children immigrated to Israel in 1974 and settled in the city of Jerusalem. While there, two more children were born making this a complete family for Marilyn. Marilyn's greatest joy was raising her family. She was truly a mother in Israel, raising her children in Israeli culture and society. Marilyn instilled a love of God and Savior to her family, and to the lives of anyone associated with her. Marilyn loved the land of Israel and its people and considered it truly her home.
Marilyn served in many capacities for the Church. As Relief Society president on the branch and district level and as Jerusalem branch historian. She co-wrote "Grafting In, a history of the Latter-day Saints in the Holy Land" published in 1989. Most recently, she was serving as a missionary in the Church History Library, compiling a history of the Church in Israel with her husband Daniel.
Marilyn was an excellent cook, making fabulous meals which she shared with hundreds of people hosted in their home as Daniel's tour business developed. Marilyn shared her home, was kind and welcoming to many. Marilyn was truly a noble and great person who lived a life of unmatched love and generosity.
Survived by her husband Daniel; children David (Claudia Zafran) Rona, Susan (Thomas) Stengel, Steven (Judith) Rona, Joshua Rona, and Deborah (Jared) Andes; grandchildren, Ashley, Amber, Hailey, Tal, Avi, Itai, and Yoni. Preceded in death by her parents and sister Jeannine, nephew Jeff McHone, and granddaughter, Esther Kate Rona.
A viewing will be held on Sunday, October 6th, 2024, at Larkin Mortuary on 260 East South Temple Dr, Salt Lake City. Another viewing will be held on Monday October 7th, 2024, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 225 West 500 North in Salt Lake City from 10-11am followed by funeral services at 11:30am, MDT.