Mary Ann Schattinger Preece

MARY ANN SCHATTINGER PREECE Mary Ann Schattinger Preece passed away on Friday, October 24, surrounded by her family that loved her deeply. Mary Ann was born in Denver, Colorado, on March 22, 1944, but grew up in Park County, Colorado, spending time in her home in Jefferson and the Schattinger Ranch a few miles to the west. Her family also owned a small trucking company, and growing up, Mary Ann learned how to drive trucks and do other tasks needed around the house and at the ranch. Her responsibilities grew when her own mother passed away when she was just 10 years old. Mary Ann attended high school at South Park County High School in Fairplay, Colorado, and was the co-Valedictorian of her graduating class with a straight A average. She then attended Colorado State College (now the University of Northern Colorado) in Greeley. This is where she met the love of her life, Stanley "Dennis" Preece, who was in the same fraternity as her older brother Emery. After her conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the two were married in Craig, Colorado, on March 21, 1964. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple on March 22, 1997, on her 53rd birthday.  During the summer of 1964, she worked on the Keystone ranch, which belonged to the Preece family. Then, in the fall of that year, Dennis took a teaching job at Uintah High School in Vernal, Utah. The next year, their first son, Brian, was born, and three years later, their only daughter, Deanna. During this time, Mary Ann focused on taking care of her children and the home as her husband began a very successful coaching career. In 1972, her last child, Scott, was born. Scott had some health struggles that required a lot of sacrifices by the family, but Scott survived being born more than two months premature and was the March of Dimes poster child for Utah, something both she and Dennis took great pride in.   During her time in Vernal, she was a great support to her husband, who turned Uintah High School into a wrestling dynasty, winning nine state championships in 12 years. She was the team mother who often cooked meals for the wrestlers, and she was the scorekeeper of the Uintah Tournament of Champions. She also accompanied Dennis on two great wrestling adventures as they took teams to Montreal using the Olympic facilities prior to the 1976 games and also to Mexico City. Mary Ann had a great gift for numbers and did accounting for Bradshaw Auto Parts for several years. She also found time to volunteer at the county hospital as a pink lady and was a den leader for Cub Scouts. In 1977, Dennis resigned from Uintah High School and took a job at Cyprus High School in Salt Lake Valley. Dennis would coach at Cyprus High School for four years and then at Skyline High School, where their children attended, for another nine years. She was very supportive of her children as they engaged in youth sports, scouting, and other extracurricular activities at their schools. Though she never completed her degree, she valued education and took some classes at the University of Utah. She never had a grade lower than a straight A in both high school and college. Mary Ann briefly worked as an elementary education P.E. specialist, and as her children grew older, she took a job at Anesta Corporation, which was later bought out by Cephalon, where she worked in the accounting department. She worked there for nearly 20 years and took great pride in both her work and the company.  During this time, she was very supportive of her children in their career pursuits. Brian and Deanna embarked on careers as teachers and coaches, while their son Scott became a financial planner. She rarely missed one of her daughter's volleyball matches. Then, as her grandchildren got older, she enjoyed going to their games, concerts, and other activities.  Mary Ann was a generous soul, always willing to help others, and during any family crisis, she was a steadying force. One thing she greatly enjoyed was traveling as she visited all 50 states and many foreign countries. She liked to go on her cruises, which took her around the globe. She enjoyed scrapbooking, quilting, crossword puzzles, and sudoku, and was great at puzzles. She also had a witty sense of humor. Mary Ann eventually relocated to Utah County after Dennis passed away in 1997, living in Cedar Hills, Lehi, Orem, and then back to Lehi, where she spent the final years of her life. Mary Ann had some health struggles in her life, and sadly, in the last few years, she suffered from Alzheimer's.  Her family would like to thank Roy Valverde, Lisa Capt, and the rest of the Valeo hospice team for their attention and care in Mary Ann's last few years of life. Mary Ann is survived by her three children, Brian (Heidi) Preece, Deanna (John) Meyer, and Scott (Katrina) Preece, her eight grandchildren, Sammy (Nate Cannon), Lizzy (Jacob) McCleary, Zach Preece, Benjamin Preece, Emma Meyer, Lillian Preece, Kaitlin Meyer, and Aidan Preece. She is also survived by her brother Emery (Carol) Schattinger. Mary Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Edward Adair "Dair" Schattinger, her mother Betty Ione Archer Schattinger, her stepmother Mary Ann Lambert Schattinger, and her husband Stanley "Dennis" Preece. A viewing will be held on Friday, November 7, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel at 890 West and 3070 North in Lehi from 6-8 p.m., with another viewing Saturday at Wasatch Lawn Memorial in Salt Lake City at 3401 South Highland Drive. A Celebration of Life will take place right after at 1 p.m. with the interment to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider making a donation to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City.