With heavy hearts we announce the passing of our loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, Margaret Marlene Ekins Bliss, on Friday, July 8, 2016, in Provo, Utah.

Her faith, strength, example, patience & compassion will long be remembered and she will always be a huge part of our family that remains here on earth. We will miss her immensely, but find peace in knowing where she is and that she will still be watching over us.

Marlene was born in Cedar City, Utah on July 7, 1933 to Walter and Roma Higbee Ekins. She is the oldest of five children. Her family moved to Hinckley when she was a young child and she has lived here most all of her life. She graduated from Hinckley High School in 1951, then attended BYU for one year. She then married her high school sweetheart, Dale Bliss, on August 20, 1952 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Dale and Marlene lovingly welcomed four children into their family: Barbara, Karen, Russell and Dan.

Marlene was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loved the gospel with all of her heart. She had a strong testimony and has served faithfully in many various capacities on both the stake and ward levels.

Marlene had a great love for genealogy and has spent countless hours researching, documenting and correcting the records of her predecessors. She presented each of her children with a binder of family history information and a five generation spreadsheet. She also served at the Family History Center for many years.

She had a great love for music. She has played for every organization in the church at one time or another and served as the Hinckley Ward organist for many, many years. She loved that calling and spent many hours practicing and revising her music because she was a perfectionist and always wanted to do her very best in everything she did.

Marlene is survived by her husband: Dale; children: Barbara (Craig) Talbot; Karen (Cletus) Adams; Russell (Nikki) Bliss; and Dan (Delna) Bliss; 14 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren; sister: Carma Wright; brothers: Leo and Eldon Ekins.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 13, at 11:00 am, at the Hinckley Ward LDS Chapel, 188 N. Main St. Viewings will be held Tuesday, 6:30-8:00 pm, at the Nickle Mortuary; and Wednesday, 9:30-10:40 am, prior to the service. Burial will be in the Hinckley Cemetery.