Our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Marion Moody Church, passed away peacefully on December 30, 2019 at age 91 in Ogden, Utah. Marion was born August 28, 1928 in Woodrow, Utah, the seventh of thirteen children born to Marvin Juel Moody and Marie Ethel Thurmon Moody. Marion learned about hard work on the family farm in Delta, Utah. She was very involved in school, graduating from Delta High where she was the drum majorette. In fact, it was in her capacity as drum majorette that she first laid eyes on town hero Ray Church at a parade welcoming him home. Ray was returning from WWII, where he had been a POW in Japan for four years. A storybook romance followed, and they were sealed in the Manti Temple on July 26, 1946.
Ray and Marion spent most of their married life living in Southern California, where they raised three children. Marion was a supreme homemaker and world-class cook, who also enjoyed being creative through oil painting and music. The choirs she directed were legendary! She also enjoyed reading and watching sports (especially BYU football), but her greatest joy was spending time with her family.
After Ray’s retirement, the couple moved to Ogden, Utah and later served a full time temple mission in Chicago, Illinois. They also shared nine years as temple ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple, and a three-year service mission as hosts at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City.
Grandma was a strong, independent woman, who always had an opinion and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. She was regal, sophisticated, organized, and classy, but at the same time was the first to jump in line to ride a rollercoaster with her grandkids. She was FUN!
In everything they did, Ray and Marion were always a team, from traveling the world to their involvement in community and civic organizations. Since Ray’s passing in 2013, Grandma has continued to be spunky and joyful, but everyone knew that she couldn’t wait to be reunited with her sweetheart. We’re so happy for them!
Marion is survived by her daughters: Susan (Robert) Daum; Carolyn (Jim) Smith; and daughter-in-law: Linda Church. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren; and siblings: Richard Moody, Verlin Riolo, Kay Calvert, and Karen Banta. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband: Ray; son: Michael; son-in-law: Brian Davis; great-grandchild: Morgan Davis; and siblings: Virginia, Shirley, Margorie, Thurmon, Robert, Gordon, Joyce, and Philip.
Special thanks to the staff at Legacy House for their exceptional care of Marion.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 6, at 11:00 a.m., at the Washington Terrace LDS Chapel, 4855 S. 300 W., Washington Terrace, Utah. A Viewing will precede the services from 9:30 to 10:40 a.m. Burial will be held Tuesday, January 7 at 9:00 a.m., at Delta City Cemetery.