Marilyn Seely Sorensen March 13, 1936, October 16, 2020
March 13, 1936, October 16, 2020
Marilyn was born on March 13, 1936, in Mt. Pleasant, Utah to Ray Edwin and Mildred Morley Seely. She was the sixth of eight children. Marilyn was a free spirit. She was known for always hopping in the car and being willing to go anywhere with anyone. She wanted to be in on all of the good times, the laughter, the conversations, the games, the trips, and the adventures.
As a young girl, she tried to get out the door and make it to the bushes, because if she accomplished that she was free for the day and no one would come after her. She had an optimistic, happy outlook and a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. As a child, she was called “Honey” because of the beautiful color of her eyes, but her nickname also described her sweet disposition. She fell in love with her high school sweetheart and they married at a young age and started a family of their own. At the age of 23, she and David had five children under the age of seven. She filled her days with baking bread (5 loaves at a time with extra dough for scones), gardening, sewing, and bottling hundreds of jars of peaches, pears, cherries, and tomatoes. She still found time for fun, taking her kids on bike rides, having dinner parties with friends, and going on lots of trips with Dave. She was creative – we remember beautiful doll clothes sewn with love for Christmas, amazing compost for an organic garden and beautiful decorations for Christmas. She loved playing board games, card games and Sudoku.
She made sure her children took swimming lessons, dance lessons, piano lessons, and was proud when they worked hard and did well in school. We, (her children) benefitted from the fact that she was non-judgmental. She wasn’t too distressed with our misbehaviors and let us learn from our own mistakes. Marilyn was a hard worker. No matter how long, how dark, or how cold she didn’t give up on a goal. She was a great cook. She made the best pie crust in the world and we all loved her Sunday pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy. As her kids grew, she took on other adventures.
Marilyn and Dave bought the little grocery store in Spring City and she threw her energy and passion into making it the best-run store around. She helped Grandpa Jensen take care of the sheep and she had a special place in his heart. She helped Dave with the turkey operation and still kept up with all of the kids and the housework. She had many good times with her parents and her siblings. They got together often to drive up the canyon for a picnic, to spend the day “spring cleaning” each other’s homes, or to play a game of tennis. She and her siblings took many trips on family boats through the Northwest and she passed on her love of traveling with family to all of her children. Marilyn and many of her family members enjoyed working in the grocery business at her brother, Terrel’s, store.
She was an amazing daughter, spending months at a time with her own mother as she aged. She was a ray of sunshine to the end. We loved to see her do a little dance and hear her sweet song as she greeted the day, “Oh, it’s good to get up in the morning when the sun begins to shine….” She was devoted to her family, to her children, and especially to her husband, David. Together they loved and nurtured 6 children, 16 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. In the year before her death, we often found Marilyn and David seated on the couch holding hands. They were married for 68 years. David left us on February 24, 2020, and Marilyn went to join him on October 16, 2020. YOU’VE MADE IT TO THE BUSHES, MOM. YOU’RE FREE. Marilyn is survived by her siblings, Norma Larsen (Ephraim, UT), Marlane Harless (Mt. Pleasant, UT), SueAnn Croshaw (Roger, Gilbert, AZ) and Terrel Seely (Glenda, Mt. Pleasant, UT); and her children, Kathryn Blackham, Allan Sorensen (Kathy), Lori Miller (Brian), Brenda Scott (Bruce), Teresa Yates (Jay), and Angie Sorensen (Phillip) and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A celebration of Marilyn’s life will be held next summer when we can gather with family and friends in Spring City. In the meantime, you are invited to share photos, tributes, and memories at this web address: www.serenityfhs.com
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