Marilyn Loreen Lippmann Smith

Marilyn Loreen Lippmann Smith, loving mother, sister, and wife passed away on March 4, 2020, surrounded by endearing and enduring loving family members. Her passing was peaceful and quiet and occurred amid one last final blessing to ferry her forward to her Eternal Father in Heaven.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kurt Arthur Lippmann and Ione Tiffany Lippmann. She is survived by her husband and eternal companion of 49 years, David Hyrum, siblings Kenneth (Beverly) Lippmann, and LaVonne Francis, and her children Benjamin (Karen), Don (Rhonie), Laura (Sven), Michael (Sara), Melanie Smith, 13 grandchildren and many beloved nephews and nieces.

Marilyn was born on March 23^rd, 1949 at Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her father, Kurt Arthur Lippmann emigrated from Germany. Her mother, Ione Tiffany Lippmann was a long-time resident of Utah. They met at a German ward missionary dance in Utah. It was a marriage made in heaven.

Ione Tiffany, her mother, worked as a seamstress tailoring clothing and perfecting design at ZCMI in Salt Lake City. She met her husband to be, who worked in the meat industry. So taken with each other were they, that they married shortly after. They were made for each other. Together they worked tirelessly and diligently, side by side, to love, raise and support a wonderful family. Eventually, they scrimped and saved enough money to start their very own business, Hi-Grade Meats. The entire family took great pride in its establishment and growth. Marilyn worked there for a number of years of her life even after her mother and fathers passing. The company did well to provide for family members for many years.

Marilyn grew up in a humble home in South Salt Lake City. She was the youngest of her family, having one older sister and one older brother. She loved to play with them, greatly admired them, and fondly looked up to them throughout her life.

She was a child of very simple pleasures. One of her fondest memories was of the playing with and organizing, perhaps owing to her mother’s attention to detail as a seamstress, paint chip sample cards her parents would bring home from the paint store.

She adored her childhood dolls. In the footsteps of her mother, as a child, Marilyn labored to craft a custom felt dress with a delicate yarn sash for her one of precious dolls. She cherished the doll throughout her whole life, keeping it tucked safely away, speaking of it fondly even in her final days.

One of Marilyn’s first and favorite books as a young child was Nurse Nancy from the famous Golden Book Series. Inside this book were two Band-Aids. She loved to imagine herself as a nurse, caring for others in their times of need. This lasting impression of care and compassion for others would become a trademark characteristic carried with her for her entire life.

Marilyn was deeply fond of music. She learned to play the piano at a young age. She even taught lessons to others for a time and continued to play into her later years. Music always surrounded her. She loved to have music playing in her kitchen as she went about her tasks. It gave her peace in her home and a bounce in her step. Even at the end, she kept it playing as her “inspiration music” for her upcoming journey.

Her first chance meeting with the man that would later become her beloved, life-long companion occurred when Marilyn was in the 9^th grade. She and David became casually acquainted through mutual friends. While attending Granite High School, Marilyn was an enthusiastic member of the pep club. She went on to graduate from Granite High School in 1967 and continued on to attend the University of Utah where she studied home economics. During her tenure at the university, she also studied interpretation and elocution, under Professor Stewart, who she held in high regard. Marilyn also acquired a deep respect for etiquette from Professor Stewart. Marilyn loved to pass  on her knowledge of these things to her children.

In 1966, Marilyn and David found each other once again and started dating. After serving his mission in Argentina, David returned home to marry her. They were happily wed in the Salt Lake City Temple on August 7^th, 1970. Together they enjoyed going to movies, skiing, taking long walks, and dancing secretly in the kitchen when no one was looking. Her adventurous spirit led her to try just about anything at least once, be it being pulled in an innertube behind a speeding boat or braving a new cuisine.

Family was the most important thing in her life. She and David went on to raise five wonderful children. She loved and adored each one of them deeply, always keeping each of them close to her heart. Her love for her children was matched only by her adoration for each of her precious grandchildren. She delighted in every moment shared with them.

She loved to ski and even taught David how. Many good times were spent on the sunny slopes of the Utah mountains together. She was no stranger to skiing on the water, as well. Lake Powell quickly became a family favorite destination at which to swim, ski, boat, fish, explore, and play. She loved relaxing on the beach and being buried in the sand.

Marilyn loved taking family trips to other destinations as well. Exotic cruises, Hawaii, and Disney World were the favorites of her travels. A high note of her journeys was a month-long archaeological dig in Israel with her daughter, Melanie. The experiences she had in the Holy Land were deeply moving and meaningful to her.

Marilyn loved planning and creating extravagant events. She was a “party planner” before party planning was a “thing.” She enjoyed creating fun activities for her family, friends, neighbors, and church meetings. She was also extremely skilled in cake decorating and worked as a decorator for a time. As well as the family’s resident cake maker.

Marilyn was an avid gardener. She loved discussing and teaching her knowledge of the topic with others. She was a frequent visitor of many nurseries and gardens throughout the valley. She spent many long hours caring for her own garden, sometimes long after the sun had set. She always found it to be a relaxing and meaningful endeavor and always looked forward to each planting and harvesting season.

Marilyn delighted in her many different church callings. She enjoyed doing genealogy work and exploring family history immensely. She served a calling in the ward and stake helping to complete the work for many family members, as well as readying the names for work that remained to be finished. She served faithfully and wholeheartedly in her Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society callings. Perhaps her favorite callings, however, were as a missionary in the Hispanic Initiative and the Daily Dose Program where she helped teach English to non-English speaking people. Through these programs, she took great joy in watching those she taught join the church. Being released from these callings was especially hard for her.

Marilyn could find a teaching moment in almost any situation. She was always quick to rephrase any negative thought into one of kindness and compassion for others. She did not care for gossip and never wanted to hear anything negative about others. She taught and encouraged others to always look for the positive in people and reject the negative.

She was always a “Good Samaritan” and a wonderful example of Christ and his love and generosity for others. Her love for the Lord inspired her to be the first to serve and the last to receive regardless of the inconvenience to herself. She always had a clear vision of what needed to be done to help someone in need, despite the time it took or the detriment to her own schedule. If she felt that something nice needed to be done for someone, she always took it upon herself to see it through.

Mom was a fundamental cornerstone of our family. It is impossible to summarize what a loving and caring person she was, nor how much she meant to us, in such brevity. We are so grateful for her time with us and for all that she has done for us. To say that she will be missed is the greatest of understatements. However, we are comforted in the knowledge that we will one day be together again in God’s kingdom. I’m sure she is planning quite the reunion party as she patiently awaits our return. While we continue our journeys here, we know that she will be watching over each us, celebrating each of our victories that are yet to come, and comforting us in our times of need. Her example will never be forgotten, and her legacy will endure through each of us.

A viewing will be held Friday, March 13 between 5:00pm-8:00pm at the Church Building at 10945 S. 1700 E. in Sandy, UT. Services will be held Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 11:30 am, with a viewing from 10 to 11:15 am at the same address. Interment will be at Larkin Sunset Gardens.

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