Nov. 30, 1937 ~ July 17, 2022
Marlene Kendall passed away on July 17, 2022, after a battle with leukemia.
On Nov. 30, 1937 a ray of sunshine entered into the lives of Earl and Bula Gillman Gurr as they welcomed their first child into this world and named her Marlene. She was the first of their six children and she was given many responsibilities even as a young child. Her love for reading surfaced early and she learned to read by the age of four. She continued to have a love for learning and progressed quickly in her school studies. Marlene attended school in the two-room schoolhouse in Bonanza, Utah, and graduated from high school in 1956 from Vernal, Utah.
She was taught the value of hard work and she held various jobs throughout her life. Marlene enjoyed playing the game of softball and ballroom dancing. She and her father attended a dance while in her teen years and in the waltz competition they took first place. She had many close friends throughout high school that have remained dear friends to her after all these years. Then on Dec. 27, 1957, she married Harold Dalvis Kendall. He also was from the Bonanza Camp and they shared many memories of those happy days. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple on Aug. 13, 1963. Together they raised four children: Pamela, Daleen, Mari Ellen and Greg. Family was so important to both of them and they created many special memories as a family. They loved to go camping, fishing, arrowhead hunting and on picnics. Marlene was never one to be idle; she enjoyed so many hobbies such as quilting, painting, knitting and embroidery work. She was always reaching out and serving those around her. Perhaps her best known talent was the beautiful flower gardens she and Dalvis loved to care for. We can’t even begin to tell you how many times the lawn was dug up to plant more flowers and the landscaping changed since 1970 when they moved to Rangely. She, along with her husband, held many positions in the LDS church as well as serving a mission to Martin’s Cove, Wyoming, serving as addiction recovery missionaries and serving in the Vernal Utah Temple. Marlene functioned as an election judge for many years for county and city elections. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 64 years, her parents, two sisters — Ellen and Linda, two brothers — Reed and George, granddaughter Leslie Hazelbush and great-grandson Jordan Cochrane. She is survived by her brother Gene Gurr of Vernal, children Pam (Mark) Berrett, Daleen (Bob) Hazelbush, Mari Ellen (Bret) Byers and Greg (Susan) Kendall as well as her grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. Her family was always her main love in this life and we look forward to the day we reunite once again.
A viewing will be held in Vernal, Utah on July 24, 2022, at the Blackburn Mortuary from 6-8 p.m. Then on July 25, 2022, a viewing will be held in Rangely at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 10-10:45 a.m. with the funeral service following at 11 a.m. Burial will be in the Rangely Cemetery. Compassionate services provided by the Rangely Ward Relief Society.
