Myrlene Roylance Obituary (1926 - 2020)

Cleo Myrlene Brown Roylance, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend passed away at almost 94 on Friday, June 5, 2020 at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah of a severe liver infection which led to Sepsis. Myrlene was born on August 12, 1926 in Claresholm, Alberta, Canada to Joseph Alfred and Vera Larsen Brown. She lived on a homestead and enjoyed riding her pony and playing with her dolls. She wore tights and dresses to school even in the cold winter walks to school. When the family moved to Salt Lake City, Myrlene grew up on a farm in Murray and loved to read books while eating peaches. She also enjoyed climbing the cherry tree and singing at the top of her lungs. Myrlene had long fiery red hair which caused her much ridicule and grief during her childhood. Myrlene graduated from South High School and her Church Seminary at age 16. She owned her own Ford car, enjoyed sewing matching outfits, and skiing with her sister, Reta, and friends in the tops of the Rocky Mountain ski resorts. She played tennis and was second runner-up in a beauty contest. Myrlene dated and wrote to Darrell Jerome Roylance, born August 23, 1922 in Portland, Oregon while he served in the Navy. She worked at Fort Douglas in the Security and Intelligence Division during World War II. Myrlene and Darrell were married in the Salt Lake City Temple, January 14, 1947. They built their beautiful red-brick home in 1954 where they raised six children. The family vacations included many camping and boating trips together throughout Utah. Darrell was a member of the Sons of the Utah Pioneers, and they attended many informative meetings and dinners. Myrlene and Darrell even went on a trip around the world which was meaningful but exhausting. Myrlene was a lifelong, faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many leadership positions including; Primary President, Primary Secretary and teacher, Work Director in the Relief Society, and Young Women’s Secretary, among others. Myrlene was gifted with a very sweet, kind, and peaceful personality. She was famous for being 99% stable in her emotions and actions. Myrlene was a wonderful and loving mother, never raising her voice or losing her temper. She treated everyone with kindness and concern. She was a true peacemaker. Myrlene adored her grandchildren and was known as their “Snowbird Grandma.” She took many of them for a week to her condo for about thirty years to give their mothers a retreat. They swam, hiked, played games, and became close to cousins. She was always available to anyone who needed her listening ear and was sensitive and careful of their feelings. Her many talents included genealogy, crafts, oil painting, sewing matching dresses for her daughters, and day trading stocks in the stock market. She loved collecting dolls and acquired an extensive collection. She lived at The Ridge at Cottonwood for three years in Assisted Living after selling her lovely home where she lived most of her married life. She enjoyed making puzzles and watching movies in the theater room while eating popcorn. Visits from family made her happy. Myrlene was preceded in death by her husband, Darrell Jerome Roylance; her son, Randall Jerome Roylance (Rose); and her brother Ardell Brown. She is survived by her five daughters: Corinne Allen, Paula Heath (Tom), Shelley Skadal, Heidi Killpack (David), and Holly Knudson (David), and siblings: Reta Bringhurst (Bob), Boyd Brown (Manu), Lloyd Brown (Elise), Margie George, and sister-in-law, Donna Brown. Myrlene adored her 6 children, 22 grandchildren, and 63 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren. Myrlene will be greatly missed by all her family. We are grateful for her righteous life, testimony, and her Christ-like example, and we will look forward to our reunion with her in heaven someday. Viewing and the graveside ceremony will be held for immediate family only. The viewing will be held on Saturday, June 20, from 11:00 to 12:30 at Jenkins-Soffe on 4760 South State Street, Murray, Utah. The graveside ceremony will be held at 1:00 at Mountain View Memorial 3115 E. 7800 S. Cottonwood Heights, Utah. Family members are encouraged to bring a written memory and photo of their family for a memory book.