Marcia Eliason Obituary (1937 - 2016)

Obituary for Marcia Carol Eliason (Knight) MARCIA CAROL KNIGHT ELIASON Marcia Carol Knight Eliason passed away on September 26th at home in Provo, Utah at age 79 as a result of suffering two strokes. She was born April 9, 1937 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Roy Vernon Knight and Norma Louise Foulger Knight. She was raised in a household of love and gospel teachings and has always been close to her two brothers and sister. She was a descendant of Joseph Knight Sr., a friend of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who supplied food and writing materials for the translation of the Book of Mormon. She has always been grateful for those who have gone before with such faith and sacrifice for the gospel of Jesus Christ. She studied violin and piano as a young girl and enjoyed dance and sports. She graduated from East High School in 1955 and from the University of Utah in 1959 with a Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education in Business. She affiliated with Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and met her husband, Ronald Smith Eliason, in July 1956, 12 days after his return from the British Mission. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on September 4th, 1958 by Marion G. Romney, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the grandfather of one of Ron’s friends. Marcia was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and enjoyed serving in leadership and teaching positions in the auxiliary organizations. She served as Stake Relief Society President in two stakes and as a Ward Relief Society President. She also served in Primary and Young Women callings and other Relief Society callings all of her adult life. She loved serving a full time mission with her husband in the Provo Missionary Training Center and enjoyed the weekly devotionals with general authorities who spoke at the MTC. She loved her associations with the young missionaries as her husband served in branch presidencies for four years. The Eliasons are the parents of four daughters Patricia Kay Shumway, Susan Lynne Eliason, Catherine Carol Hendricks, and Rebecca Ann Rhees, and one son, David Knight Eliason, grandparents of David, Layton, Meagan, Bryan, and Jonathan Shumway; Liam, Ethan, Zoe, and Wyatt Hendricks; Jacob, Zach, Luke, and Lily Eliason; and Kate, Ian, and Olivia Rhees; and their six great grand children, Ethan, Jane, Cole, and Miles Shumway; and Audyn and Ruby Harris. Marcia enjoyed reading, choir and quartet singing. The quartet consisted of Marcia, Liz Schreyer Moss, Liz Stallins Christenson, and Valerie Jackman. They sang at church services around the Salt Lake Valley and at the ZCMI Mall at Christmas time. They are lifelong friends. She also enjoyed sewing and quilting. Much of her handiwork was for her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was amazed at the creative abilities of each of her children and loved and admired the talents they developed. She especially enjoyed the monthly birthday dinners where all the family would gather and enjoy good food, friendships, games and support for one another. They were happy times. She was preceded in death by her parents Vern and Norma Knight and by her brother-in-law, Leon Gourdin. She is survived by her husband, Ron, her children, Pattie Shumway, Susan Eliason, Catherine (Brad) Hendricks, David (Shayne Hemsley) Eliason, and Rebecca (Randall) Rhees, and her sister Janice (Leon) Gourdin, her brother Darrell (Nancy) Knight and her brother Gordon (Kathryn) Knight. A viewing will be held at the Nelson Family Mortuary on Friday October 7th at 4780 North University Ave, Provo from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Saturday October 8th at 11:00 a.m. with a viewing that morning at 9:30 a.m. at Nelson Family Mortuary. A video of the funeral service will be available on the Nelson Family Mortuary website for those who are unable to attend the funeral and for others who wish to view it.