Patricia (Marsh) Bolliger

Our mom, Patricia Bolliger, was born on March 17, 1935, to Gordon P. Marsh and Bula Elizabeth Jacobs. She passed away on June 29, 2026. Mom was the third of ten children and the first daughter in the family to pass away.

How do you pay tribute to 91 years of life in just a few paragraphs?

Mom married our dad, Eldon, on January 16, 1953. That November, they welcomed their first child. Over the next 19 years, they were blessed with seven children: Gordon, Shelby, Pam, Lyndon, Dustin, Paula, and Tara. In 1999, she lost Lyndon. What a heartbreak. Losing one child is unimaginable, but to lose two more, Tara in 2016 and Dustin in 2018, was unbearable. Nobody really knows the toll it took on her.

After 27 years of marriage, Mom and Dad divorced. They later tried being together again briefly, but it wasn't meant to be. Neither of them remarried. Dad passed away in 2017. Mom often shared that she dreamed about him. In those dreams, he always looked young and handsome and assured her that everything would be fine. We hope their reunion was a joyful one.

When Mom was a child, the family moved frequently. At one point, they lived in what most people would call a log cabin, without electricity, running water, or indoor plumbing. That cabin is now preserved in Pioneer Village at Lagoon in Farmington, Utah, known as the Wanship Cabin. She loved telling stories about coal stoves, washboards, picking produce in the fields with her siblings, and helping her mother can food.

In the summer of 1959, her mother, Bula, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Mom and Dad, along with Gordon, Shelby, and Pam, moved into a small home on the family farm in Lehi so Mom could help care for her. On May 11, 1960, Grandma passed away. Mom was only 25, with three small children and several much younger siblings. It must have been incredibly hard. One little family story always made us smile: Mom and Grandma were pregnant at the same time, not once, but twice.

Mom was blessed with eleven grandchildren: Mya, Devyré, Chalis, Talia, Tycia, Dhari, Dustin, Lexis, Braunz, Bryton, and Ostyn. Her heart grew even more with the arrival of fifteen great-grandchildren: Bergen, Ella, Jais, Dréa, Kellar, Ryder, Fynley, Kannon, Hawkens, Hayes, Avery, Bralie, Zage, Zayden, and Kruz. Then came one more special blessing, her first great-great- grandchild. In June 2025, Grey was born. She lovingly called him her "Tinker Bug."

A few memories:

Gordon: I enjoyed dancing with mom while listening to Elvis music. Mya: She made my wedding dress and my veil. Chalis: My favorite memory was watching Barbra Streisand movies with her. Talia: I'm not sure how long it will take for me to hear my phone ring and not think, "Its Grandma." Whenever I answered, she'd always begin with, "Is this my granddaughter Talia Lewis?" I never knew if she was calling to ask for more Ovaltine or just to find out what sports were on TV that night. She loved telling me how the other ladies couldn't understand why she enjoyed sports so much, but she didn't mind. They didn't have to. She thought it was fun to cheer for the Golden State Warriors, even when they played the Jazz. We always talked about the movies she loved, and she wanted to make sure I'd seen them too. Robert Redford films, Hallmark movies, and anything with Sandra Bullock were favorites. She especially loved The Proposal, so on my last day sitting beside her, I made sure it was playing. I can't believe it's been more than 30 years since she taught me the art of wrapping the perfect present when we worked at Juliette's together. As crocheting, doing chores, and even rearranging things around her apartment became more difficult, she often wondered how she would fill her days. But she always ended those conversations by saying, "But I love life." I'll miss those phone calls, but every time my phone rings, I'll think of her. Dhari: One of my favorite memories is how Grandma would pull me in close and tell me how handsome my husband is, that he looks just like Hugh Jackman, and how lucky I am. It made me smile every single time. Dustin: I have so many good memories of Grandma stopping Ostyn and me from doing something we probably shouldn't have been doing. She was always watching out for us, making sure we followed the rules and stayed safe. At the time, I'm sure we didn't always appreciate it, but looking back, she saved us from getting hurt more than a few times. Those are memories I'll always smile about. Lexis: I'll never forget the story Mom told me about how she discovered Grandma hated sunflowers. She had my baby pictures taken. I was in a sunflower dress surrounded by sunflowers. When she showed Grandma the photos, Grandma smiled and said, "Deedee, these are so cute but why did you choose sunflowers? Makes me chuckle. Braunz: One of my favorite memories of Grandma is how eager she always was to talk about the Savior, the gospel, and her love for the church. She never failed to remind me how much my Savior loved me. Whenever we talked, she had a way of making me feel like I was the most important person in the world at that moment. Bryton: When I worked at a barbershop downtown, Grandma lived across the street. Whenever she needed a haircut, I'd walk over, bring her to the shop, and cut her hair. She became a favorite of all the barbers. One time I cut it a little shorter than usual, but she told me she loved it. Speaking of her grandchildren, Mom loved every one of them deeply.

Mom shared an especially close bond with her granddaughter Talia. Talia became her source of comfort and security. If Mom didn't approve of something one of us kids had said or done, she'd call Talia and lovingly "tattle" on us. Talia helped with so many of Mom's daily needs, made sure she never ran out of Ovaltine or ice cream, and even left handwritten instructions on how to use the TV remote. The messages and voicemails Talia has saved are truly priceless.

A special thank you also to her sons-in-law, Dyke, Dave, and Pedro. Thank you for being there for Mom and for all of us, through the happy times and the hard ones.

Mom was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loved the gospel with all her heart. When she could no longer attend church in person, she faithfully watched Music and the Spoken Word every Sunday morning. One Sunday, Braunz and his family came to visit. Mom had dressed in her Sunday best and had carefully pulled two kitchen chairs into the living room so everyone would have a place to sit. Braunz and Kruz read passages from one of her favorite church books, and the time they spent together meant so much to her. She also treasured gathering with her brothers and sisters during general conference weekends to enjoy good food and visit. Her sense of humor never faded. At one point, she jokingly told Talia she couldn't have a boyfriend because she didn't want her to lose her temple recommend.

Watching Mom work with fabric and yarn was nothing short of amazing. To call her talented hardly does her justice. She sewed for family, friends, and neighbors, and every project reflected the pride she took in her work. Her stitches were meticulous, her finished creations were beautiful. Among her most treasured sewing projects were Shelby's wedding dress and most of the bridal party's attire, Pam's wedding pantsuit, Paula's wedding dress, and later her granddaughter Mya's wedding dress. Mya even sent her gown back East to be professionally preserved, where those handling it remarked on the exceptional craftsmanship. Crocheting was another gift she generously shared. She created intricate doilies, colorful dishcloths, and tiny hats for premature babies that she donated to the University of Utah Hospital, scarves, and countless beautiful blankets. She always seemed happiest when she was making something for someone she loved. When macular degeneration began affecting her eyesight, every stitch became more difficult. That loss was hard for her because she wanted every handmade gift to be perfect. If you were fortunate enough to receive something she made with her own hands, treasure it always.

Some of Mom's favorite musicians included Glenn Miller, Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, Hank Snow, Patsy Cline, the Sons of the Pioneers, and Barbra Streisand. In her later years, she especially enjoyed listening to Vince Gill.

Mom loved both football and basketball. She was a devoted Pittsburgh Steelers fan, largely because she admired wide receiver Lynn Swann. She thought it was fascinating that he had taken ballet lessons to improve his athletic ability. For years, a Steelers garbage can sat in her sewing room, faithfully collecting fabric scraps. She also loved to say, "Stockton to Malone," and often commented that today's players didn't have the same work ethic as those two. In more recent years, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors became her favorite team. She would often call and ask, "Did you see Steph with his kids on the court?"

Christmas was one of Mom's favorite times of year. While money was often tight with seven children, Mom and Dad always made Christmas special. Decorating the tree was something she especially loved doing by herself. It was her tradition, and she looked forward to it every year.

For many years, Mom thought reading was a waste of time. But once she discovered the joy of books, she became an avid reader. She found that reading helped her relax and forget, for a little while, about everything she thought needed to be done. Her favorite authors included Debbie Macomber, Richard Paul Evans, and Nicholas Sparks.

Mom could also laugh at herself. She often joked that she had "Dumbo ears" and would say, "I don't need a car—my ears will get me anywhere I need to go." In later years, she became self-conscious about the wrinkles on her arms and would sometimes comment on how hairy they were. We would gently remind her that every wrinkle told the story of a life well lived and that she had earned every one of them.

A few other things Mom loved included babies, her stuffed dog Sassy, nice men's shoes (she said you could tell a lot about a man by his shoes), playing Chinese Rummy, Mya's yearly calendars, and above all, spending time with family. Some of her favorite foods were malt Ovaltine—never chocolate—Tillamook ice cream, homemade jumbo raisin cookies, Werther's Original caramels, Classic Coke in the small glass bottles, roast with potatoes and homemade gravy, pineapple pudding with lemon sauce made in an old lard can, Simply Peach and cranberry juice, warm water, Heath bars, tomato soup, and a flavorful enchilada with just a little kick.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who helped care for Mom throughout the years—her grandchildren, their spouses, her brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews, friends, and everyone else who showed her kindness. Your love and support meant more than you know, and we are deeply grateful.

We celebrated Mom's life with a small graveside service on Thursday, July 7, 2026, at Sandy City Cemetery. The day was warm, and the beautiful shade trees provided a peaceful setting. She was laid to rest beside Lyndon, near the tall pine trees. Her two oldest grandsons, Braunz and Bryton, graciously helped lead the service. Braunz conducted, and Bryton read a touching poem written by Paula. We listened to "How Great Thou Art," sung by her late brother Duane in a recording made in 2005. Afterward, anyone who wished was invited to share a memory or a few words. Heartfelt stories and loving tributes were shared by family and friends. Bronze then dedicated her grave with a beautiful and inspiring prayer. To close the service, each person gently placed a bright rose—among them her favorite colors, purple and yellow—one by one upon her casket. Several treasured keepsakes were placed with Mom: family photographs, her stuffed dog Sassy, a container of Ovaltine, a box of Kleenex, a Vince Gill CD, and perhaps her favorite of all, a magazine with Steph Curry on the cover, lovingly given to her by her granddaughter Dhari.

Mom was preceded in death by the father of her children, Eldon, her sons Lyndon and Dustin, her daughter Tara, her parents, and her brothers Duane and Larry. She is survived by her son, Gordon, her daughters, Shelby (Pedro), Pam (Dave), and Paula (Dyke), her beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchild, and her siblings Bette, Joe, Nola, Jacque, Russell, Holly, and Peggy.

Finally, we'd like to leave you with the words Mom repeated often during the last few months: "I'm doing the best I can." No matter what your relationship with Mom was, or how you may have understood her, we hope you'll always remember this simple truth: she did the best she could. We love you, Mom, and we will miss you always!