Marilynn Joy Tingey Marriott

Marilynn Joy Tingey Marriott, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and devoted servant of God, passed away peacefully on July 21, 2026, at the age of 86.

Marilynn was born on November 23, 1939, in Brigham City, Utah, the only child of Russell Byron Tingey and Blythe Evans Tingey. She grew up in a loving home where faith, education, and family were cherished. Her father served in the bishopric, and her mother was a beloved teacher and Primary chorister with a beautiful singing voice. Together, they instilled in Marilynn a deep testimony of Jesus Christ and a lifelong commitment to service. Although she was an only child, Marilynn enjoyed a rich childhood surrounded by cousins who were like sisters to her. Her fondest memories included family picnics in Box Elder Canyon, vacations in Sun Valley, and ice skating in Logan.

Marilynn attended Box Elder Junior High School, where she received the Outstanding Girl Award and served as a student body officer. She graduated from Box Elder High School in the spring of 1958, where she served as editor of the yearbook and cheered in the pep club. In the fall of 1958, Marilynn enrolled at Utah State University in Logan, where she pledged Alpha Chi Omega sorority and lived in the sorority house for the remainder of her college years. During the summer between her junior and senior years, Marilynn was appointed by Senator Frank Moss to serve as an intern in Washington, D.C., providing her with an early introduction to the political world that would later become an important part of her life. She graduated from Utah State University in 1962.

After completing her student teaching in Ogden and Brigham City, Marilynn began her career as a fourth-grade teacher at Bonneville Elementary School in Salt Lake City, where she taught from 1963 to 1967. She was a gifted and caring educator who touched the lives of countless young students during those formative years.

The defining joy of Marilynn’s life was her family. She met David Daniel “Dan” Marriott on a blind date in 1964 while she was teaching at Bonneville Elementary. They hit it off immediately, and Dan later proposed by writing his proposal on a napkin at the Marriott Hot Shops in Salt Lake City. On August 16, 1965, Marilynn and Dan were married in the Salt Lake Temple.

Marilynn devoted herself wholeheartedly to motherhood and family life. She and Dan were blessed with four children: David Russell, Jon Michael, Katherine “Katie” Nicole, and Lindsay Blythe. She ensured that her children participated in sports and other activities and took great pleasure in watching them grow and succeed. She was (and is) the heart of the Marriott home—nurturing, supportive, and steadfast through every season of life.

When Dan was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976, Marilynn became his constant companion and greatest supporter. She gracefully navigated the demands of political life, moving the family to the Washington, D.C., area and supporting Dan through four terms in Congress while raising their children. She traveled with Dan on Congressional delegations throughout the world, visiting Taiwan, the South Pacific, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, always representing their family with warmth, dignity, and grace.

Throughout her life, Marilynn was a devoted and faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served as the Primary President and later as the Young Women’s President in the Monument Park Ward. She and Dan later served together as mission leaders in the South Africa Cape Town Mission, a crowning experience of their shared faith and service. Her quiet faith, gentle spirit, and unwavering devotion to the gospel were felt by all who knew her.

Marilynn cherished her friendships and maintained lifelong bonds with her sorority sisters from Utah State University, her dear cousin Sharon Juber, and the many wonderful families in the neighborhood and ward. She was known for her warmth, her enthusiasm, and her gift for making others feel loved and welcome.

Marilynn is survived by her beloved husband of nearly 61 years, Dan; her four children, David Russell Marriott (Emily), Jon Michael Marriott (Kristen), Katherine “Katie” Nicole Norton (Chris), and Lindsay Blythe Marriott; and grandchildren she adored: Cassie, William, Maddie, Coco, Mason, Max, Jake, Jack, Cooper, Elliot, Dulcinea, and Olivia. She was preceded in death by her parents, Russell Byron Tingey and Blythe Evans Tingey.

Her mother once wrote to her: “May the sweet memories of your childhood; the fun and perplexities of your teenage years; the happiness and success of your college years; the supreme joy of your marriage and motherhood, and the love, peace, and security that you feel each day remain with you always.” Marilynn lived a life that fulfilled every measure of that blessing. She was a woman of faith, grace, and boundless love whose influence will endure for generations through the family she nurtured and the lives she touched.

A viewing will be held on Monday, July 27, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. at the Princeton Ward meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 1005 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, Utah. Funeral services will follow at the same location from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Flowers may be sent to the church or Larkin Mortuary at 260 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah.

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