One of the kindest people, Marilyn Stobbe Clayton, passed away peacefully in the early morning of January 14, 2020 in Rexburg, Idaho, where she had lived in a wonderful care facility for a year. Marilyn was an identical twin with her sister, Mary Lou. They were born November 3rd, 1932 in Salt Lake City to German immigrant parents Dr. L.H.O. and Augusta Stobbe, and grew up in the lovely family home at 1229 East South Temple. Marilyn graduated from East High School, and married Robert Ellis Clayton in 1950 in the Salt Lake temple, sealed by Elder Mark E. Peterson. They lived in Emigration Canyon, Holiday, and Price before leaving Utah for 19 years. They lived in Pleasant Hill, California; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Houston, Texas; Roswell, New Mexico; and Meeker, Colorado before returning to their hometown of Salt Lake in 1983.
Marilyn was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and served with love and compassion as an early morning Seminary teacher for 17 years, in numerous Young Women callings, and as Stake Young Women's President in 3 different stakes. At girls camps over the years, she drew the portraits of hundreds of young women. She had a knack for bringing in the lonely and the lost, and touched countless young lives. An artist, Marilyn painted the huge backdrop painting of the Oakland, California Temple used for many years in the Oakland Temple Pageant.
Marilyn is survived by one sibling, Shirley Ann Goodrich of Draper, Utah, and by all five children ‚ Carley Clayton of Mesquite, Nevada; Marilee Christensen of Idaho Falls, Idaho; Rosalee Clayton of Idaho Falls; Robert William Clayton of Rexburg, Idaho; and William Stobbe Clayton of West Jordan, Utah. Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Robert Ellis Clayton, her brother Dr. Joseph W. Stobbe of Salt Lake City, and sisters Evelyn Low of Provo, Utah and twin sister Mary Lou Lyman Benson of Murray, Utah.
Her funeral will be Saturday, January 18 at 10:00 in her old ward at 2255 South Wasatch Drive East in Salt Lake City. At her request, there will be no viewing. She will be interred in the Midway, Utah cemetery alongside her husband, Robert.
In lieu of flowers or cards, please do an act of kindness for a young woman in your neighborhood, congregation, or family.
