Marian Holmgren Cheney Baldwin, 100, passed away peacefully December 16, 2023 because her body grew too old. She was at the home of her son, Pete, with children and grandchildren. She was two-weeks shy of her 101st birthday. Her mind, spirit and spunk never did seem to age.
Marian was born on New Year’s Day, 1923 in Bear River City, Utah to Lydia Holmgren and Harold Taylor Cheney. She loved celebrating her birthday on a holiday, but it took her many years to get over having to share it on a day so otherwise devoted to football games.
Marian grew up in Sheridan, Wyoming, where she was the drum majorette in the band at Sheridan High School. Her family moved to Missoula, Montana where she began her junior year at Missoula High School. Following graduation, she attended the University of Montana in Missoula where she was a cheerleader and began her life-long involvement with the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. The family moved to Salt Lake City in 1943 and following the war she married her next-door neighbor and brother-in-law, Ernest F. Baldwin, Jr, who was later appointed as a judge in the Third Judicial District Court of Utah. Her sister Adell had married Ernie’s brother Jack. Marian loved telling people that her children and Adell’s were “double cousins.”
Marian is survived by her four children, Cathy Baldwin; Dr. Ernest F. (Pete) III and Barbara; John C. and Diane, of Salt Lake City; and Dr. James D. (Sam) and Cindy of West Lafayette, Indiana. Or, as she would say, “Cathy, Peter, James and John.” She had 19 grandchildren and 41 great- grandchildren. She was a loyal mother and a relentless car pooler to school, football, basketball, baseball, swimming, skiing and friends. Her children were the pride of her life and she honestly believed that they could do no wrong. She loved her afternoon naps.
Marian sat for twenty years with great devotion by her husband and friends at University of Utah football games on the 26th row of the 50 yard-line on the west side. She never quite figured out the rules but loved the pageantry and conversation. Marian was committed to her friends, deeply involved in community service, and had an innate sense of organization and administration. She served as the Kappa Kappa Gamma Province Director of Alumnae and the Chapter Advisor at the Utah chapter. She sat on the boards of the Utah Symphony and Ballet Guild, was President of the YWCA Board, and helped spearhead efforts to retain the façade of the downtown ZCMI store in Salt Lake City when developers were about to discard it to build the new mall. She taught Sunday School, Primary and Relief Society in her Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wards, was a perennial home-room mother, and served as the president of the PTA’s at Ensign Elementary, Bryant Jr. and East High School. She was proudly involved in the Sigma Chi Mother’s Club at the U for over a decade.
A private graveside service will be held for close family. Please, don’t send flowers. Take a nap.
