Marilyn "Chrissie" Joan Malarkey's Obituary
Marilyn Joan "Chrissie" Malarkey, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and sister passed away on September 30, 2019 from complications from Alzheimer's. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 12, 1932 to Clarence Herbert Cutting, Jr. and Alta Rebecca Jensen.
She spent her early life in Salt Lake City and loved spending time outdoors, riding horses with her father and with her grandpa on the farm. Her family moved to northern California and she graduated from San Leandro High School and then attended the University of Utah. She later attended American River College as an adult student in Social Science.
As a young adult, Chris had many adventures including, working as a stewardess for Frontier Airlines, living and working in San Francisco for the C&H Sugar Company, taking a job as the Betty Crocker Gal, and placing runner up in the Miss Universe contest in Utah.
Just after high school she married John A. Mauvais in 1952. They lived in the East Bay Area of California and had a daughter, Michelle in 1955. She then had a second daughter, Yvette with Michael F. DeLany in 1960. And then married William L. Smith in 1963 where they lived in San Jose, California and had her third daughter, Allison in 1965. In 1968, decided to take her girls to paradise and spent the next 6 years in Hawaii where she worked in hotel and restaurant management. She continued raising her children and expanding her career in Scottsdale, Palm Springs, Newport Beach, Lake Tahoe and in the San Francisco Bay Area. She then met and married Terrence M. Malarkey in 1979 and was sealed to him in the Portland Oregon Temple in 1991. They enjoyed life in Hillsborough, California and Jacksonville, Oregon where she embraced domestic life and delighted in gardening, canning and cooking elaborate dinners for those she loved who visited often. Many years after Terry's passing, she returned to Utah and met Parley Art Clement. He hired her to partner with him in the retirement community management industry and they fell in love.
She had a unique love of all people, especially children, both her children and grandchildren and ANY other children around! They brought her pure joy! When Chris walked into a room, her warmth and love were tangible. She sought to include those who felt excluded. She sought to convey love and acceptance to all around her. She embodied the mantra "when you walk, let your heart lead the way."
Chris spent the latter years of her life in Sacramento and Utah where she continued to bring light and love to all around her! She will be greatly missed and ever remembered as a beautiful soul and a Renaissance Woman.
Chris is survived by her children, Michelle (Joe), Yvette, and Allison (Russell), 8 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by three sisters, Stephanie Ex, Valarie (Robert) Guymon and Victoria (Steven) Birchall, and may nieces and nephews who adore her.
We would like to give special heartfelt thanks to all of the nurses, aides and other staff at The Seville and A-Plus Hospice for the kindness and tender care given to Chris throughout her time with them.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday, October 3, 2019, 11:00 a.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 114 South 400 West, Orem, Utah. We welcome friends and family to visit together at 10:00 a.m. that morning.
Additional services to follow in the Sacramento Area on October 26, 2019. Specific address will be announced hereafter.
***UPDATE: California Funeral Services for family and friends will be held Saturday, October 26, 2019 at 10:00 AM on Temple Hill in the Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2100 California Circle, Rancho Cordova, CA (very close to Sacramento). We will have a gathering from 9:00-9:45 AM for visiting with family, and video of Chris's life. We invite friends and family to attend if possible. Family prayer will be given at 9:50 just before funeral begins.
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