Marjorie Jean Egan Pearson

died peacefully in the early hours of April 12, 2023 due to complications from a long illness.

Marjorie was born on May 21, 1933 in Salt Lake City, Utah to John Perry and Julia Atwood Egan. She married Edwin S. Pearson Jr. on September 21, 1954. Later divorced. She was a wonderful mom to, and is survived by, her two children, Dane Edwin (Wendy) and Shelly Jeanne Christensen (Kent). She loved and was loved in return by her numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, and nieces Marie Davis and Sherie Spradling. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her only sister, Mary Louise Kirk.

Marjorie attended East High School and the University of Utah where she graduated with a bachelors degree in early childhood education and affiliated with Alpha Chi Omega sorority. During her college years, she worked summers at the North Rim Lodge at Grand Canyon, where she loved hiking the canyons and rafting the Colorado River, making many lifelong friendships along the way. She began her professional career in Salt Lake City directing several local pre-school programs, later returning to the “U” to earn her Masters degree. She then joined the faculty at the college of nursing, where she developed the curriculum for the Life Study lab and early child development undergraduate coursework. She went on to be the director of the Salt Lake branch of Columbia College, then returned to a faculty position at University of Utah where she was much loved by students and staff, teaching until retiring in her seventies. She served faithfully as an elected member of the Board of Directors of the University of Utah Credit Union (now UFirst Credit Union) for over 30 years and valued her association with her fellow board members.

Marj spent many happy years going to family cabins on the banks of the Smith Morehouse river above Oakley Utah, her beloved “Windy Ridge” near Coalville, Utah, and Island Park, Idaho. She racked up thousands of miles exploring in her Volkswagen campers and Toyota Land Cruisers, especially the Oregon coast and Pacific Northwest. She enjoyed many trips with business colleagues, family members, and friends throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. For over sixty years she treasured all the friends in her beloved monthly bridge club, and kept them close right up to the end of her life.

She was fiercely independent, and lived in her own home on her own terms right up until the very end. She loved tending and sharing the harvest from her beautiful vegetable garden and hosting summer parties for cherished friends and family in her screen porch. Her cooking was legendary, whether it was her deluxe version of a sack lunch, one of her flawless pies, or an elegant sit down dinner with the finest china and silver and all the trimmings.

Marjorie was very well read, wrote beautiful poetry, was an avid sports fan, and stayed endlessly curious about life. She will be remembered by all who knew and loved her for her keen insight and wisdom, her unfailing generosity, her meticulous commitment to responsibility, and her witty sense of humor.

At mom’s specific request, our family would like to acknowledge with great love the tender care and faithful service of Ben Richards and all the other wonderful neighbors and friends who have been so generous with their kindness. We were especially blessed with caregivers April and Aaron, who served her so lovingly for years, as well as a team of wonderful hospice professionals who made her final days as comfortable as possible.

Funeral services will be held Monday April 17 at 11:00 AM at Wasatch Lawn mortuary where the family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Interment Wasatch Lawn cemetery.