Marlene Hutchings

Marlene Hutchings passed away peacefully at her daughter Bonnie Loveland’s home in the early morning hours of November 10, 2025, after spending the weekend with all 6 of her children and all 19 grandchildren. Marlene’s greatest joys were her children and grandchildren, and she was happiest when she was with them.

Marlene had a sweet, peaceful spirit that calmed those around her. She carried herself with dignity and a firm reliance on Jesus Christ. Her father passed away when she was 13 years old, and she always said this was a formative moment in her life that inspired her to cling to Jesus Christ from then on. She always sought peace in Him and a hope that one day she would see her daddy and be with him again. She sought to emulate Jesus Christ in everything she did, and her far-reaching example and influence drew many people closer to Christ. She loved listening to conference talks at home and anywhere she went in the car, and when she wasn’t listening to conference, she was playing her favorite Tabernacle Choir albums. She inspired many throughout her life, individually and quietly, and made a lasting impact on everyone who knew her. She served two senior missions: one in Mallorca, Spain, and another as a Pioneer Trek service missionary on a church-owned ranch near Evanston, Wyoming.

Marlene cherished beauty and refinement, but she was also a child at heart. She loved flowers, mountains, art, fashion, and decorating her home with fine things; she also loved anything Disney and was known to leave her Christmas tree up year-round. Two of her favorite places were Temple Square and Disneyland. She was a serious leader in her family and at church, but she loved to laugh and stay up well past midnight with her kids—often until she fell asleep on the couch and had to be woken up to go to bed.

Marlene loved animals and was very fond of reminiscing about her time as a little girl on her family’s ranch in Mountain Home, Utah, where she would talk with the cows and play with the horses and other livestock. Despite moving away from Mountain Home at a young age, she always retained a love for animals—especially horses, cats, and dogs. Her pets and those of her children gravitated toward her when she was in the room, and there was nothing quite like the tangible calm that filled the room as she pet the animals and talked with them in her soft-spoken voice.

Marlene loved to ponder and write, and she had beautiful penmanship. She authored an article in the New Era which she titled “Wild Horses Can’t Keep Me Away” (later renamed “I Chose the Sabbath”, New Era, June 2004 https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2004/06/i-chose-the-sabbath?lang=eng). This article discussed a difficult moment shortly after her father’s death, where she decided to forego a chance to ride horses on a Sunday morning. She knew it was more important for her to be at church, even though her father could no longer take her and she had to make the difficult decision to go alone. She also authored and published two books in recent years: “Morals Matter” and “Choices: Will They Exalt Me… or Halt Me?”

Marlene loved to cook. She had many cookbooks and could often be found looking through them. She loved music and taught herself to play the piano at a young age. Later in life, she took lessons in violin and harp. She loved to sing hymns. She passed on this love of music to many of her children and grandchildren.

Marlene also loved to learn. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in Marriage, Family, and Human Development and a Medical Assisting Certificate from LDS Business College (later renamed Ensign College). She was always looking for opportunities to learn and rarely missed BYU Education Week.

Marlene considered motherhood her greatest accomplishment in life. Everything she did was for her children and grandchildren. She worked throughout her life to create a safe, loving, peaceful, spiritual place for her children to call home. Even after her children moved away, eventually marrying and building their own families, she strived to maintain and provide that safe space for them all to come home to and enjoy together.

Marlene is survived by her six children: Bonnie Loveland (Brady), David Nolte (Jessica), Michael Nolte (Diana), Daniel “Joey” Nolte (Caitlin), Matthew “Matt” Nolte (Elise), Brittney Allen (Tyler), and 19 grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Lenore “Noni” Hazelgren Benson (Jay), her brother, Darryl Hazelgren (Midge), as well as extended family and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Henry LeRoy Hazelgren and Dorothy Lenore Hazelgren, and sisters Sharon Geniel Hazelgren Saldivar and Lisa Ann Hazelgren Meyers.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, with a viewing beforehand at 10 a.m., at the South Mountain Sixth Ward meetinghouse, 1911 E. Gray Fox Drive, Draper, Utah. A viewing will also be held the night before, 6-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Millcreek, Utah.

For those who have asked about helping with funeral expenses, contributions may be sent via Venmo to: @MattNolte2.