Marjorie Louise Beck Powis

She grew up in La Paloma Apartments on North State Street. She often reminisced about her close childhood friend, Beth Wilson, whom she spent hours playing with in Memory Grove Park, at the mouth of City Creek Canyon, literally in her backyard. As a child, she would also play on the grounds of the Utah State Capitol building and even boasted of climbing inside its dome without supervision or permission.

In the 1920s and 30s, Utah enjoyed a growing diverse culture of immigrants from more than 30 countries. An outgoing friend to everyone, she enjoyed schoolmates from various nationalities and ethnicities; several of her friends were from Japan, Greece, and other countries. She embraced diversity and culture her entire life.

As a young girl, she remembers tripping and falling while walking home from school. With a bleeding head wound, her friend stopped by a police station while Marjorie received first aid from an officer after being knocked unconscious. Her parents would learn of this later.

Her dad, Herbert Frank Beck, supported the family as a dedicated railroad man who worked as a freight inspector for the Denver and Rio Grand Railroad (D&RG) for over 50 years. The Rio Grande Depot, where he worked with its high-arched windows, is still historically significant. In those days, it had a telegraph office, snack bar, and many amenities.

Her loving mother was Pearl Blair from St. George, Utah, who dedicated her life to Marjorie's care. She remembers the long ringlets her mother would curl around her fingers, getting her dressed and ready. Although she was mostly a stay-at-home mom, Pearl worked at the Remington Arms Company, manufacturing bullets to support the World War II effort in the 1940s.

She was close to her mom. When she was widowed in 1978, Marjorie invited her to move into her home. There, she lived happily until her passing in 1990 at age 90. Marjorie wrote of her mother, "Pearl was blessed with a rare and provocative sense of humor, a constant delight to all fortunate enough to know her."

She remembers walking everywhere with her parents and enjoying sitting with her dad at the lunch counters in Auerbach’s and Woolworth’s. They would eat Morrison’s Original Scottish Meat Pies or some other delicious treat.

Her grandfather was Johannes Heinrick Beck, a well-known figure in Utah's history. He achieved great success and significant losses, discovering the Bullion-Beck mine and establishing Utah's Pioneer Beet Sugar plant. Additionally, he created the Saratoga Springs Resort in Lehi and founded Beck's Hot Springs. He organized the Utah Asphalt & Gilsonite Company and many other notable business ventures. Marjorie loved to tell people that her grandfather once owned the historic Lion House (a notable LDS church landmark made famous by Brigham Young) and that he helped the church financially. She even produced old newspaper articles for friends and family to prove it.

She loved talking about Horace Mann Jr. High’s ballroom dancing partner, little Tommy Monson, who did not have sweaty hands. He would later become the 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mom continued to call him Tommy instead of President Monson at public events.

Marjorie attended West High School in Salt Lake City, graduating in 1944. A quick look at Marjorie’s yearbook indicates she was involved in many things: Leaders Club, Ice Skating Club, Publicity Committee, The Red & Black Staff, and The Panther Tennis Club.

After High School, she worked in the credit department at the Paris Company Department Store in downtown Salt Lake City. Her supervisor encouraged her to save enough money to attend the University of Utah. So, she put herself through college, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree, which she was very proud of. She was a lifelong artist using several mediums and was tutored by famous artists like Arvid Fairbanks, LeConte Stewart, Mabel Frazer, Alvin Gittins, and Arnold Friberg. After graduating, Marjorie worked at the University of Utah Photographic Bureau, where she developed a love of photography.

After college, she wed Chauncey George Powis. They married on September 17th, 1949, at the Chapel of Transfiguration, a small log chapel in Grand Teton National Park, Moose, Wyoming. The chapel window frames the view of the much-photographed Cathedral Group of peaks. The chapel is a favorite gathering place for family still to this day. (Marjorie called it their temple in the Tetons.) They bought a home together in 1953 and lived there until they died. Marjorie and Chauncey celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary one month before our dad’s passing in October last year.

They had three sons: Chauncey George Powis, Jr., Christopher "Kit" Richard Powis, and Shaun Herbert Powis.

Marjorie had a lifelong love of serving in many organizations, which included the Utah State PTA (photographer), Cub Scouts (Den Mother), and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) as a docent for 37 years. In a recent email from UMFA, they said the following, “We are deeply grateful for all that she contributed to so many students in our community, for the impression she has left on the museum, and for the warmth, wit, wisdom, and kindness she brought to us.”

Marjorie’s hobbies included skiing, golf, and tennis. But her favorites were Japanese Sumie (ink kanji painting), pottery, oil painting, watercolor, and being a museum docent. She also took cello lessons and joined The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and helped her husband, Chauncey, who endured several health challenges, including cancer. She recently adopted his most repeated phrase, "Be of good cheer!" She would use that phrase with hospice caregivers and friends who have visited over the past many months.

Oeke Beuk, a treasured friend and neighbor, grew close to Mom after losing her husband, Jack, over a decade ago. She visited Mom nearly daily for over a year and a half. Her list of friends and regular visitors was extensive, most of whom considered her family. We wish they could all be named in her eulogy.

She passed away at home on March 8th, with family present, including several grandchildren and great-grandchildren who were holding her hands for hours as she stepped into the next life. She is sorely missed by her three sons, including their spouses, Sandi Gaydon Powis, Shawn Kelly, and Cherie Dunford Powis, and her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren listed in the program. Majorie lived life to the fullest.