Marlys Lee Greenfield

Marlys Lee Greenfield, age 88, of Cedar City, Utah passed away peacefully, on Monday, September 5, 2022. Marlys was born March 18, 1934. Marlys was preceded in death by her husband (Charlie), a daughter (Julie), a son (John), a sister (Lois), and three grandchildren (Brandi, Todd, Dana Jr.) She is survived by two children (Shane and Christie), 6 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, one brother (Gary), and many nieces and nephews.

A visitation for Marlys will be held Tuesday, September 20, 2022 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Palm Eastern Mortuary, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Following the visitation will be a graveside service at 11:00 AM at Palm Eastern Cemetery, 7600 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123.

Mom was born in March, 1934 in Tacoma, Washington

Her father worked in Sawmills all of her young life. This required a couple of moves to Portland and then back again. She was a shy girl and moving was hard on her. Imagine that, moving was hard on her and she married into the Air Force which required a great deal of moving around.

Mom developed a love of books and reading at a very young age, a passion she carried her entire life. Another favorite activity as a young girl, was roller skating. It was at a roller-skating rink where she met Dad. They were married in 1954, and went on to raise 4 children, Julie, Shane, Christie, and John.

Mom was not raised in a Church going family, but she was always a searcher and had settled on a Methodist Church before meeting Dad. Dad was raised in an Adventist home. Once mom studied and read the truth of the Sabbath she was baptized in the Adventist Church. Her search was over, she had found her home.

Being an Air Force wife was hard. Constantly relocating, uprooting kids, changing schools. Long trips across country in cars with no a/c and 4 kids. She persevered and brought us up in an Adventist home.

Mom worked different jobs when she could. Once we moved to Las Vegas in 1972, she started driving a school bus/van for Las Vegas Junior Academy in exchange for Christie’s tuition. She drove that van for 3 years. 15 kids, and 15 different stops across town. Later on, she worked for Child Haven as a teacher’s assistant. She loved that job and the kids.

The Air Force enabled her to see quite a bit of the United States, and England. After Dad left the service, they went to Saudi Arabia for work with Northrup. They, along with my brother John, saw many countries in Europe and the Middle East.

Mom suffered great family tragedies. The loss of three grandchildren, two children, a husband, and a sister. These losses tormented her and caused her great heartache. She is survived by two children, 6 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, one brother, and many nieces and nephews.

Mom moved from Las Vegas to Cedar City three years ago. The changes were hard for her, she really missed her Church family, but she also knew she needed to be closer to her two remaining children, and they were in Utah. She adjusted slowly and before she left us she was starting to enjoy the beauty and climate of Southern Utah.

Mom had unwavering Faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ. She was the spiritual rock in our family. She is the witness and the reason, second to Jesus, that her family will see her again. We were truly blessed. She was a gift. She only wanted for one thing….the return of Jesus, and her family to be prepared to meet Him with her.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmeastern.com for the Greenfield family.

I have always known, that unless Jesus came very soon, I would be burying my mother. It is a reality I had to accept. It was an honor and a privilege to be her caregiver, her confidant, and her daughter. I did not want to talk about losing her. I avoided the topic. Changed the subject when she brought it up.

Mom went to bed on September 4th, fully intending to greet the next day. Her clothes were folded neatly and set out. Her prayer box was open, ready to pray for the next person on her list during morning devotions. A jar of boiled sugar water for the hummingbirds was set to cool on the kitchen counter. She was not ill. Earlier in the evening, Aella and I visited, and she was in good spirits and feeling well. Sometime in the early morning hours, she passed.

England buried a Queen yesterday. Today, our family buries our Matriarch. I know, our loss is greater, but with our loss - comes victory in Jesus.

Mom has a brother, my Uncle Gary, who adored her. His heart is broken. He and my cousins are here in spirit today as they could not make the trip from Washington.

Mom had a stack of index cards labeled for specific people, with prayers and promises written on them. Every day she would reach in and get a new card. Many people here today, have a card in that box. Labor Day she was preparing to pray for Pastor Neat. I am particularly blessed because as one of her children, I know she prayed for me every day. I do have a card with my name on it, so I must have received special prayers that day. I fully believe that the reason I am still alive today, is because my mother prayed for me - every day.

She was my personal prayer warrior. I feel less invincible, more fragile, without her here.

Such a beautiful person. Gracious, kind, concerned and compassionate. Words that all describe her, but somehow are just not enough. Always ready with a prayer and a word of encouragement. Christ-like character and more integrity than this world could hold.

100 times a day, I want to pick up the phone to share something I just thought of, to ask her opinion about something, or just to find out what is heavy on her heart. She comforted me, and I comforted her. When she was discouraged or confused – worried sick about something, I would remind her, as she would remind me, that prayer is always the answer. Together, we witnessed many answers to prayer.

Mom did not want to die, but she also did not want to be here anymore. She was tired. 4 days before she passed, she told me she had never been afraid of dying, but lately she was a little scared of it. I asked why, of course, and she told me she was concerned about the process. What was dying going to feel like? She was concerned about what would happen physically. I said to her, “Like when I was 8 ½ months pregnant with my only child and all of the sudden I realized there was going to be labor and delivery and pain and I got scared and thought – I can’t do this!!” We shared a laugh, and she said, well, yes, kind of like that.

I will miss her every single day of the rest of my life. I feel shattered and lost. I also feel privileged to be her daughter. To have had her for as long as I did.

May we so live to enjoy the day when the Lord may say to us, as in Matthew 25:21, “ Well done, thou good and faithful servant. …………………. enter thou into the joy of the Lord.”

---- Christie Greenfield-Cooper