Marion Lucas Dye

Marion Lucas Dye was born on June 22,1925 in Laramie Wyoming to George John Lucas and Maude Amanda Cook. She was the middle daughter of three (older sister Leslie Elizbeth and younger sister Nancy Georgene). The family moved to Ogden, Utah when Marion was five. Her father was employed as a railroad engineer for Union Pacific based in Ogden.

Marion graduated from Ogden High in 1943. After graduation she worked at Hill Field Air Force Base outside of Ogden. The air base served as a prisoner of war camp for Italian and German prisoners. Marion found that experience very interesting; she enjoyed chatting with the Italian prisoners, who were very friendly (and homesick, of course).

After the war, Marion and her sisters moved to Los Angeles, where they all attended Woodbury Business College. They lived together in a large room in a boarding house and very much enjoyed getting to know Los Angeles and swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

While at Woodbury College, Marion met her future husband, Ben P. Dye. He was a veteran of the US Army, who participated in the Italian campaign and was a prisoner in a German POW camp for six months (he was liberated in April 1945). Ben studied accounting at Woodbury. He was an excellent accounting student, but he hated writing essays for his other classes. Marion helped him out by writing most of his essays!

Ben and Marion were married in April 1948. Theirs was a long, happy and loving marriage, which ended with Ben’s passing in May 2011. In June 1955, they welcomed their only child, Leslie Alison (Bretall). The little family moved to the San Fernando Valley in 1956, where they lived on a small cul-de-sac with many close neighbors and friends.

Marion worked in an office (Adel Co.) for a few years; and, after Leslie was a few years old, she worked part-time at Leslie’s elementary school. She primarily took pride in being an excellent homemaker, cook, and mother (Leslie can testify that she was a wonderful mother and cook). Throughout her adult years, Marion loved gardening (especially roses), collecting antiques, and refinishing furniture. She and Ben were also avid readers. Marion once estimated that she read approximately 140-150 books a year!

After many happy years in the San Fernando Valley, Ben’s employment (with the State Board of Equalization) took them to Sacramento, where they lived until the mid-90’s, when Ben was experiencing significant health challenges. They moved to Santa Clarita, California to be close to Leslie, her husband Russ, and their two grandchildren (Jeanne Marie and Daniel Alan). Ben and Marion were doting grandparents, who loved spending time with their grandchildren and spoiling them a bit…well, a lot.

Marion spent the last two and a half years of her life in a board and care home, where the kind, patient, and attentive staff nursed her through worsening health and dementia. She passed away peacefully, while napping, on Monday, July 20, 2026. She was predeceased by her husband Ben, her two sisters Leslie Elizabeth (Radda) and Nancy Georgene (Work), and her nephew Steven Work. She is survived by Leslie, husband Russ, granddaughter Jeanne Marie Bretall, grandson Daniel Bretall and his family (wife Noelle Tumang, and children Gabrielle Lee, Jacob, Luke and Harper Bretall), and her nephew David Work and his family. We are grateful for the wonderful life she led, and for the 101 years of memories she leaves with us.