Marion Dean Ward, 91, died on September 19, 2021, in Lehi, Utah from complications related to old age. He died at home in the loving care of his family.

Dean was preceded in death by his beloved wife Barbara, his parents, siblings, his daughter Gloria Denise Ward and his son, Ronald Douglas Ward. He is survived by his children, Ken Ward (Jelaire), Dennis Ward (Debra), Terrie Hovey (Roger), Susan Ward (Wife of Ronald), Nathan Ward, Kathryn Rasmuson (Eric) and Shelly Ward. He has 26 grandchildren and 58 great grandchildren.

Dean was born on July 30, 1930, in Tooele, Utah. He was the third child of Allen Vern Ward and Ruth Davies Ward. He met Barbara Haynie at a church activity when they were 17 years old. He knew early on that she was the one for him. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on February 14, 1950. He was loyal, loving, and committed. They celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary this year. They were sweethearts to the end.

Dean was a deeply religious man and served faithfully in various callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout his life. He and his wife Barbara served a mission to the Florida Tallahassee Mission. He showed his convictions in the way he lived his life and how he treated other people. He was gentle and tenderhearted. He was sensitive and tended to get emotional when he had to pray or speak in public. He was accepting and understanding of the mistakes of others and had a unique ability to love people. Dean did not like contention and was a natural peacemaker. He followed the counsel of Ephesians 4:26 to not let the sun go down on his anger. His children were blessed to know that he would forgive them no matter what and tell them he loved them each day. He never wanted his children to view him as an enemy. His philosophy was "Let's work it out and not make a big deal about everything."

Dean had an incredible work ethic. He was a carpet layer for 40 years and took pride in his craft. He was an example of hard work to his children and grandchildren as they learned how to work alongside him. Everyone's favorite part of working with him was lunch. He would get Hostess and soda. His sons remember that he looked like an angel on those construction sites. He wore all white. He wore a white t-shirt, white bib overalls, white socks, and suede work boots that were almost white.

Dean was an avid reader. This lifelong interest began as a young boy reading comics and later when he started distributing newspapers as an 11-year-old paperboy during WWII. He read the headlines and stories from the LA Times and the Herald Examiner every day to see what was going on. The papers had maps and described in detail the movements of the war. His favorite newspaper at that time was the Herald Examiner because of the way they laid it out and the big headlines. They also had the best "funnies" especially on Sunday when they were printed in color. The stories continued from week to week. He loved to read Prince Valiant, Dick Tracy, and others. Dean had bookshelves full of books during his lifetime. Books he read cover to cover. He preferred non-fiction. He liked to read viewpoints he didn't agree with as well as those he did. He wanted to see where they were coming from and why. He read on a variety of topics but primarily history. One of his joys in retirement was the opportunity to read more. He read 2-3 books a week. His favorite book was Witness by Whittaker Chambers. He had a lifelong interest in politics and government. He read newspapers, listened to radio programs, and watched news broadcasts daily. He was patriotic and shared that love with his family.

Dean saw the humor in things and loved to laugh. He enjoyed conversation and loved to talk about sports, religion, and current events. He was a wonderful listener and helped defuse difficult conversations and situations. He pointed out the ridiculous and made people laugh and relax. He could talk to anyone about anything. He would look around the room and slowly visit with different individuals. By the time the event was over he had spoken to everyone and knew what was going on in their life.

Dean loved sports, an obsession that began as a young boy when he played football, baseball, and basketball with the neighborhood kids. Later he played football in high school. He loved to watch college sports, especially football and basketball. He usually rooted for the underdog, so he was rarely happy with the results of the game. He would yell at the TV and coach from the couch. He was a lifelong BYU fan. He was a season ticket holder and attended games at the Marriott Center and football stadium. He carried a small radio and listened to KSL Radio's broadcast while at the game.

Dean and Barbara worked together to support their family. He was always building. He wasn't afraid to tackle projects he hadn't done before. He would just look at it and say, "I can do that". Over the years Dean built two houses, dug a septic tank, and raised animals for food. He built a gazebo, a barn, and made furniture. He planted a small orchard of fruit trees, grew large vegetable gardens, and built a grape arbor. His children joked that he always had a shovel in his hand and was digging holes. He loved beauty and had an artistic soul. He had incredible vision for how he wanted his home and yard to look. He did it himself and learned how to create things. His vision unfolded bit by bit and his family benefited from his hard work and creativity.

Dean was passionate about his family. He was an advocate and loved without reservation. He was loyal and sensitive and aware of the needs of his children and grandchildren. He was open with his love, acceptance, and respect. He knew when they needed a phone call or reassurance, and he would ask his wife Barbara to call them. He supported his grandchildren and great grandchildren by attending their special days and sporting events. He made them feel important and was their biggest fan.

We are grateful for the blessing of having him for our father, grandfather, and great grandfather. We miss him and want to live our lives so that we will be with him again. He taught us the importance of love and family and that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ families can be eternal.

Funeral and viewing information:

A viewing will be held from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm on Friday, September 24 at the LDS Church building on the corner of 500 W and 700 S. The address is 465 West 700 South, Lehi Utah 84043.

A second viewing will be held on Saturday, September 25 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am at the Lehi Utah South Stake building. The address is 600 S 500 W Lehi, UT 84043

The funeral will follow at 11:00 am at the same location (Lehi Utah South Stake building).

Following the funeral, the interment will be at the Lehi Cemetery 1525 N 600 E Lehi, UT 84043.