Til We Meet Again, Brother Marlen McGhie

Marlen Dean McGhie, a longtime High Priest in the B7 Ward, passed away at the age of 87 on the beautiful summer afternoon of July 23, 2014 at his Bloomington home.  The 8th of 10 children born to Sigrid Rosalina Johnson and John LeRoy McGhie came into this world on January 20, 1927 in Salt Lake City.

As a young, adventurous 17-year-old, he joined the Military Army Officer’s Program at the University of Utah then served in the U. S. Navy until the end of World War II. As the world settled down after the war ended, he enrolled in and graduated from the University of Utah where he majored in Physical Education and minored in Military Science. When the Korean Conflict called for a return to military service, he received a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force and flew 55 missions over enemy territory as a Navigator.

In November 1951, he married Phyllis Watkins in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. With her love and support he graduated from Stanford University in the field of Physical Therapy and established his own business in the Bay Area of Northern California where they lived and reared their family of seven children for more than 30 years before retiring to St. George.

In addition to family outings and activities, Marlen’s other favorite pastimes were golf, tennis and traveling with Phyllis to far away places, including Russia and China. As a lifelong member of the Church, he faithfully served in many ward and stake callings, including four missions and eight years as an ordinance worker in the St. George Temple. He is survived by his wife, seven children, 29 grandchildren and 43 great grandchildren.

Brother McGhie will be missed among the members of the B7 Ward.