Marlene Mott

Marlene Taylor Mott passed away peacefully in her home at the age of 87 surrounded by family on May, 12, 2023 in Vail, Arizona. Marlene was born on August 12, 1935, in Thatcher, Arizona, the oldest daughter of Fenton and Bessie Taylor. The oldest of four children, Marlene cherished her role as a big sister and the love they shared for one another. She was raised in the Gila Valley, where she attended Thatcher schools, graduating from Thatcher High School in 1953. She attended Brigham Young University in the fall of 1954. During her time at BYU, Marlene served in leadership roles in several committees on campus, but her most treasured position was a writer for the BYU News Bureau and the BYU Social News Column. She always loved and appreciated writing and these opportunities allowed her to support herself while doing something she thoroughly enjoyed. In her junior year of college, she met and soon thereafter married Harvey P. Mott on June 20, 1956 in the Mesa, Arizona Temple. Harvey and Marlene were eventually convinced by their family to move back to Arizona where Marlene completed her degree and student teaching at Arizona State University in Tempe. Shortly after her graduation, she began a teaching career in Thatcher. Marlene had a deep love for youth as evidenced not only by her choice of occupation, but also in her various church callings teaching Sunday School, Primary, and Young Women for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She was an extremely faithful woman and had a deep appreciation for her membership in the LDS Church. She always served devotedly in all her callings and enjoyed the enduring friendships the Church gave her. An avid reader, Marlene kept an extensive library at hand made up predominantly of books of doctrinal insight and church history. She often found strength and joy through studying the Scriptures and serving the Lord. While Marlene’s teaching and church service kept her plenty busy, Marlene’s deepest love and strongest passion was her family. She and Harvey took great pride in raising their children, Laurel and Paul, and helping them develop her most foundational values of kindness, integrity, and faith. Despite Marlene’s family being spread across the West, she consistently and frequently reached out to them, keeping up on all the significant events in their lives and sharing their accomplishments with others at every opportunity. Her love for reading, journalism and her family culminated in her efforts to gather and write a record of family history. Over the last few years, Marlene spent countless hours pulling together photos and stories in order to write a book that documented her life, her most cherished memories, and the growth of her family. There is no doubt that her work will be read and appreciated by loved ones for years to come. Marlene will be remembered fondly as Mom, sister, friend, Grandma, Auntie M, and Gigi. She had a love for serving others, a sharp intellect, a kind heart, and a strong testimony. Marlene is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Harvey, her parents, and grandson, Trevor Barney. She is survived by her children Laurel Barney (Wayne) and Paul (Heather); siblings Terrell Taylor (Claudette), Edith Austin (Gary) and Mel Taylor (Marianne); grandchildren Derek Barney (Alyssa), Kyle Barney, Tregani Haslam (Tyson), Logan Barney, McKenzie Herr (Drew), McLain Mott, Carson Mott, and Caiden Mott, along with 11 great-grandchildren. The family wishes to express their grateful appreciation to the staff at Casa de la Cruz Hospice and McDougal Caldwell Funeral Chapel for their help during this challenging time.