In the early morning hours of November 6, 2021, our loving and devoted wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend, MarLayne Hansen Gordon returned to her heavenly home. When faced with the terrifying cancer odds in early June, MarLayne was true to her whole-hearted, steadfast nature as she dug in her cowgirl boots and confidently proclaimed to the medical teams, “I am going to stay a little longer.” And that she did. She had enough time to say her trade-mark “See ya laters,” “Love yous” and give hugs to many of her earthly sidekicks.
On April 16, 1957, after a rapid, in-womb ride to the Price, Utah hospital (thanks to the notorious green and white ’57 Chevy), MarLayne was born to Marvin and Reba Hansen. The proud parents returned to their home in Elmo, Utah with their beautiful daughter. It is in this beloved town that MarLayne would bloom for the remainder of her vibrant life. She was the first of four sisters who came to be known as the ‘Elmo Petticoat Junction’ girls. She and her family lived most of her youth on the corner of Center and Main. Those dear sisters would be her dedicated angels on earth to the very end.
On May 8, 1976, MarLayne married her sweetheart and forever companion, Jesse Gordon. One whole block south of her childhood home is where the couple planted their roots, raised their children, established a business, and sheltered countless animals (much to Jesse’s dismay, at times). Together, they created a home of gathering for friends and family, always with arms of love. To witness Jesse help her fight her valiant battle was extraordinary; even in the end, she had the ability to hold Jesse’s face in her hands and plant a gentle kiss on his face – in love and in gratitude.
Framing her devotion to family is the ranching lifestyle MarLayne was born into. She was very proud of her heritage and took advantage of every opportunity to put her upbringing to use. From her uncanny ability to bring animals back to life, to going “out to the farm,” and to her storytelling that taught others a life lesson, being a cowgirl was in her blood and in her soul.
Along with raising a family, MarLayne had a thriving hair salon for many years, continuing until she became ill. MarLayne’s Beauty Salon welcomed clients even after its Chief Operating Officer became an instructor at the USU Eastern Cosmetology School where she, again, served countless friends. Although her go-to technique was ‘the higher the better,’ her love of people and talent for listening meant that she could whip up whatever magazine cut-out a client brought to her station. Not only did this help keep Castle Valley on trend, it also meant you could feel safe in the hands of a master—and in the seat of an unofficial therapist!
MarLayne had a superpower. It was clearly her secret to happiness. Her magic. It was in the way she served and loved unconditionally. It brought her so much joy and propelled her life. It exuded from within her and shone in her outer beauty. There was never a time she wasn’t serving… delivering a meal to the sick or needy, hemming a prom dress for a neighbor on a tight budget, shuttling children to endless sports and social activities, teaching countless people of all ages in various capacities, volunteering her time for a good cause, hiring a neighbor who came on hard times, crying with a mourning friend, sending a text of love and encouragement, sharing her excess livestock, feed and supply, or seeking someone out to give them that unforgettable hug. Oh, and everything that came from her kitchen was infused with the same love, making it worthy of a second helping. The list could go on and on.
To know MarLayne is to know that you are loved deeply and will be championed for the rest of your life. If by no other way, this fact is evident in her adoring children and grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Ben and Liza Hansen, Doyle and Anne Allred; her father, Marvin Hansen.
MarLayne is survived by her sweetheart, Jesse Gordon; her mother, Reba Hansen; her sisters, Maretta (Denny) McKendrick, Betty Hansen, Benita (Jerry) Gordon; all of her children, Brooks Gordon, Becky (Stanton) Huntington, Audrey (Brock) Winn, Luke (Ashley) Johnson; grandchildren, Burke, Hartley, Elle, Jett, Braze, Roan, Odessa, Audi, Emree, Tess, Briggs, and Quincy; along with countless uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Funeral service, Monday, November 15, 2021, 12:00 noon, Elmo Ward, where the family will receive friends Sunday evening from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. and one hour prior to service. Interment, Elmo Town Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where family and friends are welcome daily and may share memories of MarLayne at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net