After 96 years of exemplary living, Maridon Nielsen slipped peacefully into eternity on May 28, 2026, to be joyously reunited with her husband, her parents, and many other waiting family members and friends.
She was born in Cedar City, Utah, on April 21, 1930, to Gordon and LaPrele Corry Smith. A brother, Collin, followed in 1934.
The early years of her childhood were spent in Cedar City. She was often at her Grandma Corry’s house, or on Cedar Mountain with her dad and his sheep. She was proud of her pioneer heritage and that her ancestors were some of the first to settle this valley.
Her family moved to Richfield, Utah, during her elementary school years and she had fond memories of her friends there. They returned to Cedar City, where she attended Cedar Junior High, and graduated from Cedar High School. She was very involved in the music programs there and became an accomplished violinist. As a teenager she loved to camp with her friends at Navajo Lake.
She went on to attend the Branch Agricultural College (now SUU), and then Utah State University, where she studied music and business. It was a regret in her life that she didn’t graduate, but she remained a lifelong learner and was an advocate of higher education for her children and grandchildren.
As a young woman, she was employed as a secretary for the US Forest Service, which she enjoyed very much. She was given the opportunity to work in Washington DC, but that appointment was cut short when a gearjammer for the National Park Service and young teacher/basketball coach by the name of Lindy Nielsen, gave her an engagement ring just before she boarded the plane. She went to DC but didn’t stay quite as long as she’d originally planned.
Maridon and Lindy were sealed in the St. George Temple on May 24, 1955. Shortly after, they relocated to Salt Lake City, for Lindy to attend graduate school. While there, Barry, Shauna, and Jilynn joined the family.
In 1961, Lindy accepted a job as a speech therapist with the Skamania County School District in the small town of Stevenson, Washington, in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Corry joined the family there. The idea was to stay for five years, then return to Utah. It stretched to nearly twelve years, as Lindy and Maridon essentially became the parents of the fledgling Church of Jesus Christ congregation being established there.
Maridon recalled those as some of the most difficult, and most wonderful times of her life. The Southern Utah girl in her had a hard time adjusting to the rainforest drizzle and gray days in Stevenson, but she loved her community and church friends. She and Lindy served in many capacities there and treasured the lifelong friendships they made.
In 1972, after her mother’s untimely passing, Maridon and family moved back to Cedar City to help her dad. She went to work as a secretary for the Iron County School District and enjoyed her associations there for many years. She also became involved as a volunteer with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, where she served for thirty years, and used her musical talents to participate in community orchestras.
She was a woman of great faith and lived what she’d been taught. She served in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints wherever she was asked and found great satisfaction in doing so. Up until a year ago, she was the music director and chorister for her ward. She baked hundreds of loaves of bread, and hundreds of pies and cookies which she shared with friends and neighbors over the years.
She and Lindy served two missions for the church: at the Washington DC Temple Visitor’s Center; and at the Nauvoo Temple. These were highlights of her life.
She served as an ordinance worker in the St. George Temple and was thrilled to live long enough to also serve in the Cedar City Temple.
She was an excellent homemaker and had a keen eye for decorating that made her homes comfortable and beautiful. She was a seamstress. She was a quilter. She knitted and crocheted many beautiful blankets and items of clothing. She set a gorgeous table for special occasions. She had an eye for beauty and grew spectacular roses. She loved the arts, particularly music and theater.
Most of all, she was a loving mother and grandmother. She created and gifted her children and grandchildren scrapbooks that spoke from her heart. She taught her grandchildren the basics of sewing, quilting, and canning. Her Easter egg hunts were legendary. So was the time she rescued a toddler granddaughter from a snake slithering toward her on the patio. No one else noticed it, but Grandma Maridon did and was lightning fast! She was also stealthy, evidenced when she delivered Valentines the old fashioned way – ringing the doorbell and running to hide. She never got caught! Most recently, she created beautiful baby blankets for each of her great-grandchildren.
She was guileless and kind. She gave everyone the benefit of the doubt.
She was Corry’s biggest fan as he coached the CHS girls’ basketball team but got after him when he yelled at the girls. She taught him to motivate them with kindness, not a raised voice.
Her granddaughters adored her. She encouraged and supported them in their musical, athletic, and dance endeavors; was invested in and very supportive of their educational pursuits, and instilled in them an appreciation for music, for which they are forever grateful.
She was the last surviving member of her immediate family, and of Lindy’s. She outlived most of her friends and has missed them dearly.
She is survived by her children Barry (Lynn) of Cedar City; Shauna (Art) of Kanarraville; Jilynn (Gary) of Sandy; and Corry, of Cedar City. Also, her grandchildren Rachel (Colton) Merrill; Madelin (Wyatt) Peterson; Collette Batty; and Allie (Ethan) Murphy; great-grandchildren Caroline, Macie and Claire Merrill; Kolter and Lettie Peterson; with Jack Murphy expected to put in an appearance in September. Also survived by bonus grandchildren; Tyler Batty and Nolan and Olivia; Miles Batty (Danika) and Max, Ben, Owen and Annie; Cameron Batty (Denise) and Blakely, Callum, and Kyla; as well as a number of beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family would like to thank Dr. Newman and Kathy; her caregivers Faylynne, Sandy, Sherri, Allison and Annie; dear neighbors CJ, Lacey, and family; Ethan Bunker; the Pines; and so many ward members and friends who’ve served and loved her over the years. Special thanks to Shauna, Art, and Corry for their attentive service to mom during the winding down years of her life. We love and appreciate all of you.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, June 5th, 2026, at 1:00 pm at Southern Utah Mortuary, 190 N. 300 W., Cedar City, Utah. There will be a viewing prior to the service from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm at the same location. Interment will be in the Cedar City Cemetery under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary. To view the livestream of the service and share online condolences, please visit www.mortuary.org.