I miss my Marjie!

Marjorie Rogers Tueller, my wonderful grandma, passed away May 20, 2011. She was 90 years old. I miss her and so does my grandpa. The events leading up to her death were special to me. I was the last person to be with her while she was conscious and held her hand through the night before she died. I didn't want her to be alone for one minute. When I got to her room, all in a hurry worried that she was alone, I walked in to a room so full of spirit people there was hardly any room for me to find a seat. It was a private, personal moment for me that I loved and will remember forever. It made her passing completely different for me from that moment on.


Scott did such a great service for me by taking the camera around for the day and snapping a bunch of candid pictures. My family (like everyones) is a little crazy, so some of these pictures may seem a little silly for a funeral but humor is how we handle life!

Couldn't get through life without this little sis of mine. (Or that Jesus guy in the background).

Awesome cousin Christian. Scott was like "You're really gonna pull a blue steel here at your grandma's funeral?" And Christian and I were both laughing and said, "Of course!" Love this guy!

My beautiful mother, who handled her own mother's loss with the most grace and strength I've ever witnessed. Here she is with cousin Sue Ann and Inger and Caroline.

Special little moment for May May. This is the first time I got to meet little Jack. This is my cousin Bethany's little guy who is named after the Colonel!

Cousin Anne, aunt Pam, sneaky Shiner, and awesome Pops.

My grandma looked incredible! It was a game-time decision for grandpa on whether or not he wanted an open casket or not. This picture makes him look like he is the strong, stoic man that he is when dealing with death. He told me that he has dealt with so much of it in his life that he just "put on that personality" in dealing with losing his sweetheart of 69 years. (Punch to the gut!)

THE greatest mortal to have walked planet earth, I'm just sayin'.

Uncle Stephen put together a video of grandma's life and Scott caught these hilarious pictures of Christian, Melinda and me watching it.

"Ra-ta-ta-ta, ra-ta-ta-ta. Imagine my grandma in tap shoes performing a little number down by the fireplace. Classic!

26 grandchildren and from that...22 great-grandchildren so far (16 of those from my siblings!) W.O.W.! Talk about posterity.

Then look who showed up? Mendy and Jonny did a great job preparing him in talking about death. So much so that HE told ME that grandma's spirit was living with Heavenly Father "up there" (pointing to the sky) and then looked at Scott and said "well, let's go see grandma's body" as he headed for the church door. We couldn't help but crack up. That kid is hilarious.

Look at this little stud, Cache. Lisa was so sweet to drive up with Inger, even though Norm couldn't make it.

Mendy and Ivy Victoria!

I got an adorable giggle and smile out of Ivy when I nibbled on her little cheek and shoulder!

I absolutely love this picture of my grandparents. So vintage and classic. Scotty also has such a great eye for photo composition!

I can't believe that these two little boys are MY two little brothers' sons! Time is such an incredible thing!

Krissy talking with our cousin Sue Ann. This cousin has the greatest story. Are you ready for this? I doubt it! She and her husband had tried for awhile to have children with no success, so they got lucky and adopted what turned into a pair of twin girls (Sophia and Madeline). They tried a final round of IVF and with what looked like some poor chances they put all the embryos in. Well, all THREE took and they ended up with triplet boys (Aiden, Evan, and Luke) when the girls were 2 years old. So let's recap: 5 children under the age of TWO! Two years later, she miraculously got pregnant on her own...enter Nicholas. So she now has 6 kids, 4 yrs old and under. True story. It is awesome! Infertility...it's either zero or a litter, I swear!

Uncle Shayne and aunt Pam. A year ago this past March they lost their daughter, my cousin Jessica.

Uncle Larry and aunt Sherolyn. Sherolyn is grandma's youngest sister. Elouise who is Pauline's (grandma's oldest sister) only child.

Grandpa Jack with Mendy and Ivy girl.

Grandpa with his oldest great-grandchildren Alexa and Harrison!

Pops and Jonny.

THE greatest men in my life and quite possibly THE world!!!

The epitome of grace under pressure!

Three generations of love and battle scars.

I love this picture! John with his two daughters having a good laugh!

There is nothing like your oldest sister. OK, there may have been some tears...HALLO!

Sweet Caroline! She is such a loving little miss. Here she is giving Rosie a much needed love!

Alexa and Quincy. I'm still in denial that Alexa is 18 and has graduated high school. She is leaving in August for college! She has a full-ride scholarship to the tune of $150,000 to William Jewell (D2) school where she will be playing basketball in Kansas City, Missouri! What??? I still remember when she was born and blah, blah, blah. I love my little Lu-La and am not ready for her to be so far away! What is going on around here?!

Simply adorable.

Cute Lisa in the background carrying around new baby Taylor Marie due August 14 (same due date as Cache). Cache calls her Tay-baby. The words don't do it justice. To hear him say it is the cutest thing to your ears ever! His little voice saying "Tay-baby" just melts your little heart!

Family friend aka sister Lesa Pulham (and sidekick April MIA?) Love those girlies!

Handsome little Bronson. Inger's youngest who will be 8 in November!!! WOW he was barely born when Scott and I got married! WTH?

Busy Bishop Anderson LOL! We hate cell phones!

Everyone fawning over Princess Ivy, who gives Scott a big cheeser!

Everyone loves my pop.

Walking in the Morgan cemetery. It is a beautiful location.

Could go on and on about this guy.

That's Jonny on the left. Kind of a tender moment with a bunch of the grandsons.

This picture breaks my heart. When all was said and done and the grave dedicated, my grandpa, here off in the distance played taps. Tears, people tears.

Clearly to fight back tears, I pulled hideous faces. LOL, but pretty hair eh? Blowing in the wind and all? (Just trying to make myself feel better--I mean that is a horrible picture of me, oh well, I have no shame)! I love this picture though of my baby sis.

My mom is the oldest of the six kids. She looks awesome! From left to right: Sharman, Janine, grandpa Jack, Carolyn, Rosanne, Stephen, Shayne.

Inger, Melinda, and me next to Jessica's grave. We love you Jess!

Caroline has been fascinated with family history and genealogy. She was so interested to meet people and make the connection of who belonged to who. Talk about the spirit of Elijah! Update on Caroline: she is in LA today trying out for the role of Annie in the musical Annie. She was called by a director on broadway in NYC (via her LA agent) to come for an audition...a compliment in itself. So today and tomorrow she spends in auditions. Once again, I UNSELFISHLY offered my services of nanny in NYC for as long as they might need me, should that need arise. :) She cracks me up. Running here and there for auditions; I would wet my pants!

Gosh we are still "the happy couple!"

Deron, Melinda, Melanie, Christian, me.

The beautiful mountains of Morgan, Utah.

Grandpa Jack, dad, mom, 5 of the 8 Nielsen kids, and 3 of the 16 Nielsen grandkids. I couldn't get the word posterity out of my head that day!

This is hilarious! This is the old Morgan house where my great-grandparents Curtis and Thelma Rogers lived. Where Melinda is standing, is where they have buried a lot of family pets...and it has continued through the generations. One Aunt has dubbed it the "damned pet cemetery" which cracks us up every time we say it! NEVER GETS OLD!

I remember visiting from Hawaii and playing on this extravagant swing set. This day was full of nostalgia and remember-whens. It was fun and yet completely emotionally exhausting!

The Bountiful ward hosted the nicest luncheon for our family! It was delicious and everyone was so nice. Being on the other side really made me grateful for those funeral potatos.

Cousins, cousins, and more cousins!! And this was even after some of them had already left. It was good times being together. After this grandpa was tired and he asked Scott and me to take him home. It was a treat to be with him after this and just relax with him alone. We picked him up early that morning and got him to the church where he practiced his trumpet in the cultural hall and us Nielsen chics practiced a musical number (which was pretty beautimous if I do say so myself). It was as great a day as possible. Lots of emotions and thoughts and things that are difficult to explain, but I am glad I have the family I have. Time for lots of introspection!

There were two obituaries that were done for my grandmother. The first one my mom wrote and the second one my aunt Janine wrote.
Marjorie Rogers Tueller passed away, due to natural causes, on May 20th, 2011. Marjorie was born April 3, 1921, in Morgan, Utah, one of 6 children to Curtis W. and Thelma D. Rogers. After high school graduation, Marjorie attended Brigham Young University on a music (trumpet) scholarship. There she met Jack Tueller, who also played the trumpet, and they made the “perfect” couple. They later married on March 17, 1942, in the Mesa, Arizona Temple. (Because this was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Relief Society, the temple was opened by special permission, so that this military couple could be married before Jack was deployed to Europe to be part of the Air Corps.) Marjorie enjoyed life as an Air Force wife, as she lived in Florida, Arizona, England, Nebraska, California, and Washington D.C., places where each of her six children were born. She was very active as a Latter-day Saint, serving as: Primary President, music director, and teacher (This organization was most dear to her heart because her great-great-grandmother, Aurelia Spencer Rogers, originated the Primary. Marjorie loved little children.); Relief Society teacher, Visiting Teacher Coordinator; and as a missionary at the Member Locator Office in SLC. She was a dedicated wife and mother, an eloquent writer and speaker, a very fine musician both in trumpet and vocal, a lover of nature and animals, an excellent organizer, and the best chocolate cake maker, ever! Hers was a life well-lived.
Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents, Curtis and Thelma, and two sisters, Pauline and Kathryn. She is survived by her husband of 69 years, Jack Tueller, Bountiful, UT, and children: Rosanne (Norm) Nielsen, Orem, UT; Carolyn Tueller, Schuylerville, NY; Sharman Tueller, Ogden, UT; Janine (Alan) Mickelson, Ames, Iowa; Shayne (Pam) Tueller, Roy, UT; Stephen (Camille) Tueller, Henderson, NV; 26 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Marjorie is also survived by siblings: Bernell (Marjorie), Torrance, Calif., Florence (Wesley) Sowell, Idaho, and Sherolyn (Larry) Jenkins, Morgan, Utah.
There will be a viewing from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., prior to the funeral services which will begin at 11:00 a.m. These events will be held at the Canyon Park Ward located at 1190 E. Bountiful Hills Drive in Bountiful, Utah. The interment will be in Morgan, UT, the place and among those whom Marjorie loved best.

Marjorie Rogers Tueller, 90, peacefully passed away on May 20, 2011, in Bountiful, Utah. Marjorie was born April 3, 1921 in Morgan, Utah to Thelma Dickson and Curtis William Rogers. The second of six children, Marjorie was part of a large, loving family whose devoted parents made home a haven for their children. She loved growing up in Morgan, surrounded by extended family and dear friends and neighbors. Her childhood was during the Great Depression, so her entertainment revolved around family, church and school activities. Marjorie worked hard at home helping her family, playing with her sisters and brother, took music lessons, loved hiking in the foothills surrounding her home, and playing with her best friend, Della. She loved to go on family car rides and truly loved being with her family among “the hills of home.” Marjorie loved music and dancing, and was a skilled tap dancer. The 20's and 30's were the “golden age” of Hollywood, and Marjorie thought that going to movies was a special treat. She also had a great love for animals.Marjorie excelled at playing the trumpet, and after graduating from high school in 1939, was awarded a music scholarship to Brigham Young University. She played in an all-female band and was a featured player. It was while playing in the Cougar Concert Band that she met fellow trumpet player and her future eternal sweetheart, Jack. They courted, and he was warmly welcomed into the loving Rogers family as another son. World War II had just begun and Jack was in flight school training to be a fighter pilot. Marjorie attended his flight school graduation at Luke Field in Mesa, AZ and pinned his “wings” on him. The following day, March 17, 1942, they were married in the Mesa, Arizona temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.While Jack flew fighter planes over Germany, Marjorie lived in Morgan with her parents. Upon his safe return at the end of the war, Jack made the Air Force his career, which began a lifetime of moving and adventure for the family. They had many opportunities to travel the world, living in Tallahassee, FL, Phoenix, AZ, London, England, Omaha, NB, Los Angeles, CA and McLean, VA. At each of these locations, another child was added to their family, totaling four daughters and two sons. In 1963, Jack was transferred from the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., to Hill Air Force Base in Utah. They built a home and moved to Bountiful, Utah in 1964. Marjorie deeply treasured her LDS pioneer heritage, a legacy from both her parents' families that included many faithful men and women from England and Scotland. Her second great-grandfather Orson Spencer, served as mayor of Nauvoo after the death of Joseph Smith, and went on to become the first chancellor of the University of Utah. Marjorie was the great-granddaughter of Aurelia Spencer Rogers, founder of the LDS Church's Primary organization. Family history was one of Marjorie's great life's work. She compiled a photo history of her entire family, spanning more than 60 years and comprising dozens of albums. She also wrote the life history of each of her six children, documenting their life's events from birth until marriage.Marjorie loved anything of beauty, whether it was the glory of autumn colors, uplifting music, roses from her garden, inspiring quotes and readings, or the sweetness of a new baby. She surrounded herself with beautiful things that brought her happiness.Marjorie's testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ was unwavering. She always felt that her greatest legacy was her family and devoted all her energy to her home and children. She found great joy in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren. Throughout her life, she served faithfully in many Church callings, particularly in Relief Society and Primary. She especially loved working with the Primary children, and served as stake and ward music director for many years. In her later years, Marjorie and Jack served together for 15 years as LDS Church Service missionaries. Marjorie was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters and one granddaughter.
She is survived by her husband, Jack, and her six children: Rosanne (Norman) Nielsen, Carolyn Markwith, Sharman Tueller, Janine (Alan) Mickelson, Shayne (Pam) Tueller and Stephen (Camille) Tueller, 26 beloved grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.Funeral services are Friday, May 27, 11 at the LDS Canyon Park Ward, 1190 E. Bountiful Hills Dr., Bountiful, UT. There will be a visitation at the church 9:30-10:30 prior to the service.Interment in the South Morgan Cemetery.