Marianne Coltrin Holtkamp

Marianne Coltrin Holtkamp passed away peacefully on September 30, 2024. She was born December 1, 1948, in Salt Lake City to two Brigham Young University graduates. Her father was a sportswriter who covered BYU football for the Salt Lake Tribune. This started her journey as a lifelong, avid BYU sports fan. “Rise and Shout” was not just a beloved fight song but a way of life.

Marianne was a part of the Highland High pep club and, as an undergraduate at Brigham Young University, a member of Auno- a service club working closely with the college athletics department. She graduated with a double major in political science and history and spent a summer in Europe, which solidified her lifelong love of art, history, and travel. While working as the press secretary for Senator Wallace Bennett in Washington, D.C., she was a lively presence in the “Washington Ward,” marrying fellow ward member Jim Holtkamp in the Salt Lake Temple on December 28, 1973. Jim and Marianne settled in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, where they raised five children.

Marianne had a vivacious and boisterous personality. Her enthusiasm spilled into all her activities, including her epic family trip-planning, Christmas mornings, Jazzercise, and cheering on “her Laurels” in their various activities. She loved supporting her children. The hundreds of hours of footage of clogging competitions, debate tournaments, and play performances are a continuing source of cringe-worthy joy. She also had a mischievous sense of humor which manifested as recently as one week before her passing when, in the depths of dementia, she yelled, “BOO!” as her startled doctor was checking her heart.

Her love of BYU football and basketball was well known to all who knew her (she was not shy about her fandom). After the invention of the VCR, she never had to see her beloved Cougars lose a game. If she was at a game in person, her anxiety would rise, and she would leave if the score was close. A favorable outcome for BYU meant she would watch the remainder of the game at home. She had a treasure trove of videotapes, including the 1980 “Miracle Bowl,” which she watched over and over as a source of joy.

Marianne spent several years serving as an ordinance worker in the Jordan River and Salt Lake Temples and cherished her time serving in the baptistry with Jim on Friday nights—their “date nights.” She enthusiastically learned Spanish to be able to serve as a senior temple missionary in the Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile temples, and she served with Jim in the Spanish speaking ward of the Millcreek Stake. Her time serving in the church was one of her biggest sources of pride. In her later years, she often spoke about her mission with Jim as the best time of her life. Her love for Jim cannot be overstated. After he passed away in 2020, she missed him every day and wished more than anything that she could see him again. We rejoice that they are reunited along with their oldest son, Brent.

The family would like to thank the staff at Escalante at the Coventry; Bettina Rasmusson; her personal caregivers, April Graves, and Donetta Rushton; her physician, Dr. Grant Hawkins; and the many neighbors, friends, and family members who assisted Marianne with her needs these past eighteen months.

Marianne is survived by her children Ariane Dansie (Dave), Rachel Marshall (Austin), Allison Waid (Jake), and David Holtkamp (Jen); and grandchildren Will, Caroline, James, Isaac, Rebekah, Isabel, Nathan, Sean, Brent, Tessa, and Henry. She is now reunited with those who preceded her in death, including her husband, Jim, her son, Brent, her brother, Jim, and her parents, Bill and Maurine. 

The family will be holding a memorial service on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 11:00 am at the LDS Chapel on 3455 E. Bengal Blvd, Salt Lake City. A viewing will be held prior to the service starting at 9:30 am. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the James Arnold Holtkamp Scholarship Fund at the S.J. Quinney College of Law.