Marjorie Jean Keyte Newren

Marjorie Jean Keyte Newren passed away June 3, 2018. She was born on July 2, 1928 to Lauren and Erma Keyte in Nephi, Utah.
Marge always said that some of her fondest memories were on the ranch in Mona, Utah.  It was her heaven on earth.  Lauren and Erma moved to the ranch when they married and lived there with Grandma Rachel and Grandpa Gus.  She first learned to ride a horse with the help of Grandpa Gus, astride his horse, Buttons.
There was always so much to do on the ranch.  The creek and the fields were her playground.  She fished, she swam and played.  Her dog, Collie was a constant companion as they traipsed through the weeds.  Marge’s mother, Erma, often lamented at how much of a tomboy her daughter was.  Marge told stories of catching fish in the creek and bringing it back to the fire pit to cook along with some potatoes.  She loved the barn and the stack yard.  She was always looking for a new batch of kittens or new chicken nests.  When the granary was full of wheat, they would pretend to be swimming by jumping into the wheat piles and moved their arms and legs.  Marge told us she would enjoy a mouth full of wheat to chew as it turned into gum.
She started school and fell in love with reading, spelling and math.  She was never taught to print; it was cursive from the very beginning.  Marge always said how much she loved school and that she did very well.  She also participated in the pole vault and running.  She was an excellent softball player and was often chosen before many of the boys.
Growing up during the Depression made the Keytes rely on what they could produce and a little on what they could trade in town.  Marge would ride Buttons up to Mona and trade eggs for sugar or cheese.  Electricity didn’t make its way to the ranch until Marjorie was in 10th grade.
Marge moved to Salt Lake after high school with her life-long friend Eleanor Bowman to go to school at LDS Business College.  She met her sweetheart Merrill Newren while out with friends and they married on February 3, 1949.  She always commented on how much she loved Merrill’s hands.
Merrill was a school teacher and they moved to Levan for work.  They rented a tiny green house where they started building a life together.  Their oldest son, Gary was born there, in Dr. Steele’s office.  Merrill was alongside the doctor the whole way.  Brent was born in the Nephi hospital.  They later moved to Price where Janet was born.  While here, Marge made 25 loaves of bread three days a week, and sold them for 25 cents each to help make ends meet.  Marge and Merrill were active in their community, playing golf and bridge each week with their friends.
Merrill got a job with Hercules and moved to Hunter, Utah where they bought a home.  They stayed here for only a year before they decided to move further east and bought another home in Millcreek.  Here they stayed.  They had found the home that they would raise their family in.  It was a beautiful red brick house with room for a garden. Marge and Merrill spent many hours in their yard and were known for their dahlias and tomatoes. Marge took a job at a wig shop. She was the manager of the service department. She later took a teaching assignment at Lincoln Elementary. She loved to teach and the kids loved her in return. Marge was owner and operator of Mer-Mar Ceramics. Merrill and Marge spent a great deal of time making and painting ceramics for their successful boutique.  Their ceramics were highly sought after at Swiss Days. After retirement they worked for Wells Fargo in the counting and collections department.  They served together in the Salt Lake LDS Temple as ordinance workers.
Marge and Merrill are survived by their three children, Gary (Rosalind) Newren, Brent (Lori) Newren, and Janet (JB) Henriksen as well as her sister Carol (Larry) Lange, 14 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren.  Marge loved her family and friends and they loved her right back. Marjorie was a woman that will be missed by so many, but she will live on in the memories of her family.   She taught her family how to cook, how to garden, how to paint, how to serve, and how to love.  Marjorie Newren is everything that we aspire to be in this life and while we will feel her absence- it’s hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember.
Service Information
Viewing June 8, 2018 at 5:00-7:00 PM
Memorial Holladay-Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 S Highland Drive, Holladay, Utah 84117





Graveside Service
June 9, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Memorial Holladay Cemetery, 4900 South Memory Lane, Holladay, UT 84117