Marcia Fonnesbeck Allen

Marcia Fonnesbeck Allen, 75, passed away on a rainy Thursday afternoon, May 4, 2023, in Ogden, Utah. She was surrounded by her eternal companion and their loving daughters.

Marcia was born on September 21, 1947, in Tremonton, Utah, the daughter of Paul and Maurine Hurd Fonnesbeck. She grew up in Howell, Utah, alongside family, friends and horses. She was a proud farm girl and the sixth of seven siblings. She loved telling her kids about what it was like to grow up in such a lovely place–as a girl, her days were spent running through wheat fields with cousins, riding horseback, and feeding chickens. Her elementary schoolhouse was a single room, with a graduating class that you could count on one hand. The town had enough wide-open land to make any kid feel like it was entirely their own, and to hear Marcia talk about Howell was to love it yourself.

She graduated from Bear River High School in Tremonton, and then moved to Logan to attend Utah State University. There, she spent a year studying art, and developed her own talent as an artist. Art was always deeply meaningful to Marcia, be it in the form of her paintings, her singing, or the clothing and quilts she would spend days, weeks, or months perfecting. A skilled craftswoman, she loved the meticulous and painstaking work of her art as much as the finished project.

During her studies, she met the love of her life, Douglas Henry Allen. The first time they met, they were both dragging their cars on Washington Boulevard, and Douglas poked his head out of his car window and yelled “I love you!” It was meant as a joke, but it became the introduction to more than a half-century of devoted partnership and love. She married Douglas on September 15, 1967, in the Logan LDS Temple. They were blessed with five daughters, raising them in Ogden together. 

Marcia was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was a dedicated servant of the Lord, with a deeply rooted testimony. She was known by her family for the time and generosity she gave to her service projects, and for the hats and quilts she made and donated to the local hospital. She knew how to comfort those who stood in need of comfort without a word. Every daughter and grandchild has their own quilt from her, made specially and particularly. 

Marcia would tell you that the greatest time spent in her life was with her daughters and grandchildren. Teaching them how to cook, quilt or enjoy good musicals were some of her favorite pastimes, and she was invested in supporting her kids and grandkids in their own interests. You could count on Marcia being on the sidelines at your soccer game, showing up to your school play, or encouraging you to keep up on practicing your musical instrument of choice. Whatever you chose as your hobbies, she was going to help you do the very best you could. 

Marcia loved the color yellow, the rain, and roosters; she loved any good musical, horse races, Christmas, and music by The Judds; she loved to spend time with her family, to tend to her flowers, and to brag about her dad and her daughters. She traveled to Denmark twice, in 2004 and in 2014, to learn more about her family history and to meet with living relatives. Trips to Brazil, France, and Germany, family trips to Disneyland, and camping trips across Utah were all meaningful to her, but she could have had just as good of a time telling you family stories in the comfort of her own living room. Marcia valued warmth over formality, and her home was the hub for family parties, holidays, summer days, sleepovers, after school games, conversations, meals, and love. Her first priority was always to keep her family close to her, and to each other.

Marcia is survived by her eternal companion, Douglas; loving daughters, Amy Allen, Mona Allen Vigil (Gary), Natalie Allen Evans (Scott), Becky Allen Sessions (Michael), and Emily Allen Ozmun (Andrew); twelve grandchildren; and sister, Leah Fonnesbeck. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Paul and Maurine; stepfather, Merlyn Jackson; brothers, Douglas and James Fonnesbeck, and sisters, Carol Fonnesbeck Taylor, Margo Fonnesbeck Taylor, and Shiela Fonnesbeck.

We miss her dearly, and we can’t wait to spend forever with Marcia in health, wholeness, and happiness, alongside those who preceded her and have already welcomed her home.

We would like to thank all of the caregivers at Mckay-Dee Hospital for the dedicated comfort and care they provided to Marcia, and for the love they extended to her family. 

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at 2 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may visit with family on Wednesday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the mortuary. Interment, Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road. 

Services will be live-streamed and available the day of the services by scrolling to the bottom of Marcia’s obituary page at www.lindquistmortuary.com where condolences may also be shared.

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