Marzelle Mangum

Obituary:

Marzelle Jesperson Mangum was born in Binghampton, a suburb of Tucson, on July 23, 1914. Her parents were Oscar Jesperson and Martha Abegg.

Marzelle was educated in Tucson and briefly attended Brigham Young University.

As a young adult, she worked as a secretary and stenographer.

In 1936, she met Eugene K. Mangum on a blind date on Leap Year Day. Marzelle and Gene were married on June 10, 1938.

Eugene later became the Chief Magistrate of the City of Phoenix. Gene would celebrate the 10th of each month as an anniversary.

According to Gene, January 10, 2003 was their 775th monthly anniversary. Together they had three children.

Marzelle was a life-long active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She started the first Primary organization in the city of Casa Grande, Arizona and served in a multitude of ward and stake positions.

Marzelle was a piano teacher and loved music. She composed several songs including "Our Primary Colors," which is sung by LDS children throughout the world. While living in Casa Grande, Marzelle was an active civic member. She was a member of the Ground Observer Corps.

As a result, she was one of the few civilians to be invited to attend a test of the atomic bomb near Las Vegas, Nevada in 1957.

Roles as wife and mother were Marzelle¹s proudest achievements.

She is survived by her husband; daughters, Janice Mangum Clutter of Portland, Ore. and Brenda Mangum Ross of Mesa, Az.; son, J. Kenneth Mangum, of Phoenix, Az.; three brothers: Max Jesperson of San Marcos, Calif., Roy Jesperson of Holbrook, Az., and Oscar Jesperson of Orem, Ut.; two sisters, Lela Dalton and Myrna Fairbanks, both of Salt Lake City, Ut.; seven grandchildren, one of whom preceded her in death, and four great-grandchildren.

Two sisters, Irene Johnson and Ione Simonson, also preceded her in death.
Marzelle will be remembered for her warm spirit, sacrifice and service, and ready acceptance of everyone she met. She showed courageous optimism in the face of a lifetime of serious health problems.
The family would urge contributions instead of flowers to the Alzheimer's Association or Heartland Hospice Marzelle passed away on January 19, 2003. Services will be held 9:30 a.m.,Saturday, January 25th, Carr-Tenney Mortuary, 2621 S. Rural in Tempe, Az. Visitation 1 hour prior.

SOURCE: The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona; Thursday, January 23, 2003.