MarLynn Rees James, passed away peacefully on October 5, 2026, in Cedar Hills, Utah, surrounded by his wife and five living children. He was born on November 20, 1933, in Spanish Fork, Utah, to a family and community that helped shape the values of exactness, determination, hard work, faith, and service that characterized his life and was rooted in his Welsh and Danish pioneer ancestry in which he felt great pride.

MarLynn had a deep and abiding love for Jesus Christ and for the restored gospel of Christ. His testimony was not simply something he professed; it was something he lived. Throughout his life, he sought to serve the Lord, strengthen his family, and bless those around him. He will be remembered as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ whose commitment to the Savior remained constant throughout his 92 years.

One of the great blessings of MarLynn's life was his marriage to the love of his life, Jane Marie. They shared 64 years together, building a home centered on love, family, faith, and hard work. MarLynn is survived by Jane and their children: Leslie; Richard (Ellen); Bruce (Carolyn); Mark (Stacey); and Jacqueline (Jared). Their daughter Karen and grandson Andrew preceded him in death. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren, who brought him great joy and for whom he had a deep and lasting love.

MarLynn's love of learning and excellence in academics was evident throughout his life. During his high school and early college years, he played the trumpet and performed in both high school and college bands. He enjoyed music so much that he seriously considered becoming a music major. Ultimately, his academic interests led him into chemistry. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Brigham Young University and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Utah, followed by post-doctoral work at Purdue University.

In 1966, MarLynn joined the Chemistry Department at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado, where he taught until his retirement in 1999. He co-authored two college chemistry textbooks and shared his knowledge and love of learning in many other settings. He also taught training classes in the use of computer systems through Lesley College of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

MarLynn was fascinated by technology and developed a keen interest in personal computers from the earliest days of their development. Throughout his life, he continued to enjoy learning about new technology and understanding how computers could be used to accomplish things that had once seemed impossible.

At home, MarLynn was a man who believed in hard work. He spent countless hours working in the garden and landscaping the family home. His determination and attention to detail were evident in the care he gave to his home, his work, and the many responsibilities entrusted to him. Those who knew him well will remember his exactness, persistence, and willingness to work until a job was done properly.

Above all, service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was central to MarLynn's life. He served a two-year mission in the North Central States Mission from 1956 to 1958. Throughout his life he accepted many opportunities to serve the Lord and His children, including service as a high councilor in multiple stakes including at BYU, a stake Seventy, branch president, bishop, and counselor in the stake presidency. Later in life he served an 18-month full-time mission with his sweetheart Jane with the Family History Department mission in Salt Lake City. He gave all of this service not for recognition, but because he loved the Savior and believed in the importance of His work.

MarLynn's life was a testimony of faith expressed through devotion, work, learning, family, and service. He loved the gospel of Jesus Christ and sought to live its principles faithfully. His family and friends will miss his presence, his determination, his example, and the quiet strength of his testimony. His influence will continue through the generations of his family and through the many lives he touched during a lifetime of service.

His family takes comfort in the knowledge that because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, death is not the end. They look forward with faith and hope to the day when families will be reunited through the Savior's Atonement and Resurrection.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at 3785 W Box Elder Dr. (4000 N), Pleasant Grove, Utah. A viewing will be held that morning from 9:30–10:30 a.m. at the same location.