Mary Lucille Thornock Birch passed away from complications of a stroke on Thursday, March 20, in Lindon, Utah, where she and her husband, Glenn, were currently living.
She and Glenn L. Birch were married in the Salt Lake Temple on Sep. 1, 1967. They are the parents of five daughters and one son: Andra, Marni, Abby, Russell, Amanda and Aubrey; and later, Amma, an unofficially adopted daughter.
Mary Lue was born Sept. 29, 1947, in Logan, Utah, to Emma Lucy McKinnon and John Russell Thornock. She grew up on her family’s ranch where she moved sprinkler pipes, and helped put up hay. She loved to ride her favorite horse, Mr. Scrud, and competed in barrel racing. She was the queen of the local Pioneer Day rodeo.
Mary Lue started her elementary school education in Randolph, Utah. When she was in the fourth grade, her family moved to their ranch south of Cokeville, and she finished her education at Cokeville High School, graduating in 1965.
She was active in almost every activity available: cheerleading, pep club, drill team, band, stage band, choir, Junior Prom Queen, FHA, FTA. After high School, she attended BYU for two years.
As a lifetime member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mary Lue served in many callings. She loved working with the Young Women, the Primary and Relief Society. She played the piano and the organ for all of the organizations’ meetings. She and Glenn served as temple ordinance workers in the Logan (Utah) Temple and in the Star Valley Temple.
Mary Lue loved music. Her favorite calling was directing the ward choir. The number one item on her bucket list would have been to be given the opportunity to conduct the Tabernacle Choir just once. She also enjoyed teaching piano lessons to young children, which she did for many years. She had a beautiful alto voice and would sing with her favorite duet partner, Glenn, at many wedding receptions and funerals.
Food was Mary Lue’s love language. She really loved to cook and bake, and the aroma of something yummy was almost always in the air. Warm homemade bread and raspberry jam was a frequent favorite as the kids got home from school.
Her cinnamon rolls and orange rolls are well loved throughout the community, and she often provided them for the hospitality rooms for the visiting athletic teams’ coaching staffs during tournaments, or music festivals, etc.
Making a plethora of Christmas cookies and treats to take to the neighbors was a favorite tradition in her home. Many meals were made with love to serve those in need. She also worked as head cook in the restaurant at the Texaco truck stop for several years.
Mary Lue loved going on rides in the mountains and hills near Cokeville. Her favorite destination was the Big Spring in the Bridger National Forest. Her grandchildren all remember picnics at the spring and climbing the waterfalls together.
She rarely came back home from those trips without several rocks of every shape and size to add to her rock garden and flower beds. Gardening and taking care of her flowerpots was her favorite form of therapy, and was one of the things she missed most since moving to Utah.
She also had a passion for seasonal decorating and often won first place for the best Christmas decorated yard in Cokeville. The kids in town loved to see the large collection of inflatable decorations that filled her front yard throughout the year, especially at Christmastime.
Mary Lue was preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Emma Lucy Thornock; and her sister, Julie.
She is survived by her husband, Glenn L. Birch; and her seven children: Andra (Kenny) Petersen of Cokeville, Marni (Robert) Harmon of Cokeville, Abby (Cole) Stephens of Kaysville, Utah; Russell (Ashley) Birch of Cokeville, Amanda (Mark) Anderson of American Fork, Utah; Aubrey (Jason) Boyer of Cedar Hills, Utah; and Amma Brown of New York; 30 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren, and one on the way.
She is also survived by her siblings, J.R. Thornock, Ernest (Karen) Thornock, Connie (John) Bird and Jeffrey (Jolane) Thornock; and many nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 27, at the LDS ward house on Main Street in Cokeville. Friends can greet the family from 9 until 10:45 a.m. that day, and on Wednesday evening, March 26, from 6 until 8 p.m.
