Margene Campbell

Our beautiful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away unexpectedly on January 13, 2021 at the age of 87. She will be greatly missed.

Margene Taylor Campbell was born on September 27, 1933 in Ephraim, UT in a family where love and laughter dwelled. Her parents, LaVar Taylor and Annie Marguerite Stevens, married for 72 years, set the example of the value of hard work, service and unity of the family which Margene carried on in life. She was the youngest of 4 children and stories are told that at a very young age, while both her parents worked, that Margene’s independent nature took her to wandering around Ephraim alone unbeknownst to her family.

When Margene was in 1st grade she wrote a fairytale that was chosen to be read on a radio program called “Let’s Pretend” which came out from New York City on Saturday mornings. Writing turned into a life long passion. She also learned to play the drum in 4th grade which abled her to march in parades through her teenage years. She attended Butte High School after moving to Montana after eight grade for 3 years. She then moved back to Ephraim for her Senior year.

Margene attended Snow College and then BYU and graduated with an Elementary Education degree in 1955 and began teaching 3rd grade in Pleasant Grove, UT for one year. She moved to Whittier, CA where she was hired as a first grade teacher at Lake Marie elementary school in Whittier and taught for the next 15 years. While teaching first grade she started a new successful way of teaching reading through creative writing. The Los Angeles teachers association caught wind of her teaching method and had her come and demonstrate her program at one of their seminars.

She met William (Bill) Paul Campbell on a blind date. After Bill joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, they were married on May 18, 1962 and later sealed in the Los Angeles Temple in 1966. That same year they moved to Hacienda Heights, CA. Margene stopped teaching full time when Bill was elected to the Assembly (1966) and then Senate. He served in the California State Legislature for 25 years which brought many amazing and challenging experiences. Margene did an incredible job of being Bill’s rock while balancing raising their daughters, working on PTA Boards, Republican Women’s Club and philanthropic organization California Utah Women, which she was President for one year. She continued to substitute teach when needed. She also served many different church callings and fulfilled all of them with unwavering love.

Margene’s life was valued in constant service. She loved her family dearly and showed them by example that living life according to the gospel of Jesus Christ was worthwhile. She was always fun to be around and was a constant light to all of us.

She is survived by 2 daughters, Michelle Warnick (Greg) and Stephanie Jones (Alan), as well as one older brother, Zane Taylor. She also leaves behind 14 grandchildren and 3 great-grand children.

She was preceded in death by her eternal sweetheart William Paul Campbell (2015) and a daughter Kimberly Ann Foster (1998).

Funeral services will be held at 12 pm on Friday, January 29th at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 South State Street, Orem, Utah. A Private family viewing will be held prior to the services. She will be buried at the Orem Cemetery.

The Facebook Live can been seen: HERE .

Condolences may be expressed to the family on this page.