Maryan Titus Hansen, 82, died peacefully surrounded by family on September 23, 2022, at her home in Mesa, Arizona of causes incident to age. Maryan was born August 5, 1940, in Heber City, Utah to Bliss Eugene Titus and Leda Elizabeth (Murri) Titus. She was the youngest of five children. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend to all she knew.
Maryan cherished her parents and siblings and had a very happy childhood growing up in the beautiful Heber Valley in the shadow of Mount Timpanogos. She loved sharing stories and fond memories from her youth. She graduated from Wasatch High School in 1958 and was proud of her five-foot nine-inch stature. During Maryan’s life she was often asked how she knew so much about rifles. She would tell people her father was a master rifle and barrel maker, and she helped him in his shop performing various chores when she was young (mostly keeping her dog Pepper out of mischief). She was proud that he made rifles for people all over the world, and even made a custom rifle for one of her favorite Western actors, John Wayne.
Upon graduating high school, Maryan worked at Mountain Bell Telephone Company as a switchboard/PBX telephone operator in Heber City. She then moved to Salt Lake City and worked for the American Telephone & Telegraph Company as a PBX operator. Maryan was then recruited to work for the University of Utah as a PBX operator.
In 1963, Maryan went to a church dance at the Terrace Ballroom and met a returned missionary named Robert Hansen. She went home from the dance and told one of her roommates that she met the man she was going to marry, even though she couldn’t remember his name. After knowing each other for three months, Robert took Maryan to This is the Place Monument in Salt Lake and said to her, “This is the place!” When she replied, “I know!”, he said, “no, this is the place where I ask you to marry me.” She was overjoyed and quickly said, “Yes!” On August 8, 1963, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple by Harold B. Lee. They were married for 59 years and were indeed ‘Helpmates’ and ‘Helpmeets’ to each other, enjoying the good times, and helping each other through the difficulties and challenges they faced together. Maryan and Robert had seven children: two single boys, a set of twin girls (8lbs each), and sixteen months later triplets, two girls and a boy (6lbs each). All of whom were born within 6 years of each other. She loved being a wife, mother, and homemaker.
Maryan had a wonderful sense of humor and a quick wit. She had many talents and hobbies; some of which included sewing, crocheting, quilting, baking, ceramics, and being extremely organized. She spent countless hours making clothes, quilts, and blankets for family and friends. She loved traveling and traveled extensively with her husband throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Maryan enjoyed spending quality time with family and friends. She also loved the outdoors and going on camping trips with her family in the mountains and to many reservoirs and lakes in Utah, of which Strawberry and Mirror Lake were favorites. Throughout her life, she and her husband bought and sold real estate which included houses and apartments that they rented.
She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and happily served in many callings throughout her life. She even financed her sister Reba Titus on her mission to the Eastern States mission in the early sixties. Maryan loved her Father in Heaven, her Savior, Jesus Christ, and the restored gospel and loved going to church, the temple, and listening to beautiful music, especially the Tabernacle Choir.
Maryan spent her life serving, giving, loving, teaching, listening and being a true friend. She was a true example of Christlike love.
While she will be dearly missed here on earth, her family and loved ones rejoice in the fact that she has now returned home and been reunited with her parents and many beloved family and friends.
Maryan is survived by her husband Robert; three sons and four daughters, Steven (Stacey), Michael (Rebecca), Jill (Mark) Davis, Julie (Dan) Canepa, Lori Gomez, Linda, Paul (Michelle); 15 grandchildren; and one sister, Diann (Roger) Shields. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Russell Emery (Victoria) Titus, and sisters, Stella (Hal) Fowkes and Reba Titus.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am (PDT) on Friday, September 30, 2022, at the Adobe Ward Chapel located at 2835 East Des Moines, Mesa, AZ. A viewing will be held one hour prior to the funeral service at 10:00 am (PDT). For those unable to attend the service in person, or would prefer to attend virtually, the family invites you to join via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/95264295297
Interment will be Friday, October 7, 2022, at 10:00 am (MDT) in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, (4thAve. & N Street).
In lieu of flowers, please do something kind for someone in need, or donate to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian or Missionary Fund: churchofjesuschrist.org.