It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Stephanie Merkley passed away on September 6, 2024, after living with ALS for five years.

Stephanie Merkley was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan on May 17, 1974, to Steve and Sally Francom. Growing up she played soccer, competed with her horses in 4-H and was active in her school choirs and musicals. Steph was always very studious and loved learning, even at a young age. Steph grew up with four siblings on 14 acres, and it was there that she developed her love of nature and the outdoors. After high school Steph decided to head west and attend college at BYU. Steph loved the grandeur of the mountains and the vast expanses of the west. She combined these two interests together and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Geology in 1995. She loved geology so much that she also chose to marry a fellow geologist; Ryan Merkley. Stephanie and Ryan were married in March of 1999. She later obtained her Professional Geologist license and spent most of her professional career employed by various engineering consulting firms working on geological hazards along the Wasatch Front and other locations across the Intermountain West.

Steph took a break from consulting to raise her two sons- what she considered her greatest accomplishment. She later resumed her professional career teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) at Willow Canyon Elementary School. Steph loved teaching science to elementary children, especially her son Christian, and did her best to show them how science plays a role in everything.

Steph’s greatest joy was being a mother to her two boys. Nothing brought her more happiness than sharing her love of the outdoors, camping, riding bikes, hiking, and cooking. She was an enthusiastic supporter to their many extracurricular activities, and nothing gave her more pride or could put a smile on her face quicker then Matt or Christian accomplishing a goal, being witty, doing something goofy, or helping her in any way, especially in the latter part of her life when even everyday activities became a struggle.

Steph was an amazing person who blessed the lives of everyone she met. Steph always made everyone around her feel better, and always made sure she said, “Thank You”, even later in life when she could not speak and had to type out what she wanted to say. It took more time, but she made sure to take that time, to make sure everyone knew how important they were to her. She was an amazing wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, teacher and friend. We are all better for having her in our lives.

Stephanie is survived by her parents, Steven and Sally Francom, her sons Christian and Matt, husband Ryan, siblings Doug Francom, Tracy Stout, Stan Francom and Emma Jackson.

There will be a Celebration of life at Granite Park in Sandy, Utah on Friday September 13th from 4:30 to 7:30pm. Funeral services will be held at the LDS Chapel located at 1880 East 9800 South, at 10:30 am on Saturday September 14th.

Please in lieu of flowers donate in Stephanie’s name to ALS United Rocky Mountain https://alsrockymountain.org/donate/ or the Team Gleason Foundation https://teamgleason.org/donate/ . Living with ALS is extremely difficult and costly. Both organizations helped Steph continue to live her life as normally as possible. Thank you.

To watch the service, please follow this link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81447959521