Marva Hayes Wood

Marva Hayes Wood was born on May 1, 1928, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Ernest Harold and Veda Sedgwick Hayes. Marva passed away at the age of 96 on March 25, 2025, in St. George, Utah. She was the second of four children. She grew up in Bountiful, Utah, and graduated from Davis High School.

Marva married her sweetheart, Robert Collin Wood (Woody), on November 13, 1946, in the Salt Lake City Temple. Shortly after their marriage, Woody joined the Navy and became a pilot. He flew many missions during the Korean War, and Marva rapidly discovered that being a Navy wife was one of the toughest jobs a women could do. The 29 years he served in the Navy brought many moves, adventures, and four children, Deon, Collin, Robert Jr. and Scott, into Marva and Woody’s lives.

Marva led a full and active life. She was talented in cake decorating, candy making, quilt making, cooking, sewing, and gardening to name a few. Her beautiful yard was named Garden of the Month in Orem, Utah. When she found one of her son’s elementary schools did not have a library, she established one and ran it for a time. In her middle years, for three years, she even helped her husband run a mink ranch -- feeding, tending, and pelting alongside Woody.

Her interests were as varied as her talents. Marva loved camping, fishing with her family, and golfing with her husband. She also loved traveling with friends, kids, and often with a lucky grandchild or two. Woody wanted to show his beloved, Marva, the world he had seen in the Navy and so they took many trips and cruises, traveling to exotic and fascinating places. They visited Tahiti, Fiji, China, Japan, Europe, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and Mexico to name just some. She also loved sports, BYU teams were her favorite and the Jazz a close second. Her interests also included people. She loved to give of herself, made friends easily, and her friends became lifelong ones.

Marva was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She and Woody served two full-time missions, one in Hawaii and one at Cove Fort, Utah. She had numerous callings in the church including helping to establish the first Primary in a small branch in Florida, teaching in various organizations, and as a temple worker. She loved Heavenly Father and went above and beyond anything she was asked or volunteered to do.

Marva was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Woody, her brother Darwin Hayes, her sister Larene Steel, her son-in-law Ronald, a granddaughter and two great-granddaughters. She is survived by her brother Larry Hayes (Nancy), her four children, Deon Grimes (Ronald), Collin Wood (Kathy), Robert Wood, and Scott Wood (Susan), her 31 grandchildren, 81 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren. After fifteen years, she is now back in the loving arms of her husband, where she has wanted to be for so long.

Marva’s funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main Street in Bountiful, Utah. A viewing will be held from 12:30--1:45 p.m. at the mortuary prior to services. She will be interred in the Bountiful City Cemetery.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.