Darylene Merrill

Darylene Robbins Merrill was born in Vernal, Utah on October 20, 1938, to Ardith (Hadlock) Robbins and Robert Lowell Robbins and she passed away in St. George, Utah, on March 17, 2026, surrounded and supported by all her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, and friends, many who are located all around the world. Darylene was born in Vernal, Utah, and she started her life journey in Artesia, Colorado as the oldest of her four siblings, Patti Yadon, Gale Robbins, Janet Hatch and Danny Robbins. There is on-going debate who started the legendary water fights amongst the family, but the Netflix series will tell all.

Darylene mastered the art of living a beautiful life. When she chose to begin her family, she married Richard Merrill and she brought three beautiful lives into this world to be by her side, Wayne, Robin, and Robert. Just so you all know, each of them will tell you they are her favorite child. She would always say that her favorite child was the one who needed her and she lived up to the challenge. There was never a shortage of MOM when she was needed.

Darylene supported and provided for her children in all the important ways that a mother can provide. She was very present with her kids to plan big dreams, celebrate joyous moments, overlook the less than desirable choices, help pick up the pieces when things did not go as planned, and when life demanded it, she would walk with them through the depths of despair. Her love extended on to her stepchildren, Tona, Michelle, and Curtis when she remarried Tony Machado after the death of Richard. Her life was built on a foundation of family in all iterations imaginable. We are still deconstructing how she hoodwinked us into planning large family reunions and gatherings that she concocted. In fact, she shepherded her last monthly Family Gathering Place phone call this month.

As her grandchildren started arriving, she offered a place of unconditional love, emotional security and a willingness to hold a special place in her heart for each of them individually. She embraced technology and used "The Facebook" and "The Instagram" to conduct covert surveillance of her family. She would say after she stopped traveling that she would have to see the world through her grandchildren' s eyes. I know that each of them will tell you that they see and feel the love through her eyes. She is excited to extend this same love to her grandson in heaven, Britt "Cooter" Merrill.

She loved to share her connection with Mother Nature as well as her many talents she acquired throughout her life, like quilt making, sewing, gardening, reading, drawing, painting, writing and sharing her love of Indigenous Americans with her grandkids. She was not only accomplished in the art of learning and trying new things to expand her horizons, she dedicated her energy to her family, which included, nieces, nephews, neighbors and many, many friends along the way.

You know that Maverick had the need for speed in Top Gun, well Darylene had the need to plant a seed. See what happened there. Darylene might be planting an acre garden on her forty-acre farm that she loved almost as much as her family. You would find her in this "happy place" tending to her numerous fruit trees, berries or farm animals. When she lived in the city it may have only been a humble pot that housed her African Violet that she nurtured and moved with her for over forty years. You know the saying when life gives you lemons you make lemonade, which she did all the time, but in our family the saying is if life gives you apricots, Gigi will make apricot leather, or she will make bread, or jam or butter...you get the picture.

So, in summary, Darylene Robbins Merrill loved and tended to her family, friends and in the end, we are all her favorites. She partnered with the land and world she loved, and we know that wherever she goes there will be something growing and preserved for all of us to join her one day.

Open house for Darylene will be held Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 1:45 ~ 3:00pm at the phillips ashley valley funeral home (410 North 800 West).

She asked that in lieu of flowers people could provide a donation to the following non-profit organizations if they choose.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

https://afsp.org

One Tree Planted

https://onetreeplanted.org/