Sondra Taylor

Sondra Merrell entered the world on June 25, 1944, exactly one day after our dad! She was born in Duchesne, Utah, and was the fifth and final child to join the Porter Lybbert and Fern Louise (Larsen) Merrell clan. Her older siblings, Arlene, Glade, Reid, and Chyrl doted on her, the baby of the family. She loved her family deeply.

Mom was an excellent student in school and was involved in many activities as a youth including the 4H Club, cheerleading, choir, waitressing, and playing the clarinet in the high school marching band. After graduating with honors from Duchesne High School, Mom attended Brigham Young University with a full-tuition scholarship and graduated with two degrees, Child Development and Family Relations. She loved teaching kindergarten.

During her freshman year at BYU, Mom met our dad, Randall Lee Taylor. They sang in a quartet together, fell in love, and decided to write to each other while Dad served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Andes Mission. Their relationship almost didn’t make it as Dad, (inaccurately) sensing that Mom was about to break up with him, decided to beat her to the punch and break up with her first! Mom’s roommate DeAnn, who was also Dad’s cousin, convinced him of his silliness and persuaded Mom to forgive him. We children all owe our lives to DeAnn!

Mom and Dad were married and sealed for eternity on August 12, 1966 in the Salt Lake City Temple. A beautiful family soon followed- Melanie (Byde Willis), Brett (Jenny), Matthew (Elizabeth), Brandon (Noelle), Wendy (John Bennion), and James (Kerri). Our family also joyfully welcomed 17 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren into the clan. Mom and Dad (Nana and Papa) found deep joy in their family and loved creating memories for them including: dinners and celebrations, “Cousin Books”, “Nana and Papa tapes”, Harry Potter Halloween parties, “Great-to-be-Eight” adventures for the grandchildren, family reunions, family history nights, and much more.

Mom’s legacy was one of faith- faithfulness to the Lord and to her family. She inspired us with her diligence, her gentleness, her devoted service in her church callings, her exceptional work ethic, her generosity, her creativity, her amazing cooking and art skills, her endearing stubbornness, the delight she took in serving others, and her ability to find joy in life’s small moments. She was the ideal mother and Nana. Mom was preceded in death by her parents, all her siblings, and our dad. We’re certain her reunion with them has been sweet. We will miss her dearly and look forward to our own joyful reunion with her someday.

We would like to thank the staff at Spring Gardens Senior Living in Lehi as well as Aspen Ridge Home Health and Hospice for their compassionate care of our mom. We are also deeply grateful to our friends and family for all of their love and support. To paraphrase Mom’s last words spoken in her life, “I [we] love everybody.”

Our family held a private graveside service for Mom after her passing. We invite all to join us in a celebration of her life, beginning with a cookie and milk bar in her honor at 10:00 am, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 am on November 21, 2026 at 270 W. Harvest Hills Blvd. Saratoga Springs, Utah 84045.