Tonya Murdock Obituary Farmington, Utah, Tonya Murdock Funeral and Visitation

Tonya Murdock Death, Obituary – After a valiant and inspirational struggle with stage 4 melanoma, our beloved mother, wife, and friend, Tonya Lee (Dahl) Murdock, passed away on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, and is now resting in the loving arms of her Heavenly Father. She was able to pass away without any discomfort while her husband and children, who were her entire world, were at her side. On April 12th, 1952, Mom was brought into this world by her parents, Verl T Dahl and Adora Kidman Dahl.

She gained an appreciation for the worth of toiling away from an early age because to her upbringing in the rural community of Syracuse, Utah. During her time at Clearfield High School, she excelled in the sport of barrel racing, and she received her diploma in 1970. After completing her education at Dixie College, from which she received a bachelor’s degree in social work in 1972, she reconnected with the man who would become the love of her life and her everlasting partner, Kent Olsen (K.O.) Murdock, and finally married him. They tied the knot on August 17th, 1973, at the temple that is located in Salt Lake City.

The majority of their lives were spent as parents raising their four children in Layton, Utah, where they did it in two homes that were less than a mile away from one another. The things that my mother enjoyed most include shopping, decorating, going on trips with her girlfriends, eating crunchy ice, dove chocolates, crackers and cheese, bacon cheeseburgers, diet coke from McDonald’s, holidays, having lunch with her daughters, and spending time in her houses in St. George and Bear Lake.

She really enjoyed going shopping for things like back-to-school supplies, birthday presents, Halloween costumes, and Christmas presents. After becoming friends with a sales associate or letting a manager know how much money she had spent there in the past, Mom was almost never able to leave a store without receiving some sort of discount. She did this by either bragging about how much money she had spent there in the past. She took great satisfaction in the fact that she did not have to make many returns, but this was a quality that she was unable to instill in her indecisive offspring.

Mom has always taken great pride in presenting her finest appearance. She exuded delight with her sparkling blue eyes, infectious grin, well manicured hair and nails, and cheerful demeanor. Her presence filled the room with joy. She was very conscientious about making sure that she allotted the same amount of time to getting ready for herself as she did to getting ready for her children. Because of this, she had to get up quite early on a regular basis in order to ensure that all four of her children had coordinated appearances in terms of their hair, nails, accessories, and color palettes.

Her children and grandchildren were the things she appreciated and treasured the most, and she considered them to be her most valuable property. Because of the warmth and generosity that she exuded at her house, we were all drawn to visit her there on a daily basis. She was the primary factor in her four children and 17 grandkids deciding to settle within a ten-minute drive of each other. Her greatest times were spent spending time with her children and grandchildren and seeing them engage in the activities that brought them the most joy. It was quite unusual for her to miss either a game or a performance. She was both our number one supporter and cheerleader.

We believe that Mom’s ability to make each and every person feel loved and important is her most admirable trait. In the short time that has passed since her departure, an overwhelming number of individuals have remarked on how kind and approachable Mom always was. She was the go-to source for sound guidance and was reliable with confidential information. She had a way of making everyone feel special.

Mom placed a high emphasis on her position as a follower of Jesus Christ and a devout member of the church that he founded. She was a supporter of others who were less fortunate. She was a maid who never anticipated receiving anything in exchange for the numerous acts of kindness that she performed every day. Mom has an intrinsic capacity to love without conditions, as well as the ability to articulate and express her feelings of love freely and frequently. While the family was on mission in Melbourne, Australia, from 2018 to 2019, her second diagnosis of melanoma was confirmed.

During her treatment, she cherished and was grateful for the gentle, loving care that her father provided for her and she adored being her father’s companion. One of her final moments of clarity occurred on the occasion of her and her husband’s 50th wedding anniversary, which they celebrated at the Huntsman Hospital. She was bound and determined to reach the age of 50 with her father before she accepted her own mortality. That night, she was as excited as a child on Christmas morning, and she was able to convey her gratitude and affection to a large number of her family members, friends, and carers.

We will be eternally thankful to those who made it possible for us to receive such a kind compassion. Tonya is survived by her husband, K.O. Murdock, her son Tyson (Heidi) Murdock of Fruit Heights, her daughter Kelli (Shane) Willard of Kaysville, her daughter Kodi (Darin) Knudson of Layton, and her daughter McCall (Brandon) Lomax of Layton, in addition to her 17 grandchildren, all of whom LOVED and ADORED her. Her younger brother LaMonte K Dahl, her mother Adora Elizabeth Dahl, her father Verl T Dahl, and her brother in law Craig H Hess all passed away before her. She was the only surviving member of her immediate family.

We are extremely thankful for the godly example that our mother has set for us, and we will always treasure the memories that we shared with her. In memory of Tonya, we ask that you donate to a children’s charity, volunteer at a local youth sports event, or treat yourself to something you really want but don’t require. We would like to extend our deepest thanks to the countless doctors, nurses, and aides at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, as well as the nurses and physical therapists who worked for Hunstman at Home, for the excellent care that they provided to our mother.

In addition, our thanks go out to the several individuals who have reached out to our family in support. On Monday, August 28, 2023, at eleven in the morning, funeral services will be performed in the chapel located at 1015 N. Emerald Drive in Layton. The Russon Brothers Mortuary, located at 1941 North Main Street in Farmington, will be open for visitation on Sunday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, and then again on Monday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 AM, shortly before to the funeral services that will be held in the church. Lindquist Memorial Park in Layton, Utah, was chosen as the last resting place.