Marlene Magaraci

Marlene Magaraci, 62, of Salt Lake City, passed away on December 13th, 2023 following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. If you were lucky enough to know Marlene, you know that she was not going to go down without a fight, and she definitely did not “lose” this battle… She fought gracefully, fiercely, and with unwavering positivity. She fought long and hard to have as much time as possible with those whom she loved, beating the odds that were against her far longer than expected. She is survived by her loving husband Francesco Magaraci, her kids Ryan (Paula), Isabel (Whit), Carrie (Bryce), and Sam (Chantel), her grandkids Charlie, Harper, Sawyer, and Parker, her brother Garvin Jabusch, her mother Carolyn Nielsen, her father David Jabusch, and many other beloved family members, and friends that have become family to her over the years.

She was born on August 13th, 1961 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania and spent her childhood growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1987 she graduated from the University of Utah with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and went on to have a fulfilling career as a wonderful and caring nurse. She was particularly proud and passionate about her work in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at the University of Utah, a nursing job that certainly requires a very special kind of person to take on. She adored being a mom, loving her kids unconditionally, each so uniquely and individually, that each of them are still convinced that they are the favorite. She was an amazing wife and loved exploring Northern California with her husband after his job moved them there in 2008. In 2014, she became “Nannie,” and her grand babies were her greatest joy in life. She loved to host sleepovers, summer camps, knitting classes, making everything so special and memorable for them.

Marlene’s favorite clothing brand was “Life. Is. Good.” which was very fitting, as the sentiment encompasses her outlook on life perfectly. This became especially near and dear to her as she fought her battle with cancer, “life is good” truly became her motto. She was adventurous, always wanting to visit new places. A big foodie, who loved trying new restaurants with her favorite people. She loved to cook and entertain, and she made every birthday, holiday, or special occasion one to remember. She loved hard, and took everyone under her wing. It didn’t matter what walk of life you came from, she welcomed you with open arms and took care of you.

When anyone asked how they could help her after she became sick, her response would be “have a glass of Pinot Noir for me” or “go experience and enjoy the things I’m not able to right now.” That was her wish; for all of her family and friends to continue living their lives to their fullest, and enjoying the little things. So go out and do all the things you dream of doing, soak up every moment you get to spend with loved ones for her, and think of her each time you get to enjoy happy hour with a glass of Meomi, visit the coast of Northern California, dance to the Clash, or sing karaoke in good company.

To those grieving this incredible loss… “What is grief, if not love persevering?”

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the following:
The Huntsman Cancer Foundation at https://give.huntsmancancer.org/page/30815/donate/1
or
The Lustgarten Foundation of Pancreatic Cancer Research at https://lustgarten.org/?form=give