Marilyn Cameron Crandall

Marilyn Cameron Crandall, of Mesa, Arizona, passed away February 4, 2026.

Marilyn was born on September 15, 1940, to Clinton and Lola Cameron in Los Angeles, California, where she grew up alongside her sisters Joyce, Colleen, and Nadine. She graduated from Hamilton High School in L.A.  After graduation, she attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where she met John Allen Crandall. John and Marilyn were married in the Los Angeles Temple on June 16, 1961.

Following their marriage, the couple moved to San Francisco while John attended dental school. In 1965, they settled in Mesa, Arizona, where they raised their family and established John’s dental practice. Together, Marilyn and John raised six children.

Early childhood education was Marilyn’s lifelong passion and central to who she was. She poured this love into her own children, grandchildren, and countless students. When her children were young, she taught preschool part-time and later spent nearly 25 years as a kindergarten teacher in the Mesa Public School District at Whitman and MacArthur Elementary Schools. Marilyn was known for creating innovative, hands-on ways to help children learn and thrive.

Marilyn’s compassion for children extended far beyond the classroom. She volunteered for 25 years at the Child Crisis Center, serving in many roles including fundraising and serving on the board. Most of all, she loved spending time directly with the children—bringing craft projects to share. During the summers, children from the Center would come to swim at her house daily, and Marilyn frequently joined them in the pool, delighting in their joy.

Her faith and membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a cornerstone of Marilyn’s life and guided the way she served and loved others. She faithfully served in many callings throughout her life, including Relief Society President, Cub Scout den mother, Primary teacher, Young Women leader, and temple worker. After retiring from teaching, she and John served two missions together in England, a highlight of their later years. More important than any formal calling, Marilyn lived a deeply Christlike life marked by compassion, humility, and quiet service. She showed love to everyone she met, and her daily example, more than words or lessons, was her greatest testimony.

Marilyn deeply cherished her role as a grandmother. Affectionately known as the “Book Grandma,” she fostered a love of reading and learning by gifting books to her grandchildren and reading to them often. She loved words, quotes, and poetry, filling her home with their inspiration. She was known for her joyful laugh and warm sense of humor.

Marilyn is survived by sister, Nadine Doyle, and her six children: Douglas (Shelli) of Fort Morgan, Colorado; Wayne (Susan) of Chandler, Arizona; Sharon Crandall of Mesa, Arizona; Glen (Rebecca) of Kaysville, Utah; Joyce Green (Kerry) of Mesa, Arizona; and Charles (Erin) of Kaysville, Utah. She is also survived by 22 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John Allen Crandall.

The funeral service will be held on Monday, February 16 at 6:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1911 N. 24th St., Mesa. A reception for all who would like to visit with the family will take place immediately after the service. A graveside interment will be held on Tuesday, February 17 at 10 a.m. at the Mesa Cemetery.

Arrangements by Bunker’s University Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.