On January 27, our beloved husband, father, grandpa, great-grandpa, brother and friend to all, Marquis Layland, passed away peacefully at the age of of 85. Mark was born February 25, 1933, in Sage, Wyo., to George and Pearl Lee Layland. After his parent’s divorce, he and his three brothers lived with their father and moved around a lot, attending many schools in Wyoming, Idaho and Nevada.
As a young man Mark developed his skills as a ranch hand, sheep herder and cow punch, learning his commitment to hard work and wide open spaces. At 19, he went into the Army and served two years at Fort Lewis Washington. Mark was honorably discharged in May 1955. After his time in the service he went to Cokeville to work as a ranch hand and met his first wife Lucille. They had two wonderful children, Nathan and Leslie Hayes. In 1964 he moved to Ely, Nevada, where his mother lived. It was hard work to complete his high school education and apprenticeship as a journey man mechanic while working a full-time position at Kennecott mine, but he persevered and was proud of his accomplishment.
On December 26, 1974, he married his beautiful, loving wife Kay Lee Layland in Ely, Nevada. After their marriage they moved to Kemmerer, Wyo., to start their new life together. They were later sealed in the LDS temple in Salt Lake City and worked hard to keep their blended family together. He worked for FMC Skull Point as a maintenance supervisor for for twenty years. After his retirement in 1995, he played a staring role at Grandma Kay’s Day Care as an honorary grandpa to all the children who passed through their doors. He and Kay served an LDS mission in 2001 to Dallas, Oregon, on the Riverbend Farm. Even in his old age Mark could not sit still, so he took a seasonal job at Fossil Butte Monument working as a maintenance worker.
Mark has always been a cowboy at heart. He spent much of his free time with his horses and mules. He enjoyed spending time helping friends in need during roundups and docking season. He broke horses and kept goats and geese. His entire family learned the value of hard work and togetherness at the ranch, where campouts and late night bonfires under the stars inspired the next generations. He never had idle hands and kept busy braiding and tanning leather and spinning and weaving wool. His handiwork will live on for years in the reins, whips, hides and blankets that he made.
Mark lived 85 wonderful years, leaving behind a legacy of many happy memories of joyous occasions of love and laughter. He instilled in his children the value of hard work and integrity.
Mark is survived by his loving wife Kay, sister Jerrie Lynn Manning, children Nathan and Leslie (Gene) Hayes, step-children Mike (Debbi) Cobb, Loyde (Wendy) Cobb, and Jacquie Louie; grandchildren Justin and Kelly Layland, Jenny and Ray Scucci, Jordan and Tera Layland, James Hannah, Josh and Ellen Pehrson, Ashley and Sean Branch, Whitney Cobb, Brandi and Jared Wilcox, Tyler and Whitney Cobb, Jamee Cobb, Travis and Grace Cobb, Vincent and Emily Guinta, Candice and Gentry Densely and Alec Louie; great-grandchildren Sydney, Emma, Macy, Erin, Ruby, Vincent Maxwell, Jonathan, Abigale, Deegan, Channing, EJ, Issac, Hailee, Skyla, Paige, Ember and Ansley. He was also Grandpa Mark to all children that passed through his Kemmerer home. He is preceded in death by his father George, his mother Pearl, and his three brothers Dan, Jim and Ken.
Funeral services will be conducted on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. at the Kemmerer L.D.S. Stake Center, with Bishop Destry Dearden officiating. Friends and family may call at the church one hour prior to services. Graveside services with military honors will be held on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. at the Ely Cemetery in Ely, Nevada.
Online condolences may be left at ballfamilychapel.com.
