Russell Stewart Marriott — Autobiography

I was born November 22, 1911 in Marriott, Utah to Hyrum Willard Marriott and Ellen Morris. We lived in a very fine farmhouse with about 50 acres of cultivated land. Part of my youth was spent here at this farm, a sheep and cattle ranch. I had many experiences on the sheep range in Wheeler Basin in Ogden Canyon, South Fork Canyon, Monte Cristo and the winter range in New Foundland.

One experience that stands out vividly was a summer when I was about twelve years old. Dad put me in charge of carrying supplies and moving the sheep camp for a Basque sheepherder. I was a week late going to Wheeler Basin from our ranch in Marriott because of the rain. When I arrived the sheepherder bellowed out some strong swear words and: “Where have you been? The bears have killed about 70 head of sheep.” After informing my father, he had the government trappers set many traps in the area. A few weeks later I was with the sheepherder and we heard a loud noise on the side of the mountain where a trap had been set in a spring. I told the herder that we had a bear in the trap we must go up. He said: “you go.” So on my horse with a 30-30 rifle I rode to the spot. The trap was set off and in the trap was a cub bear’s foot, chewed off by the mother bear. For years later, when riding on the trails, I would see the print of a bear with three feet and a spot where a stub foot would hit the ground. I knew that it was the cub bear’s prints that we caught in the traps. This was just on of many experiences I had when growing up. My father gave we boy’s, men’s jobs to do when we were about ten years old.

I went to elementary school in Marriott Settlement. I played baseball and basketball for the school. I was sick with bronchitis from six years old to fourteen years and the doctor discovered I had imbedded, infected tonsils. After they were removed I got well. When I was nine years old I came down with pneumonia and I was in bed from November until May. The teachers passed me into the next grade, but school was very difficult for me for a few years. I went to high school at Weber County High. I was chosen for the basketball team, but I was unable to play because the school bus left before we finished practicing and I had to ride the bus to get home. This past year was our 50th High School Anniversary and I saw many classmates I have not seen in 50 years. During my last year in high school my father broke his leg and I had to leave school in May to help with the sheep. I studied all summer so I could get my credits.

About 1929 our family moved to Ogden, Utah. I went to Weber College where I played basketball and football and I also played on the Church team. Then I went on to the University of Utah for two years. The first college year I traveled to and from Salt Lake City every day and worked at Heber Jacobs gas station from 5 to 10 P.M., so I could go to school. The next year, my brother Bill and his wife, Allie, helped support me and I stayed at my sister Helen and her husband, Mike Dougan’s home and then at the Kappa Sigma Fraternity House. On weekends I worked for the Division of Grazing, driving trucks for the government. One day, my bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bishop David Wilson said: “I want you to go on a mission for the church. I told him that I had only one year left to finish school. Bishop Wilson said: “If you wait you will get married and loose this great opportunity.” I went to England for my mission in the Rochdale area, under the direction of my mission President Hugh B. Brown. I was Supervising Elder for about a year. I was there in 1937, the year of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Centennial Conference in England. This conference was help in Rochdale because it was near to Preston, England where the first baptisms took place. President Heber J. Grant and J. Reuben Clark of the Church Presidency were in attendance. We obtained the town hall for one Conference and President Grant spoke. There were loud speakers on the outside of the building and thousands listened while standing in the streets and on the cobble stone courtyard. While I was there I did genealogy work finding my great, great grandfather, Levi Stewart’s grave and his five wives. I had many great experiences that will always be remembered from my mission in England.

I had met a beautiful girl, Phyllis Brown, before going on my mission and we corresponded. After returning in January of 1939 I went back to school at the University of Utah. That year, on October 14th, Phyllis and I were married. My Dad had written to me from Washington, D.C. telling me: “To marry that beautiful Brown girl and get back to Washington for I have an apartment for you.” I worked for the Marriott Hot Shoppes. This was a great opportunity my brother Bill (J. Willard Marriott) had given me. I had many wonderful experiences and a chance for development in business and working with people.

In 1941 the United States of America was at war with Germany. I obtained a commission as Lieutenant Junior Grade in the U.S. Navy and was stationed at Norfold, Virginia. I was in charge of food services at the Portsmouth Navy Yard. I was also in charge of insurance at the base. After my Navy career, I returned to the Marriott Corporation where I worked for about 33 years with wonderful experiences, working as Restaurant Manager and District Manager and Hospital Feeding.

My special job in the Church has been in the Sunday School as a teacher and for many years as Superintendent of the Sunday School. Over a period of eight years I was Second Counselor in the Bishopric in the Silver Spring Ward and after the division of the wards I was First Counselor in the Bishopric of the Rock Creek Ward.

After I retired I wanted something to do. We had purchased a large home on the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire near Wolfeboro the summer before retiring. The house was old and covered with shrubbery, so Phyllis and I spent several years remodeling, repairing and replacing the shrubbery. We also purchased two condominiums in Scottsdale, Arizona where we spend part of the winter. We visit in Dallas, Texas, Orem and Provo, Utah with our children during the year and they come to visit us in the New Hampshire during the summer. We have three great sons; Russell Stewart Marriott, Jr. of Dallas, Texas; Douglas Grant Marriott of Orem, Utah; and Philip Brown Marriott of Provo, Utah. We have three lovely daughters-in-law; Margo, Gina, and Cheryl and thirteen beautiful grandchildren and I add, the Russell Marriott Jr’s expect another child in October, their sixth. Douglas and Gina have five, and Philip and Cheryl have three children.

I have several hobbies; growing tomatoes and flowers and doing yard work, fishing and last, but far from least, playing golf.