Mary Marcia Cortez

Our loving mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother, Mary Marcia Cortez (Marshmellow), passed away January 9, 2021, at 76 due to COVID-19. She was born November 27, 1944, in Bingham Canyon, Utah, to Demecio Vigil and Carolina Romero Vigil.

Our Mom was such a loving person with such a big kind heart and open arms. She touched many people. Even though she had very little, she would cook for people and shelter them when needed; her home was always open. Our Mom never drove or had a driver's license but was a master at navigating with her son Angel around town on public transportation. The UTA bus drivers loved and knew them both very well.

She loved her grandchildren more than anything and made them all know how special they were to her. She would often take them on the bus to watch a movie and bought them hamburgers off the dollar menu when tending them. All of the older grandchildren would get a card with something in it every Christmas, and all the great-grandchildren received toys. She would never forget about anybody. Our Marshmellow loved her sixteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren very much. She would always remember to ask about how every one of them was doing.

We loved our little Mamacita and would often tease her about how she would say certain words when speaking like crackpot instead of Crockpot, flushlight instead of flashlight, the cobit instead of COVID, did someone fort instead of fart. The one Ruby loved the most was Cafonia instead of California. Ruby would say, "Mom, where was I born?" She would say Cafonia, and then Ruby would ask again, "Where?" She would say, "Oh, you know where." then laugh.

Marshmellow was a nickname given to her by her sister Lola because she was small and squishy. It caught on quickly through the family. Our Mom loved the Phantom of the Opera and had multiple copies on DVD just in-case someone stole one or the DVD was misplaced or scratched. She would watch it over and over, never getting tired of it. She was taken to see, The Phantom of the Opera in Las Vegas and was amazed by the lights. She had a child-like expression on her face walking on the strip and entering buildings. Our Marshmellow loved watching Asian Drama love stories on Netflix. She would know exactly what the plot was even though she did not speak the languages. You could see her crying and saying, "They both love the same women."

She worked at Ballard Medical, Utah Roses, and Lollipop Daycare throughout her life while raising her four children. Her favorite thing to do was go shopping at thrift stores and yard sales with her brother Sammy to find treasures and then have a shared lunch with him.

Preceded in death by her father Demecio Vigil; mother Caroline Romero Vigil; three brothers Demecio (Jr) Vigil, Emerson (Squeaky) Vigil, and Sammy Vigil; two sisters, Maria (Lola) Vigil and Rosa Mary Pacheco; one great-grandchild, Arnold Andres Camacho Cortez; husbands from her first marriage and second marriage Andres Cortez and Esteban Torres, and many nieces and nephews that left us way too soon.

She was survived by her children; Angelina Cortez, Ruby (Michael) Romero, Veronica (Carl) Mascarenas, and Angel Torres. Grandchildren; Lonnie Cortez, Lillian Maestas, Jose Cortez, Maria Cortez, Anthony Romero (Danielle), Tasia (Nicholas) Punak, Monico Romero, Lorenzo Romero (Mauryn), Angel Torres Jr., Daniel (Eden) McCurdy, Robert (Meleseini) Mascarenas, Marissa Mascarenas, Isabella Mascarenas, Bianca Mascarenas, and Precilla Mascarenas. Great grandkids; Radeja Maestas, Anthony Villarreal, Jace Romero, Kade Romero, Emma Punak, Ava Punak, Ethan Punak, Ella Punak, Indie Rae McCurdy, Sylas McCurdy, and Ikaika Mascarenas. Brothers and Sisters; Estrella Romero, Elsie Manzanares, Orlando (Kathy) Vigil, Maryann Vigil, Marlo (Olis) Vigil, Joe (Carolyn) Vigil, Leroy Vigil, Anthony (Chris) Vigil, and many loved nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the excellent staff at Mountain West Medical Center in Tooele. Dr. Weiss and the nurses were so caring and went above and beyond to accommodate our mother and family. They became her adoptive family while her family couldn't be by her side during this difficult time. We want to give a special thanks to Nurse Lex, whom our mother, our queen, appreciated very much.

Due to COVID-19, the "Somanabeetchie" that took her away from us!!; the family will be having a private viewing and service for her children, grandchildren, godchildren, siblings & spouses on Thursday, 1/14/2021 at Goff Mortuary. Her burial will be on Saturday 01/16/2021 at Taylorsville Memorial Park Cemetery.

There will be a celebration of life scheduled for all of our loved family and friends at a later date. Please respect her and the family's wishes.

Flowers can be sent to Goff Mortuary before Thursday, 1/14/2021, before noon.