Marion Roundy Hyde

Marion Roundy Hyde was born in Tremonton, Utah, on August 26, 1938. He was the eldest son of Warren William and Helen Gwen Roundy. He died on January 9, 2025. When Marion was born, his father was city Marshall in Tremonton, Utah. Three years later, he was elected Box Elder County sheriff. The family moved to the County seat of Brigham City, Utah, where Marion grew up.

 Sheriff Hyde owned a small ranch, as ranches go in Utah, at the edge of town where he raised quarter horses, sheep, chickens, and had the occasional milk cow. Marion learned the responsibility of raising livestock along with the art of grooming and showing horses and sheep. He developed the manual dexterity to milk the occasional cow, and had the experience of working the big cattle roundups coordinated by the ranchers in Western Box Elder County. This was the time for roping, branding, and Rocky Mountain oysters. Marion also had the experience of riding as a jockey at the county racetracks for a season. 

 Marion was raised in a law enforcement home. The county jail was next door to the Sheriff’s house, which afforded occasions for Marion and his brother Bruce to have contact with the incarcerated. They frequently played pinochle and hearts in the large central cell in the evenings and shot hoops with the trustees during the day. Marion’s mother was the matron of the jail and had the responsibility of feeding the imprisoned. She canned fruits and vegetables and baked bread for their benefit. The smell of fresh baked bread was ever present. She generally prepared two Thanksgiving dinners, one for the Hyde family and one for the inmates. During the winter it was the obligation of Marion and Bruce to take out the furnace clinkers and haul in coal for the next day’s heat. The boys had a high celebration when the county installed a coal feeder in the Sheriff’s house.

At times, while pondering events in his life, Marion reflected on the role the fates played in forming his career. They opened doors to prospects unexpected, but proved relevant in his quest. There was a time when Marion never thought much about post high school education. “Depression Era” events denied his father a high school diploma. His mother completed high school but never considered college. Family chitchat and discussions seldom, if ever, included serious plans for studies beyond high school. A career in the arts was never a topic of conversation simply because they were outside the family purview. 

 Marion had received recognition for his art talent in the elementary grades and had a certain kind of fame in high school for making pinup drawings for his friends’ lockers. The only artist he knew was his uncle Earl Hickman, who made wonderful professional western cowboy paintings. Earl only made a couple of paintings a year because he had to work his ranch. In Marion’s mind, art was a hobby or, at best, a part-time endeavor. 

 Marion graduated from Box Elder High School where he developed a love for history and music. He believed the inspired teaching of D. A. Olsen in history and J. Earl Johnston in music were fateful events in altering his plans to attend college. Marion excelled in sports and received an athletic scholarship from Utah State University. The stipend was essential if Marion were to attend college. He accepted the scholarship and became the first in the family to attend a university. He entered the program as a history major.

 As a scholarship recipient in athletics, the school provided Marion a bed, along with the other freshman footballers, in the “animal house” under the bleachers of the old Romney Stadium. The living conditions were marginal at best. He approached the freshman Coach, Ev Sorensen, who acquired a room for him in the Sigma Chi house. The move proved to be fortuitous when, during his sophomore year, a fraternity brother cajoled Marion into enrolling in an art class. At the time he wasn’t aware that there was an art department on campus. On entering the course, Marion was exposed to a world never imagined; the atmosphere was exhilarating! Instructors supported and cultivated new approaches for observing, analyzing, and responding to life experiences. Professor Harrison Groutage taught the course and saw the potential. He encouraged Marion to continue his art studies and eventually to become an art major. Marion had the good fortune of studying with three prominent Utah artists in Harrison Groutage, his mentor, along with Ev Thorpe and Gaell Lindstrom, who shared their knowledge and friendship. A knee injury ended football, but Marion continued his studies in history and eventually in art. 

 Financing a college education was challenging. The generosity of three men permitted Marion to finish his university studies. Doug Fife of Fife Construction Company, Irv Maddox of Maddox Ranch House, and Leo Jensen of O.P. Skaggs grocery store supported Marion’s college sojourn by always finding work, needed or not, when tuition was due. 

Graduation was approaching. Employment would be difficult for a fine art major with a history background. In February of his senior year, Marion received a call from Mr. Payne, his old high school principal. Another act of fate was about to open another door. The art teacher had resigned and the art program was in chaos. Hyde was offered employment to finish the school year. Marion had never considered teaching as a career. He didn’t know if he had the temperament or the desire to teach. The offer was accepted. The undertaking proved rewarding and successful. The concept of sharing knowledge fit his personality. The seeds for a career in teaching and making art had irrevocably been sown. Marion was offered the position to teach art at BEHS. 

 The College of Education entered the scene and indicated that certification for a person with so few college certification courses was out of the question. Eldon Drake, Professor in the College of Education, and Harrison Groutage had observed Marion teaching as he finished the school year assignment. Their observations indicated Marion would be an excellent teacher. Another act of fate transpired when Eldon and Harrison worked out a plan, with the College of Education and the certification board, providing Marion the opportunity to certify as a public school teacher. Marion was certified and taught art at Box Elder High School while completing a three-year Master of Fine Arts Degree in studio art. 

 As would happen, a teaching position opened in the USU art department. It was understood, at that time, that departments were discouraged from employing their own graduates. Regardless, application was made and as fate would have it, Marion was hired. He taught painting, drawing, and art education courses along with the occasional printmaking, design, and sculpture courses for 35 years. In the 1970s, The USU Art Department sponsored a Spring Quarter in Mexico program. During that time, Marion administered two tours to Mexico. In 1984, Marion was appointed Department Head. He held the position from 1984-1996. He retired with the rank of Professor Emeritus in 2002.

 Marion’s art hangs in public and private collections through out the United States. He also received numerous awards in national, regional, and local art competitions. In his early career, his work focused on the human figure. As Marion matured, he loved interpreting the Utah landscape in his paintings, drawings, and prints. He continued to work on his art and to study history after retirement. He was a student of the history of the United States and had a special interest in the Civil War era. While teaching at Box Elder High School, he began playing the guitar. He became accomplished in finger-style guitar, especially as it related to the country blues. He had a fondness for the Mississippi Delta flair. Marion was pleased that in retirement the resources were available to establish graduate and undergraduate scholarships in the Hyde family name in the USU art department for students majoring in painting, drawing, and printmaking. 

 Marion married Gloria Jean Nelson and had four children: Christine Hyde (J. Rio) Davis of Hyde Park, Utah; Corie Hyde (Larry) Crouch of Charlotte, North Carolina; Brian (Karen) Hyde of Smithfield, Utah; and Matthew (Jennifer) Hyde of Logan, Utah. They were later divorced. He then married Kathrynn Whitney; they were also later divorced. Marion is survived by his children, his sister Tonya of Ogden, Utah, his brother Wade of Harper Ward, Utah, 15 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Bruce.

 The family will greet visitors from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Nelson Funeral Home in Logan, Utah. Marion’s funeral will follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be in the North Logan Cemetery.