Myrna D. Burgoyne

Myrna Day was born during a blizzard, December 31, 1934 in Ogden, Utah to Annie Brown Day and Orson Davis Day. A walking miracle, she was more than two months premature and she weighed just over 3 pounds when she was born.  When she finally came home from the hospital, she slept in a homemade incubator which was a shoe box with lamp over it.  Her mother said she looked like a little baby bird when she tried to feed her.  Myrna was the oldest of Orson’s second family after he lost his first wife and married Annie.  Because of that, she had 7 much older half brothers and sisters who had children of their own who became Myrna’s friends and playmates.  As the oldest in this younger family, Myrna had a lot of responsibility for her brothers and sister while her mother worked fulltime.  In her spare time, Myrna loved to read—especially The Nancy Drew Mysteries—roller skate, and ice skate on the ponds around the Great Salt Lake.

Myrna spent her entire childhood at 244 Angel Street in Layton, Utah.  She was an adventurous girl and she had the scars to prove it, from the one on her leg after being shot by Richard Thornley with a BB gun, to the one she earned when she was scared by a porcupine in a tree and fell onto a barbed wire fence.  Myrna worked hard doing various jobs such as topping sugar beets, picking beans, serving as a car hop, and even working at the Clover Club potato chip factory in Kaysville.  She was a smart and popular girl and excelled in school, participating as a lead in the school play, serving in student government and going on regular ski excursions as the secretary of the Ski Club.  Myrna graduated from Davis High School in 1953.  Upon graduation, Myrna attended Brigham Young University, a time she remembered with much fondness as she made lifelong friends and served in student government.  She even performed as a dancer in the Kia Ora Club, the club formed to promote Maori culture and history, and traveled across the country with them. She delighted her grandchildren with her poi ball skills when she was well past her 80s. 

Myrna graduated from BYU in 1957 with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and Clothing & Textiles and after graduation, she was hired to be a buyer for Joske’s, a national department store headquartered in San Antonio, Texas and worked across the street from the Alamo.  Myrna was later hired by ZCMI as a buyer for their accessories department, and had many exciting adventures traveling to New York City to select and purchase accessories for ZCMI.  It was while working for ZCMI that Myrna met Raymond Hinckley Burgoyne, who was also working for the department store.  It took a while for Raymond to get Myrna’s attention, but eventually he did.  After a short courtship, Raymond had his brother bring Myrna to his home where he proposed to her from his sick bed while he was suffering from hepatitis and mononucleosis. He was afraid if he waited, she might get away.  She accepted and they were married in the Logan LDS Temple on July 30, 1962.

Myrna and Raymond were blessed with seven daughters in eleven years and that became the primary focus of Myrna’s life as she left her career and became a full-time homemaker.  Throughout those busy years of child rearing, Myrna utilized her cooking, canning, gardening, organization, budgeting and sewing skills more than ever. Despite a tight budget, she made sure her daughters had every opportunity to pursue their interests and develop their talents.  Myrna loved music, so she ensured every one of her daughters learned to play the piano and at least one other instrument. As a lifelong learner, Myrna participated in study groups and book clubs, went to Education Week and took community education classes. A natural bookworm, she was an avid reader and collector of books. She took up tole painting, calligraphy, tennis, and cake decorating.  She even sewed her own draperies and a suit and tie for Ray.  As her children grew older, she finally had the time and money to take music lessons, so as an older adult, she started taking piano and violin lessons.  A faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Myrna served in callings from Primary Teacher to Relief Society President and Gospel Doctrine Teacher.  She was a loyal and faithful friend and made an extra effort to include those who may have been forgotten or overlooked in her circle of friends.  Although she had a large family to care for, there was always room to host extra family members and friends.  Myrna cared for her aging father-in-law and later her mother during their final years.  The house was full but there was always room for more. 

When her family was mostly raised, Myrna went back to work at American Fork Junior High School until Raymond retired.  Upon his retirement, Myrna and Raymond served a mission in the Washington D.C. North Mission.  This was a wonderful and satisfying experience for them as they worked in the National Archives for Family Search as well as working with injured members of the military at Walter Reed Hospital.  Upon their return, Myrna and Raymond spent their time doing family history work, working in the Mount Timpanogos Temple, attending concerts and plays, and enjoying their family.  Myrna’s love of music was apparent as she continued to take music lessons, even taking up the ukulele in her 70’s and performing in a community concert that consisted mostly of children and teenagers.

During this time, it became evident that Myrna was having some memory loss and cognitive issues.  Her family found it painfully ironic that this woman who spent her entire life learning, was losing her memory.  She was probably one of the smartest Alzheimer patients ever.  This is where her habit of journal keeping came in handy.  Myrna started keeping a journal in 1977 when President Spencer W. Kimball encouraged the members of the church to keep a journal.  Myrna took that advice to heart and faithfully recorded her life and that of her family in over 25 journals and in countless photo albums and scrapbooks.  As her memory failed, Myrna read and reread her journals to keep track of life events and to remember things she had forgotten.  She continued to play the piano and take lessons up until eight months before her death and her final church calling was to be the Primary pianist.

 Despite painful and frustrating health challenges for the last 10 years, Myrna never complained.  Her ability to endure difficult things was impressive.  Most people never really knew all the hard things she faced.  One of most difficult setbacks for her, as a naturally social person, was losing her voice and hearing.  Even in her last days when asked how she was doing her response would be “pretty good.”  Myrna was a good example of the saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”  Her children never heard her gossip.  Her testimony of Jesus Christ was apparent in her faithful commitment to keep the commandments. Her scriptures were always close by her side and she read them faithfully. 

Myrna Day Burgoyne died on June 18, 2020.  She was preceded in death by her parents, 7 half brothers and sisters, and one grandchild.  She is survived by her devoted and loving husband Raymond Hinckley Burgoyne, her 7 daughters and their spouses: Rebecca (Todd) Mortensen, Christine (Bruce) Lundgreen, Tammy (Wade) Ellis, Melanie (Miguel) Miller, Rachel (Doug) Jensen, Amy (Sam) Hiatt, Elizabeth (Lorin) Leithead; her 22 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her brothers David (Elaine) Day, and Paul (Joan) Day and her sister Rebecca (Parker) Fuhriman.

A special thanks to Hearts for Hospice and their tender care of Myrna in the last months of her life. 

Due to Covid-19, the family will celebrate Myrna’s life with a private viewing at 10 am and a family funeral service at 11 am Monday, June 22 at Warenski Funeral Home, 1776 North 900 East, in American Fork, Utah.  Go to the Myrna Day Burgoyne Memorial Page on Facebook to watch the live stream of the funeral servicehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/551002665779924/.   Internment will take place at the American Fork Cemetery directly after the service.