Honored Citizens' for 2007
Merilyn and Roger Urry
ROGER G. URRY & MERILYN LUKE URRY BIOGRAPHY
Roger G. Urry was born in Salt Lake City and grew up in Woods Cross on a small five acre farm. He has one brother and two sisters. He graduated from good ol’ Davis High in Kaysville, Utah. At age 18 Roger went to work at the oil refinery with his father. Jobs were hard to find in 1953 in spite of the Korean war going on. He joined the Utah Air National guard when he was 17, the 191st Fighter Squadron in Salt Lake. After two years in the Air Guard he transferred into the 115th Combat Engineers where he served for three more years.
Merilyn Urry was born and raised in Twin Falls, Idaho with one sister and four younger brothers. She grew up in a home that provided many opportunities to develop her talents in music, art, dancing and involvement in sport and community service.
After high school she attended Brigham Young University where she continued using her talents as well as obtaining an education. She sang in the A Capella Choir and played flute in the BYU Band. Merilyn sang in a women’s quartet and performed on Choir tours and for the Student Program Bureau. They took first place in the Homecoming Quartet Contest and won the award for doing the most shows for the Student Program Bureau as well as many tours every summer across the United States. Her senior year they signed a recording contract with RCA and went professional the following summer as "The Mam’Selles". They did some recording and performed with Bobby Darin, Connie Francis, on the Dick Clark Television Show and Lawrence Welk to name a few.
Merilyn settled in Hollywood where she met and married DeVon Stanfield giving up her singing career to raise a family. After five children and the death of DeVon she returned to school receiving a BA in music from the University of California in Berkeley. She then taught school for several years in the San Ramon School District. In 1970 she met and married Roger Urry.
They ended up with a "His, Hers and Ours family of 12". They now have 21 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Together and with their family they became very involved with many performing groups and activities in the community as well as the LDS church. Merilyn directed many choirs including the regional director of the Oakland Temple Pageant and was one of the rehearsal directors for "Saturday’s Warrior" and "Threads of Glory". They both sang with the LA touring company of both productions. They were involved with many theater productions, several directed by Merilyn. She composed music for their ward choir as well as arranging special arrangements for the ward and stake choirs. She also composed the music for an original musical for children called "A Birthday For Joseph" which was performed in California and Midway.
The Urrys moved to Midway in 1978. Merilyn taught piano in California after retiring from teaching school. She became a substitute teacher in Utah and taught piano. again. She was the assistant Swiss Chorus director their first summer and Roger sang in the chorus. She then had the opportunity to be the director for the following two years. They sang with the chorus many years and Merilyn directed again in the nineties. She arranged special numbers and medleys for the chorus and was the producer for several Swiss Chorus shows as well. She composed a song for the Relief Society Song Contest and was one of the top winners. Another composition "Midway" has been sung by the chorus and the Children’s Choir also performed it.
Roger and Merilyn worked together on many theater productions through the years. They had leads together in "Within These Walls", a valley production, "Michael McLean’s "The Ark", and The Homestead’s Theater musical production of "That’s How The Castle Crumbles". They both were involved with the organizing and producing of plays for Town Hall Playhouse. Merilyn was Stake Director for many years and directed many plays, road shows and musicals including "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", "Arsenic and Old Lace". Roger had a lead and Merilyn was the music director for the original musical production "Journey Home" by Beth Lawrence for the 2002 Olympics. They recently performed in the stake production of the musical "Socks and Souls", Roger doing one of the leads. Merilyn was able to get a state grant to produce a musical for the centennial celebration. Ruth Hale of the Hale Theater group wrote the scrip. A Hollywood songwriter, Loren Nichols, composed the music and Merilyn helped produce it and directed this grand production. Roger again played a lead in this countywide show. Merilyn currently plays the hand ringing bells and is the assistant director of the Midway Swiss Belles. This very professional group performs during the Midway Swiss Days celebration and during the Christmas season.
Along with the many music and theater opportunities here in this valley both were able to make a contribution in the political arena. Soon after moving to Midway, Roger and Merilyn became involved in the Midway Boosters and served many years on the board. After taking a break from that for a few years Roger served on the board again in 1989. He served on many committees and as Vice-President in 1992, President in 1993 and 1994. During his term as President he and Merilyn were part of the rewriting of the by-laws, adding paragraphs to include the operations of the Swiss Days Committee. Roger worked with the church real estate department to purchase the old Social Hall for $100.00. Roger served several times as the Republican Precinct chair and serving as County Delegate and State Delegate. He is presently finishing his sixth year on the Midway City Board of Adjustments. He is also presently serving as the chairman on the Planning Commission for Midway City. He was chair for the Construction Standards committee during the recent moratorium. He has recently retired from a career with Varsity Contractors, where he was supervisor over maintenance and janitorial crew for the Varian Medical Systems Inc, plant in Salt Lake City.
Shortly after moving to the valley Merilyn organized a Republican Women's Club and was asked to be on the Utah State Republican Women’s board. She served for 16 years in different offices including President for 2 years traveling around the state and attending conventions in Washington DC and around the country. She was County Chair for President George W. Bush’s first campaign, as well as Senator’s Orrin Hatch, Bob Bennett, and Congressman Chris Cannon, and others. She has served as Vice-Chair and also Secretary for the County Republican Party. She served on the Legislative Council. Merilyn also enjoys being a Poll Worker for the elections.
During the Swiss Christmas celebration the first weekend in December you can come visit Father and Mother "Merrie" Christmas (secretly known as Merilyn & Roger Urry) in the Midway Town Hall.
Roger and Merilyn have worked tirelessly on many fund raising projects and other community events, from Swiss Days to fence building. Together they currently are serving as service missionaries for the church over the Midway Cannery.
They felt very fortunate to have raised most of their family here. They feel they have developed strong bonds with and love the folks of their beautiful town and have sunk down very deep roots. They truly have loved every minute of living in Midway and are here to stay.
Last Updated:08/18/2007