Margene Cornaby Tweedie

Our beloved mother and grandmother, Margene Cornaby Tweedie, passed away peacefully on July 8, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the age of 91.

Margene was born on May 23, 1934, in Spanish Fork, Utah, to Arthur Allen Cornaby and Fern Kirkham Cornaby. She was the second of five children. Her early life was marked by love, hard work, and heartache, most notably the loss of her eldest brother, Garth, who passed away from appendicitis just before his 15th birthday. Her remaining siblings, David Kent Cornaby, Eileen Cornaby Hunsaker, and Dennis Arthur Cornaby, also preceded her in death.

Margene attended Utah State University, where she met the love of her life, James Armand “Tweed” Tweedie. They were married on November 25, 1958, in the Salt Lake Temple and spent 54 devoted years together before Armand’s passing in 2013. Their life was filled with love, shared faith, and meaningful service.

She is survived by her two children, Lisa Tweedie Peay and David Allen Tweedie, as well as her two treasured grandchildren, Rashelle Godfrey (married to Alexander Godfrey) and Juston James Peay. She was also preceded in death by her parents and her son-in-law, RL Peay.

Margene worked as a secretary for the National Weather Service for over two decades and was known for her quiet dedication and professionalism. In her younger years, she bravely ventured out on her own to live in Washington, D.C., and Florida--an uncommon experience for a single woman at the time.

She had a lifelong love of learning, travel, and culture. Margene visited many parts of the world, including Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Russia, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. Her travels reflected her deep curiosity and cultural appreciation. One of her interesting trips was visiting Cuba before Castro’s rise to power.

Margene was also a woman of rich interests and hobbies. She was a devoted bridge player for 60 years, calling it her “therapy,” and she loved the friendships that came with it. She enjoyed book clubs, reading, and quiet time spent with those she loved. For more than 30 years, she served faithfully as Secretary in the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. A devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she lived her faith through her example of quiet service and love.

Though naturally shy, Margene had a gentle wit and warm sense of humor that charmed all who knew her. She and her daughter Lisa shared a special bond through their regular Scrabble games, filled with laughter and affection. Her son, David, would visit nearly daily to attend to her for 12 years after her husband passed. She was close to her family and would join them frequently for movie nights and birthday dinners. Her granddaughter, Rashelle, loved to sing to her grandmother and attributes much of her personal development to her grandmother’s generosity. Her grandson, Juston, enjoyed many fond childhood memories spent with her, such as going to the mall, sleepovers, and dinners. Everyone looked forward to “Grandma Days”.

Margene faced serious health challenges in her later years with incredible resolve. In 1993, she was diagnosed with kidney cancer, but she overcame her cancer and survived for 32 years with one kidney. She broke her femur while on a 2008 cruise down the Nile River and endured a difficult week in a third-world country hospital before returning home for surgery. Remarkably, she recovered and continued to travel and live fully. In 2014, she broke her back in three places and again made a strong recovery. Even in her final years, as her body weakened, her will to heal remained unshaken.

Life, even when long and well-lived, can feel as though it passes far too quickly and is often marked by hardship along the way. Margene was a woman who endured much and rarely complained. She was a classy example of gentle love, persistence, and generosity. Her passing is a tender reminder to cherish one another and find joy in life, even in the midst of difficulty.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at noon at Memorial Holladay-Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay, Utah. A viewing will be held before the service from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. The burial will follow at Wasatch Memorial Lawn Park and Mortuary, 3401 S Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah.

We rejoice in the eternal gospel truth that families are forever, and we find comfort in knowing that Margene is reunited with her beloved “Tweed” and dear family members. Her legacy of quiet faith, witty humor, and enduring love will live on in all who knew her.

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