Obituary of Ashlyn Makenna Hanzon

Ashlyn Makenna Hanzon was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Jeff and Alyssa Hanzon, on March 26, 2000. She passed away on Friday, October 15, 2021, as a result of a tragic car accident. She was 21 years old. Ashlyn was the epitome of sunshine. She exuded warmth and light and had the most cheerful, sunny disposition. Her sparkling sky-blue eyes and captivating smile brought endless joy to her family throughout her life. She was completely devoted in her relationships with others, valuing above all else the personal connections with her family and friends. She had a knack for bringing people together and making sure everyone felt seen, heard, supported and loved. She was remarkably close with her siblings and delighted in each of their talents, spiritual gifts and accomplishments. She was her mother’s “mini-me” and her father’s “best friend.” As a child, Ashlyn participated in dance and gymnastics and studied the piano. In her youth, she excelled in sports and enjoyed time on various teams for soccer, track and lacrosse. But, as she grew older, Ashlyn’s creative side blossomed. She developed a love of art, graphics and hand lettering. She also discovered the beauty of photography and videography. In high school, she began her small photography business, and she loved taking pictures and making videos for family and friends. Ashlyn was a member of her high school yearbook staff and of Oiler Vision, a video editing club that produced and broadcast weekly videos for the student body. Her senior year she also earned a position as a video board operator during football games and helped to make pump-up videos for the teams. She loved these experiences developing and sharing her creative and technical talents. Ashlyn was very clever and quick witted. She loved to make others laugh with her words and enthusiastic dancing. She always knew what to say, or do, to lighten the mood and relax any tension in the room. She loved to create silly videos and sing karaoke with friends. Ashlyn was also very passionate about movies and music. She could effortlessly recite movie dialogue from memory and had meticulous music playlists, categorized by mood, genre and occasion. She was the ultimate party planner and loved every opportunity to celebrate and have a good time. At the time of her passing, Ashlyn was working toward a degree in Exercise and Wellness at BYU, with a goal of applying to physical therapy school. Over the last three years, she had the opportunity to work in various positions at the university including: student editor at BYU Broadcasting, mentor/teaching assistant in the On-Campus Internship Program; and as a research assistant in the Study Abroad Program. She often described the joy and personal fulfillment she received from her experiences in school with her professors and work associates. Ashlyn had an adventurous spirit and loved the outdoors. She especially loved to go road-tripping, boating, hiking, cycling and traveling. Her desire to explore and immerse herself in nature completely bloomed at BYU when she found like-minded, beloved friends and roommates to join her in these activities. She participated in the BYU-London Study Abroad Program for one semester, and completely fell in love with London and Italy during that time, gaining many new friends from these experiences and creating lasting memories. Ashlyn had many cherished and unique friendships throughout her life, which gave her so much joy and purpose. We pray for comfort and peace to those who are deeply hurting and feeling the immense void created by her absence. Ashlyn had a particular closeness with her dear friend, Hailee York, with whom she passed from this life. We find solace in knowing these two beautiful angels are together and that they are being enveloped in the loving arms of other departed family and friends. Although born in Utah, Ashlyn had the opportunity to live in many states throughout the years. The majority of her youth was spent growing up in Texas and she considered herself a true “Texas gal.” She especially loved boating with her family on Lake Conroe, beach trips with friends to Galveston, snack runs to Buc-ee’s and numerous family adventures spanning the entire state. She truly believed everything was better in Texas. Ashlyn was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was very involved in her church youth programs, serving in leadership positions in her ward and stake congregations. She especially loved serving on her Stake Youth Council her senior year of high school. She received her Young Women’s Medallion and had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. She treasured all of her interactions with her BYU ward families and bishops. She was a faithful example of true discipleship. She loved the Savior and always tried to model her life after His example of love and service. Her faith is a great legacy to all of us left behind. Ashlyn is survived by her beloved family: her parents, Jeff and Alyssa Hanzon; her sisters, Sydnee (“Syd”) and Mallory (“Mals”); her brothers, Jack (“Gunther”) and Izak (“Nugget”). She is also survived by her grandparents, Darrel and Sharyl Hanzon and Kenneth and Angeline Lovell, and many adoring aunts, uncles and cousins.