Morgan Barkins

Morgan Michael Barkins, age 35, passed away on June 22, 2022 at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah with his family at his side. He was born September 14, 1986 at Pioneer Valley Hospital in West Valley City, Utah, the first born of Michael and Rosemarie (Watson) Barkins.

Morgan graduated from West Jordan High School, class of 2005. He continued his education at South Valley School and the Carmen Pingree Autism Center of Learning.

Morgan served an honorable mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints serving the handicapped in Salt Lake Valley.

After the death of his father Morgan, Rosie, and younger sister Mikelle, moved to Vineyard, Utah where Morgan resided until his passing.

He pursued many interests during his life and had a deep aptitude to learn and achieved an expert understanding in a number of his interests. He constantly amazed his family and friends with his knowledge and ability to communicate his passion to others. He turned his childhood love of dinosaurs into a lifetime of learning about animals, extinct and otherwise. On visits to a renowned paleontology museum he engaged curators and researchers in high level conversations about species, behavior, and habitats. A love of barbecue led him to a mastery of smoking meats and countless family, friends, and neighbors who sampled his dishes called him a true “pit master.”

Morgan’s love of football came early in his life and never diminished. He was not just a casual fan but developed a knowledge of the statistics and inner workings of the game that rivaled that of coaches and professional commentators. He carefully chose the teams to which he offered his loyalty with the BYU Cougars, Utah Utes, Carolina Panthers, and Tennessee Titans receiving support, but it was the LSU Tigers where he placed his greatest passion and he cherished all things purple and gold.

Morgan deeply loved and was very protective of his mother and sister. He had a kind heart that went out to anyone who might feel marginalized or disadvantaged and over the years he offered friendship and empathy to many who felt lonely and excluded. This same empathy extended to animals and he was deeply connected to Ember, the family dog.

While Morgan’s life was cut short by cancer, we know he will continue to find joy in his journey, free from the pain and burdens he endured. He knew that he would be reunited with loved ones who had gone before him, some of whom he considered his guardian angels.

Morgan will be greatly missed but we will remember him in Jurassic Park movies, the roar of the crowd in a stadium on an autumn afternoon; barbecue that will always be inferior to his; the phrase, “I don’t want to start a conversation” even as he started a spirited conversation, and in angels, both earthly and those on the other side.

Morgan was preceded in death by his father, Mike, and is survived by his mother Rosemarie and sister Mikelle.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 28 at 1:30 pm at the Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home South Valley; 1007 West South Jordan Parkway, South Jordan, Utah. Services will be preceded by a viewing from 12:30-1:30pm at Jenkins-Soffe. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn Cemetery.