Mourners remember family taken away ‘so fast and so unforgivable’
The funeral for Kelly Boren, her children, Joshua "Jaden" Boren, Haley Boren and her mother, Marie King was held at lindquist's layton Chapel in laytonon Wednesday, January 22, 2014. (BRIANA SCROGGINS/Standard-Examiner)
The funeral for Kelly Boren, her children, Joshua "Jaden" Boren, Haley Boren and her mother, Marie King was held at lindquist's layton Chapel in layton on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. (BRIANA SCROGGINS/Standard-Examiner)
Nigel McIntosh, the brother of Marie King, spoke at the funeral for her, her daughter, Kelly Boren, and her grandchildren, Joshua "Jaden" Boren and Haley Boren at lindquist's layton Chapel in layton on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. (BRIANA SCROGGINS/Standard-Examiner)
The funeral for Kelly Boren, her children, Joshua "Jaden" Boren, Haley Boren and her mother, Marie King was held at lindquist's layton Chapel in layton on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. (BRIANA SCROGGINS/Standard-Examiner)
Senior Officer with the Provo Police Department, Dan Smith, comforts his wife, Bre Smith, and his children at the funeral for Kelly Boren, her children, Joshua "Jaden" Boren, Haley Boren and her mother, Marie King at lindquist's Memorial Park in layton on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. (BRIANA SCROGGINS/Standard-Examiner)
Senior Officer with the Provo Police Department, Dan Smith, comforts his son at the funeral for Kelly Boren, her children, Joshua "Jaden" Boren, Haley Boren and her mother, Marie King at lindquist's Memorial Park in layton on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. (BRIANA SCROGGINS/Standard-Examiner)
LAYTON — Two small white caskets flanked by two bronze colored caskets, all draped with flowers, were at the front of the chapel where about 300 people gathered to pay their respects to four family members killed in Spanish Fork last week.
The services Wednesday for Kelly Marie Boren, 32, her son Joshua “Jaden” Boren, 7; her daughter, Haley Marie Boren, 5; and her mother, Marie King, 55, was held at the Lindquist Layton Mortuary. Police officers found their bodies inside their Spanish Fork home on Jan. 16. Police said Josh Boren, who was an officer with the Lindon Police Department and had previously worked for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, shot and killed his family in the upstairs area of their home before turning the gun on himself.
Kelly Boren graduated from Clearfield High School and attended Syracuse Junior High School. Her father, Jeff King, was in the Air Force and the family moved all over the United States and abroad.
All those who spoke at the services described Kelly Boren as a woman who made friends easily, who was “full of energy” and “excited about life” and was devoted to her children.
Jaden, who loved recess, frogs, bugs, wrestling and karate, was a “rough and tumble boy, but with sweet and tender side,” said Cheryl King, his grandmother.
“He loved to take care of his little sister and always had to cuddle with a stuffed toy when he went to sleep,” Cheryl King said.
Haley, who liked to dress up, pose for a camera and loved princesses, was a story teller and very nurturing, Cheryl King said.
“I’ll miss Jaden’s hugs and Haley’s stories more than I can say,” Cheryl King said choking back the tears.
Cheryl King turned toward a group and then said, “To Josh’s family, I cannot imagine the depth of your sorrow.”
She then thanked them for their support and said, “You are an incredible family.”
A small boy, who said his name was Jax, read a tribute he wrote about Jaden and Haley.
“Jaden was the best guy in the whole world,” Jax said. He then read about how they stayed up all night and watched movies.
“Haley was a really funny kid. I’d always chase her and she’d laugh” Jax said. “She was so sweet and nice.”
Marie King’s brother, Nigel McIntosh, spoke about how his sister when they were growing up liked the night life in the United Kingdom, where her family lives. But it was her daughter and grandchildren she lived for the last few years.
“Marie’s family was her life and she was a proud mom and nana,” McIntosh said.
He then said, “The way they were taken away from us was so fast and so unforgivable,” McIntosh said.
But Marie King would not want the family to mourn, instead she would tell them it was time for a beer, he said.
A number of people shared memories and thoughts about the family.
A man who said he was Marie’s friend drove from Payson to say farewell. He only met her about 18 months ago and would often share a cup of coffee with her.
“For Marie, everything revolved around Kelly and those babies,” he said.
A friend of Marie’s said when she heard the news she couldn’t believe it and “I called your phone so many times thinking you’d answer it.”
The woman said she drove to the house and learned from a police officer that the news was true.
“I know I have an amazing beautiful angel watching over me,” the woman said.
A woman who said she was Jaden’s second grade teacher said it has been difficult to teach her students.
“He and his family were so cruelly taken away from us, I kept thinking another news story would come out and say it was a mistake. It’s been hard to keep the class going knowing one member is missing,” she said.
Kimberly King, who is not related to the family, said the Boren family often visited her home.
Kimberly King said many times she would feel someone hugging her leg, only to look down and see it was Haley.
One day she showed Jaden her own son’s room where he has many medals displayed from wrestling tournaments. Jaden wanted to learn how to wrestle and she told him that someday he could end up with medals.
“And he said, his eyes really big, ‘I don’t know, that’s an awful lot of medals,” Kimberly King said.
She said even though she was older than Kelly Boren, she looked up to her as an example of good parenting because she never brushed off her children when they wanted to tell or show her something.
“By Kelly’s example I want to be a better mom,” Kimberly King said.
Contact reporter Loretta Park at 801-625-4252 or lpark@standard.net. Follow her on Twitter at @LorettaParkSE.
