Marilyn Kay Lemmon White

Marilyn White, 88, beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend passed away peacefully Friday, 3/27/2026, for causes incident to age surrounded by her loving family at her home in Meridian, Idaho. Marilyn was born in the family home April 7, 1937 in Weston, Idaho to Richard “Dick” Lemmon and Vera Thomas Lemmon. They lived on a 360-acre dry farm/dairy in the home where her father and six older siblings were born. Two brothers and four sisters. At the tender age of 3, her mother passed away during childbirth. The infant also passed. Marilyn and her 5-year-old sister Margaret were sent to live with their Aunt Mary, a strict school teacher. Dick married Edna Peterson White, the widowed aunt of Marilyn’s future husband. Edna brought three children into the marriage and together had Marilyn’s younger brother, David. Eleven kids sharing three upstairs bedrooms.

Life in rural southeastern Idaho was rough for the young farm girl. She was accidentally shot through the bicep with a 22-pellet gun and then another time in the hind quarters with a bow and arrow. When Pearl Harbor was attacked the fear of a mainland invasion resulted in all of the children getting their blood type tattooed on their hip. Mom’s future children were proud of the fact that their mom had been shot twice and had a tattoo (this was before everyone had tattoos!) A significant event in Marilyn’s life took place on July 7, 1945 when she accepted Jesus Christ through baptism. This decision shaped the rest of her life.

Marilyn graduated from West Side High School in 1955 and attended Henagers Business School. She married Robert Leslie White, Jr. in her parents’ front yard on June 18, 1958. They resided in Sandy, Utah for a year before Bob was drafted in the US Army. After his boot camp in Monterey, California, Marilyn joined him at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She worked as a dental assistant where they lived in Alexandria. In 1961, their first son, Robert Christopher was born. After the mandatory 2-years of service, they returned to Sandy, Utah where Bob attended the University of Utah while working nights as a dozer operator at Kennecott Copper Mine. Brian Lee was born in 1962 and Andrew Brett joined the family in 1964. After graduating in accounting, Bob went to work as an agent for the IRS and they moved to Los Gatos, California. Marilyn worked as a dental assistant to supplement the family income. After three years an opportunity came to be transferred to Idaho and they moved to Boise for an eventful two years. While in Boise, Bob and Marilyn decided to start bringing their children to church rather than sending them with the neighbors. Through the fellowship of loving friends, they prepared for and brought their young family to the Idaho Falls Temple where they were sealed together in 1970. Jennifer Cori was born in 1971. Finally! A girl! The White family was complete.

Bob was transferred to Twin Falls and the family lived in Jerome for three years before he was transferred back to Boise. They settled on Blackcat Road on 5-acres in the outskirts of Meridian for the next 23 years. She nurtured her family, served in numerous church callings, drove a school bus for a couple of years, went to Mr. Don’s School of Cosmetology, and passed the State Board Exam. She worked at the Colonial Beauty Shop in Nampa and then at a barber shop in Meridian. Bob turned their patio into a beauty shop where she did hair until they sold their home. Bob and Marilyn raised their family on the principals of: love and devotion to spouse, frugality, honesty, resilience, optimism, patriotism, zest for life, hard work and hard play, friendship and kindness, keeping covenants, faith in God and His living prophets, and discipleship of Jesus Christ. They taught these principals consistently through the way they lived and occasionally through word.

Their home and acreage were acquired by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1998. They accepted a call to be missionaries for the church in Istanbul, Turkey for two years where they taught English at a military language school. Following their mission, they were homeless and lived in an apartment above Chris’s garage. Marilyn’s mother, Edna, was in her nineties still living in Weston and they owned a Mobile Home Park in Midvale, Utah. For those two reasons they moved to Malad City, Idaho where they resided for nine years. Marilyn always called her stepmother “Mother” and expressed recently what a wonderful mother she was in a very challenging situation.

Shortly after returning to the Treasure Valley in 2010, they served a second mission in Washington State. They resided in Star until finding a home “with a view” on the bench in Meridian in 2018.

They loved to travel and made trips to Australia, New Zealand, China, Brazil, Denmark, England, Germany and across the United States. Marilyn and Bob never turned down an invitation to travel with their grown children or friends. They were adventurous! They celebrated her 80th birthday by going skydiving!

Marilyn was very close with her sisters. She loved talking on the phone with Jean, Joan, and Margaret. There was a big hole in her heart as they passed one by one. Marilyn was a special friend to her sister Joyce, Joan’s twin, who was mentally and physically disabled from a childhood illness. She always involved Aunt Joyce in our holiday celebrations which helped all of us to develop a love for and acceptance of challenged individuals. Marilyn was a loving friend and caregiver to Bob as his health declined. Following Bob’s passing in 2020, Marilyn’s 40+ year friendship with Vicki Morrison was instrumental in keeping her engaged in temple work, activities, and various health improvement pursuits. Her Book Club friendships made each month’s gathering an exciting event.

Marilyn will be remembered for her sense of style, her ability to engage in meaningful conversation, for loving and accepting everyone, being a great friend, and her love of the Savior. She faced her death with a sure faith that she will be with Bob and her family again. She was very excited to meet her mother.

Marilyn is survived by her four children and their spouses: Chris & Glendi, Brian & Marcella, Andrew & Corie, Jennifer & Mark John. 17 grandchildren and their spouses, and 60+ great grandchildren.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Monday, April 6, 2026, at Bowman Funeral Parlor, 10254 W. Carlton Bay Dr. in Garden City. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2555 S. Stoddard Rd. in Meridian, with visitation beginning at 10:00 am. Burial will follow at 1:00 pm, at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, 10100 N. Horseshoe Bend Rd. in Boise. She will be laid to rest with Bob.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.