Florence Colleen O'Tyson

Florence Colleen O’Tyson

(June 7, 1933 - May 10, 2026)

Florence Colleen O’Tyson passed away peacefully on May 10, 2026, (Mother’s Day), with family members at her side. Colleen was born in the kitchen of her parent’s house in southern Missouri on June 7, 1933. She was the only child of Marie and Coleman Pulley. Colleen grew up on a farm outside Maysville, Missouri in a large and loving family with dozens of cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Colleen graduated from Maysville High School in 1951. Her passion for service and medicine led her to pursue a degree in nursing from Missouri Methodist Hospital, graduating in 1954. After graduation, Colleen took her nursing skills to sunny Los Angeles and lived in California for 16 years. It was in California that Colleen met her husband, Claude O’Tyson. They were married in 1971.

Colleen and Claude first resided in Houston, Texas. During their marriage they had the chance to move overseas, spending three years in Stavanger, Norway, eventually settling in Seattle, Washington. They lived in Seattle for 15 years.

Colleen and Claude retired and moved to Meridian, Idaho in 1994. In Meridian, Colleen devoted her free time to volunteering at St. Luke's Hospital and served as the St. Luke’s Auxiliary President from 2010-2012. Colleen worked over 5,000 hours earning a place in the Volunteer Hall of Fame. In addition to her commitment to the hospital, Colleen was a member of PEO Chapter BX for over 20 years. Always a lover of animals, Colleen fed various wildlife in her neighborhood of Meridian Greens for almost 30 years.

She is preceded in death by her husband Claude, her son Scott, and her granddaughter Oona Marie. She is survived by her sons Claude and Sean, daughter Julie, daughters-in-law Anne McGroarty and Laura O’Tyson, grandchildren Hayley, Kelton, Kelsey, Kayleigh, Lulu and Freya, and great grandchild Drew.

In honor of Colleen's devotion to animal welfare, please consider a donation to the Idaho Humane Society in Colleen's name: https://idahohumanesociety.org/donate/.

Remembrances may be left for the family on her webpage at www.AccentFuneral.com. A commitment service is scheduled at the Veteran’s Cemetery (10100 N Horseshoe Bend Rd, Boise, ID 83714), on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 11:00 AM.