Estele Marlene Pugsley

On August 29, 2026, at the age of 83, Marlene went home to be with her wonderful Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ after many years of courageously battling cancer. Marlene was born in Caldwell. Idaho, June 29, 1943 to Dallas & FayE Harlow Dillon, and was their only child to survive beyond the toddler years. Although a single child for most of her life the house was always filled with friends and relatives that often lived for extended periods in their home.

Growing up Marlene loved to run and play on swings, hang from the bars at the playground, and ride her bike to the neighbors house or school. She raised chickens and a pet pig the summer of her 4th grade year. From the sale of those animals she was able to purchase her first store bought dress, a porcelain doll, and a new Schwinn bike. She still has that blue bike, it just became part of the landscape decoration in one of her flower gardens as it aged.

She grew up attending Pleasant Ridge School until the family moved to Homedale during her 5th grade year. Marlene always told the story of how her teacher noticed she really missed her old school, so she gave her a little long haired white kitten which was named Riddle after the teacher. Marlene has always loved cats and for the last decade or possibly two she has had various gray cats. Regardless of any initial names given to them they always became affectionately called just “Gray”.

Marlene and several friends from the Friends Church started their freshman year together at Greenleaf Friends Academy. They would ride the Homedale buses to the high school then 8 kids would pile into one car and make a beeline to GFA. After school the process would be reversed making the beeline to get back in time to catch the buses to go home. This group of friends became extremely tight knit and remained good friends their entire lives. Marlene graduated in 1961 from Greenleaf Friends Academy and never missed a class reunion, often being an important part of planning for them as well.

On August 13, 1965, she married Loren F. Pugsley and was married 27 years until his untimely death in 1992. They had two children, Michael born in 1968 and Machele in 1970. She loved being a wife and mother and was fortunate enough to be a able to stay home raising her family. Gardening, canning, pressing apple cider, and making apple pies was always done as a big family affair with multiple generations helping out to make the work light and lots of fun. She and Loren were always present at their kids sporting events and other activities and were their biggest supporters. Later she would be just as supportive of her grandkids' events, often being easily heard above the rest of the crowd cheering them on.

Throughout her life Marlene was active in many groups: PTO, Koi Pond Club, Fit & Fall, bible studies, toll painting, bird watching… She loved her time spent with friends and family playing cards, going to luncheons with the Homedale classmates, her Sisters Luncheons, or lunch with the Deer Flat Ladies. She spent many years caring for her mother as well as other friends and family. She loved flowers and having her yard bloom with color to cheer those that drove by.

Marlene was brought up attending church every Sunday (morning and evening) as well as Wednesday’s mid week service. She gave her life to Christ at a very young age at the church’s Star Camp Meeting and spent a lifetime serving God in the church. She started playing the church piano in 6th grade, taught 1st grade CYC when her own children were young, then worked as the wedding reception coordinator & organized funeral dinners for over 40 years at the Deer Flat Free Methodist Church. God was her ever present comfort and companion, her strength for each day, and her peace through all the ups and downs of life. She loved the Lord with all that she had and wanted to faithfully live for Him in all that she did.

She loved her family and friends dearly and her greatest desire in life was for her children and grandchildren to serve the Lord. She continually modeled how to live for God in everyday life through service, bible study, daily devotionals, and prayer. Her greatest legacy is in her family that has grown to also love the Lord. She leaves behind her children Michael (Sandy) Pugsley, Machele (Eric) Randall, and grandchildren Sara (Austin), Andrew, Ryan (Jeannie), Megan, and Matthew (Dakota).

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am, Tues. Sept. 8th at the Deer Flat Free Methodist Church, 17703 Beet Rd. Caldwell, ID. Memorials can be made to GFA or the Deer Flat Church for funeral dinners. Funeral Home: Flahiff’s Funeral Chapel Caldwell.