Marlene Margaret Roberts, 82

Sept. 21, 1936 — Sept. 16, 2022

Marlene was born in Kellogg, Idaho, to Hap and Ruth Harris. Mom grew up in Coeur d'Alene with her mom, dad and two sisters — Edith and Max. Marlene's sisters were very important to her. She later married Donald Roberts and they raised six boys, Pat, Gary, David, Paul, Jim and Mark.

The next 50 years Marlene spent raising the boys on the dairy farm near Blanchard and holding everything together. My mom attended the Lutheran Church in Spirit Lake and dragged us boys along because she knew spiritual guidance was important. Mom was an Eastern Star member, and, of course, a dedicated Grange member. Mom loved her flowers, especially roses. We always had a huge garden, which was necessary with all those mouths to feed. Mom appreciated and loved her grandchildren.

Dementia was the root cause of her early demise — quite a horrible ending for such a warm-hearted, kind woman, but that is how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

We are having a “celebration of life,” seems appropriate, for mom at the Grange Hall in Blanchard on Saturday, May 20, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 1 or 2 p.m.