Arlene Blacker Koyle

HEYBURN – Arlene Blacker Koyle passed away peacefully at her home in Heyburn, Idaho, on September 19, 2021, at the age of 86.

Arlene was born July 14, 1935, at her parents’ home in Rupert, Idaho, the first child born to Thomas Leroy Blacker and Hilda Mary Widdison Blacker. Arlene has two brothers, Leon Wendall Blacker (Judy) of Nampa, Idaho, and Royal J Blacker (Marilyn) of Springville, Utah; and three sisters, LaRae Thompson (Charles) of Clarkston, Washington, Louise Wilson (Fred) of Boise, Idaho, and Lola Jean Blacker (deceased).

Arlene attended Pioneer School in Rupert and graduated from Rupert High School. She grew up in the country and always loved the farm. Some of her jobs were feeding chickens and gathering eggs, pulling weeds out of row crops, washing milking equipment each morning, and digging potatoes. The hay field was where she learned to drive; first a team of horses, then a John Deere tractor, followed by a farm truck before receiving her driver’s license at the age of fourteen when she began driving her father’s car.

On a cold winter day, January 27, 1954, Arlene married her sweetheart, Lavon J. Koyle, in the Idaho Falls Temple. They began their married life where Lavon was raised, in the Willow Creek area, then spent a short time in Emerson district, southwest of Paul. They lived south of Rupert before moving to their farm in the Heyburn area, where they spent most of their lives working on their dairy farm and raising their family.

Seven children were born to the union of Arlene and Lavon: Lavon J. Koyle Jr. (deceased), Gordon B. Koyle (Sandra) of Heyburn, ArlaFay Davidson (Amber) of Salt Lake City, Utah, Kendall Leroy Koyle (Laura) of Heyburn, Curtis Von Koyle (Marcia) of Fillmore, Utah, Rex Fielding Koyle (Jilli-deceased ), and (Ruth) of Burley, Idaho, and Thane Dee Koyle (Monica) of Burley. Arlene has 45 grandchildren and 75 great-grandchildren with three on the way.

Active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all her life, Arlene was known as the Bishop’s daughter through her teen years. Some of her Church positions included ward Primary president, stake MIA board member and stake and ward leadership positions in the Relief Society. She served weekly with her husband in the Boise Idaho Temple for four-and-a-half years.

Growing plants was a great joy for Arlene. She liked vegetable and flower gardens and had far too many house plants. Books were a must; she loved to read the scriptures and the writings of the prophets, as well as history, biographies, and the classics. Historical fiction was fun and plain fiction was a waste of time. The next best thing to a good book was her Ipad. She adored it. Baseball was a favorite sport and she looked forward to October playoffs and The World Series games.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her baby sister, Lola Jean; her husband, Lavon; infant son, Lavon Jr.; two brothers, Leon and Royal Blacker; brother-in-law, Charles Thompson; daughter-in-law, Jilli Koyle; and three grandchildren, Logan Koyle, Kyla Marie Davidson, and Orson Rey Koyle.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, September 25, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 530 Villa Dr., in Heyburn. Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley.

A viewing will take place from 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, September 24, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and Saturday from 10 until 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to the service.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/aRFEG-Neseg.