Irene Buckley

Jul. 12, 1930 - Sep. 18, 2022

Date of Service: Sep. 23, 2022

Mable Irene Williams Taylor Buckley passed away surrounded by her family at her home in Meridian, Idaho, on Sunday, September 18, 2022. She was 92 years old.

Irene was born July 12, 1930, in Hollister, Idaho, the second of six children born to Harold Henry and Blanche Maxine Skeem Williams. After graduating from Castleford High School, she attended South Idaho College of Education (S.I.C.E) where she received an elementary teaching certificate. Her first opportunity as a teacher was in American Falls, Idaho. She married James Lowell Taylor on June 1, 1951, in the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are the parents of five children, Chris, Debbie, Kerry, Janice and Lisa. The family lived in Driggs, Rigby, and settled in Burley, Idaho, in 1965, to raise their family. They were later divorced.

While she was finishing her teaching degree at Idaho State University, she was the director of the Head Start program in Burley. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in education from Idaho State University, Irene started the Cassia County Kindergarten Program at Springdale School where she was a teacher and the administrator for 17 years. She retired in 1992.

She met Delbert Buckley at a dance. They were sealed in the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple on February 14, 1975. Together, Delbert and Irene blended two families with great success. No child or grandchild ever doubted that Irene loved them unconditionally.

In 1996, Delbert and Irene served a mission for the Church in the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission with the Oneida Indian Nation. Mom had an unwavering testimony of her Savior, the Atonement, and the Plan of Salvation.

In 2015, Irene moved from Burley to Meridian in order to care for her mother and to be closer to her two sisters.

Irene was preceded in death by her husband, Delbert Buckley; her parents, Harold and Blanche Williams; her sister, Carole Chatterton; and daughter-in-law, Brenda Buckley.

She is survived by her children, Chris Taylor (Marilyn), Debbie Taylor, Kerry Taylor (Erin), Janice Nelson, Lisa Smith (Jeremy), Marsha Kenner (Mike), Teresa Hatt (Milo), Kirk Buckley (Debbie), Stan Buckley (Denice), and Rita Petersen (Todd). She has wonderful grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren to love. LIFE IS GOOD!

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Burley 7th Ward, located at 2200 Oakley Ave., in Burley, where family and friends will be received from 9:30 until 10:45 a.m. Burial will follow at Rupert Cemetery.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/DLvvffgS2gg.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.