MARION BUZZELL
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Marion Buzzell of Idaho Falls passed away on Sunday, September 22, 2019 in Boise, Idaho at the age of 74.
Marion was born in Evergreen Park, Illinois the daughter of John and Jean Work. She married her high school sweetheart, John Buzzell, in 1966 and expanded her family and heart with the birth of their three children. Marion and her family packed up and moved from the windy city of Chicago to the windy town of Idaho Falls during the record snow storm of 1979. She was compassionate but tough as nails. She took any challenge with brilliant optimism.
Marion retired professionally from the Idaho Falls school district in 2001 and expanded her work in volunteer service. With John, she spent two summers as BLM River Ranger volunteers on the San Juan River. Returning to Idaho Falls, she volunteered at St Paul's Methodist Church, Idaho Falls Soup Kitchen and FreeMed. In 2004, she embarked on her first international service mission to Brazil to assist in building a school. Bit by the travel bug, Marion and John traveled to more than 25 including countries in Indo China, Chili, Peru, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zanzibar. In Uganda, she charmed the mountain gorillas who took an interest in her. In China, she witnessed public weddings on the auspicious day of 10-10-10. Sharing her love of travel, she traveled to Italy with her granddaughter and claimed this as her favorite international country. Tiring of long travel expeditions but one "bucket list" to visit her family origins, they traveled to England, Scotland and Ireland in 2016. She loved meeting people from other cultures and took it upon herself to learn what was important to them.
Marion was a vivacious reader and most often enjoyed reading biographies, historical fiction and non-fiction. Friends who stopped by to visit would often leave with a book, puzzle or recently knitted blanket in hand. Children and grandchildren would join her at the table to work on her latest puzzle. She enjoyed knitting and going to the reservation with her gal pals for lunch and games. She prided herself on coming home with the same $20 she had when she got there.
Marion was compassionate, optimistic and resilient. She will be missed by us all. The next adventure awaits her in the loving arms of Christ our Savior and the loving family and friends who wait for her in heaven. Her loving spirit will shine upon us all until we see you again.
Marion is survived by her husband of 53 years, John; her children Susan (Kevin) Mills, Christine (Paul) Dehlin, and Paul Buzzell, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Her best friend, Joann Storer, sat with her through thick and thin to the very end. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, George Work, and her sister-in-law, Carol Pace.
A celebration of Marion's life will be held on October 16, 2019 at 10:00 AM at Boise First United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Idaho Falls Soup Kitchen (http://www.ifoutreach.org/donation.aspx) or Society of St. Vincent de Paul @ 805 S Holmes Avenue, Idaho Falls, ID 83401.