Mary Lea (Crouch) Whittle

Mary Lea Whittle, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Scottsdale, Arizona, passed away February 8, 2023 at Parkwood Meadows Retirement Home in Idaho Falls. She was under the care of Hands of Hope Hospice.

Mary was born October 21, 1930, in Nebraska City, Nebraska, as the youngest of five children to Margaret Mary Calegar Crouch. Her family moved to Pocatello, Idaho, where she graduated from Pocatello High School. She worked at the local movie theatre and Nate Morgan Jewelers.

As the youngest of the Calegar Crouch children, she acquired the nickname “Babe” in early childhood. It was a nickname she retained for her life, but in an entirely different connotation in adulthood as she was an attractive and vivacious woman.

Babe met the love of her life, Clifford E. Whittle, when he was attending Idaho State University after WWII.  Babe and Cliff married on September 4, 1949, in Pocatello. Cliff soon tired of pharmacy study and left college to become a golf professional. Cliff was a very successful player and won many events. Babe enjoyed travel and the professional golf life. Later, Babe went into hotel hospitality working at the Sunburst Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, as the hospitality and banquet manager.

Babe had three children, one of whom died in childhood. Babe is survived by her two daughters, Sandra M. (Curt) Thomsen and Linda Whittle; two grandsons, Chris Thomsen and Sean (Jennifer) Thomsen; and three great-grandchildren, Eva Thomsen, Hannah Thomsen, and Logan Thomsen.

Babe and Cliff lived many places in the professional golf world, but Twin Falls, Idaho and Scottsdale, Arizona, are the most prominent. Cliff was the head professional at the Twin Falls Municipal Golf Course, Scottsdale Country Club, and the Pima Golf Resort in Scottsdale.

Mary was a devout member of the Roman Catholic Church. She was a pretty fair hand on the golf course, loved time with her grandchildren, and was an unrepentant chocolate addict. She also had a good eye for a diamond and a flashy hat to wear to church service.

Babe was preceded in death by her life-long love and husband, Clifford E. Whittle; her second daughter, Deborah; and her siblings, Raymond Crouch, Arlene Kriebel, Barbara Maheras, and Patricia Lewis.

A rosary will be held at 10:00 a.m. followed by a funeral mass beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at Christ the King Catholic Church, 1690 East 17th Street in Idaho Falls, followed by a reception after the service. Friends and family are welcome to join us for the inurnment at 1:00 p.m. on April 24, 2023, at Mountain View Cemetery in Pocatello.

The family wishes to express their appreciation for the caring services provided to Babe by the staff at Parkwood Meadows and Hands of Hope Hospice.