Mary Englund

ARLENE ENGLUND IDAHO FALLS, ID -- Mary Arlene Derr Englund “Perky” died Friday, March 13, 2009, at the age of 88 after a lingering illness. She was born June 27, 1920 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Wesley Derr and Florence Davidson Derr and later moved to Teton City, Idaho in 1926, where she attended local schools, graduating from Madison High School in 1938. She then attended Ricks College, graduating in 1940, and Brigham Young University, graduating in 1942 with a teacher’s certificate in a double major of English and Music. She was named the outstanding musician at BYU in her Senior Year. Arlene married Robert John Englund on October 29, 1942 in Jackson, Mississippi, where Dad was serving in the Army Air Corps. They were later sealed in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple July 19, 1988. After the end of World War II, Mom and Dad returned to Idaho and made their home in Idaho Falls where they raised their family. Mom began teaching elementary school at Whittier School, now Bush Elementary, in 1957. Four years later she began teaching 8th grade English at O.E. Bell Junior High, moving to Clair E. Gale Junior High the next year, the first for that school. She was the Chairman of the English Department from 1964 until her retirement in 1982, when she was given the Master Teacher Award. During that time she was primarily responsible for a complete overhaul of the entire curriculum for District 91, grades K-12, for all subjects. She was nominated and named the runner-up for Teacher of the Year Award for the State of Idaho in 1978. Mom was one of the three founders of the Idaho Falls Symphony, playing principal trombone in that organization for many years. She also taught many piano students over the years, including her three children. All three children rebelled (so they thought) and insisted upon playing string instruments instead, which is what she really wanted. Her three children are all accomplished musicians with Mary Anne on violin, John on viola, and Bob on cello. Together with others in the community, they played a great deal of chamber music around Idaho Falls until they left to pursue careers elsewhere. All of them play to this day, with John as a professional violist and violinist. Mom retired when Dad’s health began failing in order to spend more time with him. Dad died August 24, 1988. Mom remained active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until her health began failing a few years ago, but her testimony has not wavered and she is now reunited with Dad. She accepted many callings during her life, but she remained a teacher at heart. Mom is survived by her three children: Mary Anne Foley (Bill) of Wellesley, Massachusetts; Bob Englund (Barbara) of Sandy, Utah; and John Englund (Lynn) of Salt Lake City, Utah. She has 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren (soon to be 10). Mom instilled in her children a great love of learning which has resulted in all her children graduating from college and pursuing graduate studies All her grandchildren have also graduated from college, counting 6 graduate degrees, including 4 earned doctorates. Mom took great pleasure in the accomplishments of her posterity. She also loved her many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents husband, and brother. The family wishes to express great appreciation to Jeanne Mansfield and Sylvia Smallwood for their care of Mom, allowing her to remain in her home during the last year and half of her life. We also express our gratitude to the caring and loving staff in the Cardio ICU at EIRMC. Funeral Service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at the Idaho Falls LDS 2nd Ward (885 S. Boulevard). The family will visit with friends from 10-10:45 a.m. prior to services at the church. Burial will be in the Teton-Newdale Cemetery under the direction of Wood Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.woodfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to one’s charity of choice. ---------------------------------------------------- Condolences received online: Cornell Rudd I share in your sadness with passing of your Mother. She was a special person in my teaching carrer,at O.E. Bell and Clair E Gale, You wern't such a bad student your self Mary Anne. I enjoyed knowing both of you. Connie Stokes [conniejstokes@hotmail.com] I was so very sorry to hear of the passing of your dear sweet Mother. She was such a special person and always so upbeat. We will truly miss her. Her Friend & Visiting Teacher. Connie Stokes Ms.Jordan unajota08@yahoo.com To The Family, Please accept my deepest condolence for the loss of your dear love one. I would like to share some words of comfort from God's word the Bible. John 5:28,29 and Acts 24:15 assures us that those who have fallen asleep in death have the wonderful hope to live again. Also take comfort in Revelation 21:3,4,where at that SICKNESS,PAIN,DEATH,MOURNING,and OUTCRY will be things the past, GONE FOREVER. Please take comfort in these encouraging promises. Kenneth Wrenn kennethwrenn@aol.com I started working at Clair E. Gale Jr. High as a school counselor in August 1978. It was indeed a great pleasure to have worked with Arlene from that time until she retired 1982. She was a lady of ladies. She was an excellent teacher -- the finest English teacher I ever saw. She definitely had the welfare of the students in everything she did as a teacher. I do not recall any students or parents who did not like "Mrs. Englund." More students and their parents wanted Mrs. Englund for a teacher than any other English teacher I ever knew. I wished that I could have been at her services today to show my respect to her, but I am sick. But if I were not, I definitely would have been there. Your mother definitely loved your father and you, her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren. She was so extremely proud of all of you! I think that Arlene was such an excellent English teacher that she could have taught a rock proper English. She certainly taught plenty of students proper English. The world was certainly a better place because of Arlene Englund. She was certainly missed as an English teacher when she retired. She was a teacher of teachers, for she was the best. God Bless your entire family. Of course he did bless you by giving Arlene Englund to you as a mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, etc. Thank you for sharing her with the rest of us. Sincerely, Kenneth Wrenn