Merle Fullmer Lofthouse returned peacefully to her heavenly home on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Bountiful, Utah.

Merle was born on August 2, 1926, the fourth daughter of Charles M and Gladys Clements Fullmer in Clawson, Idaho. She attended schools in Tetonia and Driggs, Idaho, where she participated in choral and band and served as Junior class president. Following high school, she attended Ricks College and completed her business degree at the LDS Business College. She married Cecil D Lofthouse, also of Teton Valley, ID, on February 6, 1946, in the Idaho Falls Temple. They were married for sixty years before his passing in 2006. They raised six children in Teton Valley, Rigby, and Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Besides being a loving wife and mother, she worked as a bookkeeper in Rigby, a photographer at the Lisle Ramsey Photography Studio, and an employee of Chesbros Music Company. She and her husband owned and operated several businesses, most notably, Skateland, where they shared their enjoyment of skating with their community.

Merle loved music and sang with the Rigby Sextet and later, with the Chansonetts for several seasons. Merle was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and faithfully served in music, Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society positions well into her nineties. In 1991, Cecil and Merle served an LDS Mission in the Texas Corpus Christi Mission. After retirement, she spent many years doing family history and temple work for her beloved ancestors. She enjoyed sending birthday cards to all of her family members, including her great-grandchildren and she did so through the end of 2022.

Following her husband's death in 2006, she moved to Utah to live with her daughters: Bonnie Shelton and Janet Sparks, until her death.

Merle is survived by her children: Bonnie (Boyd) Shelton of North Ogden, Utah, Val (Jackie) Lofthouse of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Peggy (David) Solomon of Rigby, Idaho, Cecile (Bud) Hill of Tetonia, Idaho, Janet (Michael) Sparks of Bountiful, Utah, and Wayne (Shauna) Lofthouse of Pleasant View, Utah. Merle loved spending time with her family at their campground in Teton Valley where she grew up and loved her thirty-nine grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.

The family wants to thanks Reegan and the staff of Inspiration Hospice for the wonderful loving care they gave to their mother.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the Tetonia 2 ^nd ward chapel, 209 S. Main, Tetonia. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m., Friday, April 21, 2023, at Coltrin Mortuary, 2100 First Street, Idaho Falls, and from 9:30-10:30 a.m., Saturday prior to services at the church. Burial will be at the Cache-Clawson Cemetery in Tetonia. Online condolences may be sent to www.coltrinmortuary.com .