Sarah Ardell Clegg Merrill Lyon

(Sarah) Ardell Clegg Merrill Lyon, 97, of Preston, Idaho, passed away on Monday, December 2, 2024, at Heritage Senior Living in Preston, Idaho. Ardell was born on July 3, 1927, in Bench, Idaho, to Benjamin Orson and Laura Poppleton Gunnell Clegg. She was the sixth child and first daughter of her family.

Ardell married DeMar (Skid) Skidmore Merrill on January 11, 1946. They were married nearly 33 years when Skid passed away on November 15, 1978. On December 8, 1982, Ardell married Allen William Lyon, and they were together for 34 years. Allen passed away on January 14, 2016.

Besides being a homemaker and mother, Ardell worked as a clerk, typist, receptionist, bookkeeper, and accountant. She also obtained real estate licenses in Nevada and Idaho. Ardell was active in the Mormon church, teaching Sunday School, Primary, and Mutual, and later as a counselor in the Relief Society. She also served four years as Stake Relief Society President.

Ardell loved reading, sewing, and canning and thoroughly enjoyed making flower arrangements. She was also an excellent cook, which many were able to discover. In later years, she took up painting and was a talented artist. Ardell loved animals and was an avid fan of the Utah Jazz basketball team.

Ardell is survived by children R DeMar (Kenda) Merrill, Melody (Brad) Del Torto, Rahn C Merrill, stepdaughter Peggy (Sherman) Wright, and stepdaughter-in-law DeAnn Lyon (Lynn) Bingham, 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her first husband, DeMar S Merrill, second husband, Allen W Lyon, five brothers, and a sister, Dolores Clegg Gilbert.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 12, 2024, at the Red Rose Funeral Home, 56 S State Street, Preston, Idaho, at 11:00 am, with a viewing at the same location from 10:00 to 10:45 am. Burial will be at the Grace Cemetery at 2:00 pm. For those not able to attend the services in person, there will be a live streaming feed. Please follow this link CLICK HERE

The family expresses sincere gratitude for the compassionate concern of the caregivers at Heritage Senior Living over the past nine years and for the skillful and considerate care of Symbii Hospice Care and Red Rose Funeral Home.

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