Margene Millet Rawle Tolley, 83, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 29, 2017 surrounded by her beloved family in South Jordan, Utah.
Margene was born December 9, 1933 to Joseph Simmons and Carrie Millet Rawle in the parlor of her grandparent's home in Morgan, Utah. When her parents moved to Springville in 1936, her father worried about his mother being home alone. To ease his worries, he would send Margene to stay with his mother for a good portion of the summer. Young Margene would get so homesick, she would put wet splotches on the letters in hopes that her family would think she had been crying and come to get her. But Grandma Rawle had a soft spot for Margene and once gave her a teddy bear she had long hoped for, which she named (without ever knowing why) Ala Wishus Termin Smith the 3rd.
Margene attended BYU and earned a Bachelor's degree in Foods and Nutrition with a Minor in Chemistry. Following graduation, she completed an internship at the Milwaukee County Institutions which encompassed seven separate medical sectors. Being the first time she had left home, Margene recalls the experience as a bolster to both her career and her testimony of Jesus Christ. After being mocked and mistreated for her religious beliefs, Margene recalled that those "experiences were actually a testimony to me that the church was true. Why else would Satan stir up their hearts with so much anger against me?" Her strong testimony became a light throughout her life to all those around her. Following her internship and employment with LDS Hospital, Margene became the first dietitian at Primary Children's Hospital. Well loved by both staff and patients, she dedicated herself to the position and made lifelong friends. She had a soft spot for all of the children and went out of her way to make them feel loved, even taking them sledding and home to meet her family. Margene became very involved in the Utah Dietetic Association, and served as President for a time. Even when she took time off from her dietetics career to raise her family, Margene found several opportunities to bless the lives of others with her dietetic knowledge.
Margene was very musically gifted and found a piano wherever she went so that she could practice. Her talent as a pianist also allowed her to teach lessons to members throughout the community. In the fall of 1963, Margene and a few of her friends toured Europe in a 1964 red Volkswagen Bug with a sunroof she bought for $1319.00. She loved the car and had it shipped back on a ferry from Paris to San Francisco while she sailed back on the Queen Mary. Just after her adventure abroad, Margene met her future husband, Ronald James Tolley. Their first date was a road trip to Tooele where they stopped for corned beef sandwiches. They quickly fell in love and after she accidentally found the engagement ring in Ron\s glove compartment, they were officially engaged to be married. They were married on April 30, 1965. Ron and Margene were delighted to have three children join their family. Doug, Andrea and Alisa. They were each born about a year apart, keeping Margene on her toes, but she loved every minute of it! The family moved across the country to Virginia for Ron\s work with the National Canner\s Association. She took advantage of living back east and made a point to tour all the historic sites with her three young children. They eventually moved back west and settled in Eagle, Idaho. There she raised her family and built a home that eventually became a favorite vacation spot for her sixteen grandchildren.
Throughout her life, Margene was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served faithfully in many capacities. One of her greatest loves was family history work. She meticulously gathered, saved and cared for precious family heirlooms, pictures and histories that she loved sharing with others. She also enjoyed sharing the bounty of her garden with neighbors and friends. She loved spending time in her beautiful yard and planting flowers that she hoped would survive Ron's chemical weed management. Anyone who knows Margene can vouch for her humble and loving nature, her quiet sense of humor, and her impeccable record at "Gotcha Last." We will miss our dear wife, sweet mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.
Margene is survived by her loving and devoted husband: Ronald James Tolley; children: James Douglas (Denise) Tolley, Andrea (Adam) Sangster, and Alisa (Chad) Johnson; her grandchildren: Kady (Jacob Stephan), Kelly (Chance Tolman), Victoria, J.D., Dominic, Olivia, and Mariah Tolley; Jake (Callie), Alexa, Annie, Alec and Luke Sangster; Jessica, Megan, Sarah and Rachel Johnson; her siblings: Joylene (Marsel) Tingey, Joe (Anna) Rawle and Larry (Joan) Rawle; her sisters-in-law: Judy Rawle, Sharon Stevenson and Patsy Tolley and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Carrie Rawle and her brothers John and Richard Rawle.
We would like to thank all of the kind nurses and staff at Sagewood Assisted Living and Comfort Worx for their loving care of Margene and their kindness to Ron.
Services will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at the Larkin Mortuary located at 3688 W. 12600 S. Riverton, Utah. A viewing will take place that morning from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be at the Evergreen Cemetery located at 1997 South 400 East Springville, Utah.
