Pearl Arlene Stapleton, 89, passed away Saturday, March 17, 2007, at the Twin Falls Care Center.
She was a third generation native of Ketchum, Idaho, and longtime Wood River Valley resident. Pearl was born April 24, 1917, in Ketchum, the first child of Arthur and Katherine Bonning. Her mother's parents lived in Bonanza and Custer working the mines and her father's parents homesteaded what is now the Lane Ranch south of Ketchum. She grew up in Ketchum but attended Rupert High School while working for family friends and caring for their twin daughters. She graduated from Rupert High School in 1934.
While in Rupert, she met the love of her life, Owen Stapleton. They were married on June 1, 1940, in Jerome and made their home in Hailey for most of their 58 years of marriage. They had two daughters, Arlene and Marilyn. Pearl worked for the U.S. Forest Service and Sawtooth National Recreation Area for many years, retiring in 1978. Pearl and Owen moved to Twin Falls in 1995 to be near their daughter and son-in-law.
Pearl received the Idaho Pioneer certificate from the Idaho State Historical Society certifying her grandparents lived in Idaho prior to Idaho becoming a state. The Bonning Cabin is now preserved and located in Ketchum near the Ore Wagons Museum.
Pearl was a loving homemaker, always making family and visitors welcome. She was always cheerful, optimistic, and supportive of her daughters, granddaughters and great grandchildren. She enjoyed fixing a great meal and was known for her pie and bread making skills. Family gatherings and activities, playing pinochle, scrabble and cribbage, fishing and enjoying the Sawtooth Mountains and Wood River Valley were very special to her.
Surviving Pearl is her daughter, Arlene (Jim) Schmidt of Twin Falls, four granddaughters, Joanna (Jim) Swetland of Boise, Margie (Tom) Arnzen of Spokane, Wash., Shirley (Kurtis) Bryant of Boise, and Julie (John) Arnold of Great Falls, Mont. Also surviving her are 10 great grandchildren, Mandi, J.J. and Joshua Swetland; Grady, Rachel and Sydney Arnzen; Kayla, Madeline, and Kendra Bryant, and Adair Arnold.
Her sister, Betty Anderson of Twin Falls, and a very special nephew and two nieces, Leonard (Alice ) Anderson and Kathy (Paul) Stover of Twin Falls, and Ellen (Tom) Allen of Boise, also survive her.
Her husband of 58 years, Owen, and daughter, Marilyn, preceded her in death.
Funeral Services for Pearl will be held Thursday, March 22, at 11 a.m. at the Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home 2551 Kimberly Road, Twin Falls. Interment will be held at 4 p.m. in the Ketchum Cemetery, Ketchum, Idaho.
Friends may call Wednesday, March 21, from 6-7 p.m. at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in Pearl's name to the Shriner's Hospital for Children, Fairfax Road at Virginia Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103.
The family wishes to thank the staff of the Twin Falls Care Center and Dr. Ron Miciak and staff for their compassion and the excellent care they gave Pearl.
"When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure."
