Murlene Pruett

Murlene Pruett, 85, departed this Earth in the afternoon of December 5, 2024. She loved life, camping with family and friends, riding motorcycles in her younger years in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho, and yes, her hair and makeup were always done before a dusty bike riding day. 

She picked up a love for golf – playing on a golf league for several years, but she loved it most when playing with her husband Ray or her daughter Patty. She loved following her favorite players, especially “her little Phil (Mickelson)”. 

Born in Hailey Idaho to Murl and Darlene Helderman, she graduated from Gooding High School and went to Business School in Salt Lake City, UT. She married Ray Pruett in January 1962 - they would have celebrated their 63th anniversary next month. She went on to work for the Idaho Department of Transportation and in 1976 began working for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, retiring from the state in 1998. 

The two doted on their beloved dog, Biji, their two daughters Paige (Mike) Wilson and Patty Pruett (Jenny Brink) their grandchildren Alex (Amy) Wilson, and Jessica (Sherman) Miller, and 5 great-grandchildren, Angela, Makinlee, Jack, Ellie and Lincoln.  Murlene is also survived by her younger brother, RayDean Helderman, and her younger sister, Betty (Albert Moody.)

Murlene was unintentionally hilarious. Occasional mix-ups with words or phrases resulted in endless giggles. Somehow, a cat ate a tomato rather than a canary, a good-looking young man was described as a tall glass of water rather than a drink of water, and you should “put that in your boots and smoke it.” 

Her grandchildren and great grandchildren were always tattooed with her lipstick smeared kisses. To be her grandkid was to always have to wipe her lipstick stains off their cheeks, always being offered a cookie, and always unsticking their legs from the camper chairs covered in the original protective plastic covering. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Darlene Helderman, Murl Helderman, and her sister Rena (Royce) Abernathy. 

Murlene was the kindest, sweetest, most giving person most of us will ever meet. She will forever live on in our memories, our hearts, and she will be eternally missed. 

A celebration of life will be held December 20, 2024 at Rosenauer’s Funeral Home at 2:00 pm.