Marlene Kaye Nicholson

Marlene Kaye Nicholson, 80, formerly of Meridian, Idaho died on April 26, 2023. Marlene or 'grandma' as she became known to many was born on October 19, 1942 in Boise, Idaho. Her childhood was one that ignited her love for the great outdoors. Marlene was always on the go and up for an adventure whether it be camping, fishing, white water rafting, exploring different cities, or wild road trips with her family. She even surprised herself by climbing atop a bear blind with her son-in-law. Marlene graduated from Boise High School where she met her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Tom Nicholson. They were married shortly after graduating and started their lifelong journey together. Through all of her experiences, the most important and rewarding was being able to raise her family. She was a great mom, an amazing cook, loved to sew, and she loved to build things! Marlene created so many wonderful memories with her children skiing, camping, and participating in arts and craft fairs among many other exciting adventures! Shifting gears, Marlene began her working career later in life when she went back to school and entered the banking industry by way of Merchant Services for Key Bank. It was a perfect fit as she was able to travel throughout the state helping established, and new businesses flourish. She always took pride in 'completing her goals' and stayed at Key throughout the entirety of her career. There was never idle time with Marlene. She loved entertaining and decorating for each holiday. Creativity and artistic ability came naturally to her. She taught herself toll painting, palette knife painting, ceramics, aluminum flowers, dried flowers and more. She taught adult art education classes at the YMCA and even dabbled as a florist for a time. At home, she always designed and tended to her beautiful landscapes and gardens and to top it off, she also had a wonderful flair for interior design. She really gave all of herself to every facet of her life, and she loved every minute of it. She is survived by her daughters, Janna (Marco Tine) Nicholson and Laura (Brad Gaskell) Nicholson; son, Brian (Tonia) Nicholson; grandchildren, Travis Worden, Josh Worden, Gabrielle Nicholson, Miranda Nicholson, and RJ Filipski. Her life came full circle when she was able to reunite with her birth daughter Renee Feld (Jeff) and granddaughter Marley Fennell and great-granddaughter Knya and granddaughter Shanah (Trevor) Tofoya and great-grandchildren Lakai, Kabe, Marae, and Talon. Marlene was preceded in death by Thomas Nicholson; parents, Ralph and Dorothy Sorenson; sister, Shannon Uriona; and her beloved Shih tzu of 16 years, Gerti Nicholson. A Celebration of Life will be planned at a future date in Boise, ID. To honor Marlene’s unrelenting spirit and fight against Alzheimer’s Disease, she would ask in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the alz.org.