Peggy Marilyn Furniss Lee

Peggy Marilyn Furniss was born in Blue Island, Chicago, Illinois to Lloyd Smith Furniss and Carol Marie Chester, on 30 January 1950. She passed away on 17 April 2021 at home in South Ogden, Utah from complications related to COVID-19.

Sometime after her family moved to Pocatello, six-year-old Peggy took dance lessons. During the Christmas break, her father dropped her off at the dance studio on Yellowstone Avenue and drove away. The studio was closed because of Christmas vacation. The door was locked. Horrified, she found herself alone on a busy street, knowing no one. Eventually, someone came to her rescue.

Little Peggy refused to go to dance lessons, anywhere, ever again. Her mother decided to try piano lessons. That decision led to the discovery of a great gift. Peggy could play the piano; and, with years of practice and performing, she became very good at it. By the time she graduated from Highland High School in 1968 she was accompanying several choirs, playing the organ for church meetings and regularly accompanying local soloists and singing groups for church and civic events. Peggy once calculated that she had played the piano in every house of worship in Pocatello.

While attending Idaho State University, she accompanied music students taking vocal lessons. One of those students was Robert Lee. For several months they performed together as vocalist and pianist. On January 6, 1972, they were married in the Logan LDS Temple. For the next 49 years, Peggy and Robert lived in Idaho, Utah, North Carolina, and California, always performing beautiful music together.

Peggy and Robert were blessed with eight children – six girls and two boys. Peggy managed the "celestial chaos" frugally and creatively: sewing dresses (even prom dresses) for the girls and their dolls, and canning fruits and vegetables from their garden. In every new neighborhood they moved into, Peggy would soon have a full schedule of piano students, which added to the family finances. Over the course of 50 years, she taught hundreds of children (including her own). During that time, she subsidized Christmas and birthday celebrations with what she called "my piano student money."

Every six months, her piano students had a recital. After the recital they were served Peggy's legendary homemade cookies, made during what the family called "Cookie Week." After retiring as a piano teacher, she continued to make and freeze cookies for her grandchildren. Even the youngest grandkids knew to expect M&M cookies at Grandma Peggy's house.

Wherever she lived she made friends quickly. She never thought of herself as a victim, or needy, or wanting for anything. She simply made the best of her life situation. Those who knew her adored her for her quick smile, her spontaneous laughter, and her uncompromising love, friendship and interest in others. Peggy made every birthday, holiday and milestone event special. She was a regular at the Post Office, always thinking ahead to get birthday cards and packages to her children and grandchildren in time for their birthdays and Christmas. For many years, Peggy made a special "Grandma Christmas Gift" for every person in her family, which, at the time of her passing, numbered 52 people.

She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wherever she lived, she became the ward organist. She also served as a Ward Relief Society President, choir accompanist, ordinance worker in the Idaho Falls Temple, and her husband's mission companion when he presided over the California San Fernando Mission (2003-2006). For those three years Peggy was the "Mission Mom" to a total of 435 missionaries whom she loved as her own.

She is survived by her eight children: Jennifer (Ben) Allred, Bristol, Vermont; Nicole (Brian) Kunze, Lehi, Utah; Katy (Matt) Coombs, Wake Forest, North Carolina; Allyn (Aron) Boney, Norfolk, Virginia; Melissa (Jeff) Maxwell, Gilbert, Arizona; Makenzie (David) Martinez, Fayetteville, North Carolina; Rob (Claire) Lee, Ogden, Utah; and Aaron (Lori) Lee, North Salt Lake, Utah. At the time of her passing, she had 33 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She is also survived by three brothers: Mark (Julie) Furniss, South Ogden, Utah; Wayne (Donna) Furniss, Oak Ridge, Tennessee; and Steven (Pam) Furniss, Pleasant View, Utah. She was preceded in death by her parents.

There will be two viewings. The first will be Friday, April 23rd, at the Pleasant Valley Stake Center, 5640 South 850 East, So. Ogden, Utah at 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by the funeral at 11:00 a.m. The funeral will be live streamed here under the "Phots & Videos" tab at the top of Peggy's obituary at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, where condolences may be sent to the family.

The second viewing will also be Friday, April 23rd, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Wilks Funeral Home, 211 West Chubbuck Road, Chubbuck, Idaho.

A Graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 24th, 1:00 p.m. at Restlawn Memorial Gardens, 2864 South 5th Ave., in Pocatello, Idaho.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family under the "Tribute Wall" tab above.