ArLee L. Tegan

ArLee was born to William and Ethel Selley at their family’s home on February 21, 1919, in Wellsville, Utah. ArLee was one of eight sisters and brothers. She spent the first part of her life growing up in Wellsville, Utah, attending grammar school and middle school there. She attended South Cache High School in Hyrum, Utah. After high school, ArLee worked as a nanny for two children whose father had died and whose mother was a school teacher; this was her first job. ArLee married Howard Tegan from Filer, ID in 1939. She and Howard had met in Utah on Pioneer Day, July 24, 1938. They made their home on a farm in Filer, ID. The big red and white Tegan barn on this farm was soon a Filer landmark. ArLee and Howard had five children, Michael, Sandra, Jerry, Patricia and Pamela. Howard passed away in 1957 at the age of 42. ArLee, at that time age 38, continued to manage and live on their farm raising their five children, who then were ages 4 to 16. A year later, recognizing the need to supplement her family’s income, ArLee studied for and received her cosmetology license. She started a hair salon business, a career she had for 44 years, working out of her family’s home six days each week. She did this while also managing the farm and raising her children. Open to adventure and exploration, ArLee worked for and got her airplane pilot’s license when she was 65 years old; she flew until she was 82 years old. Always active and loving the outdoors, ArLee enjoyed cross country skiing on her farm. She raised fruit trees and a garden, canning each season and taking every advantage of what her land produced. She was very musical and took organ lessons, becoming quite accomplished. Many pleasurable hours were spent at family gatherings with ArLee playing songs for her family. Dancing was something that ArLee loved dearly from early childhood. At age 65 she joined a dance troop, the Top Hatters; she danced with this team of ladies until she hung up her dancing shoes at age 93. With her love of adventure, her love of people and social interaction, ArLee very much enjoyed travelling with this troop, performing at church and social events in Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming and more. ArLee was a very faithful woman; she held many positions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from Sunday School Coordinator, Primary President, Young Women’s President, Relief Society President, and a Visiting Teacher. She worked at the LDS temple in Boise, ID for seven years and later the Twin Falls Temple from its opening until 2016. Being of an independent spirit, she lived alone for a number of years on the farm after her five children grew up and left home, continuing to work and manage the farm and operate her hair salon. There continued to be a constant stream of ladies coming to her home for hair styling and most assuredly to enjoy ArLee’s company. ArLee sold the family farm and moved to Twin Falls in 2004. Though her new property in Twin was significantly smaller than the farm she continued to have a beautiful flower garden every year, she raised many vegetables and had several fruit trees. She drove back and forth to the grocery store and to church until 2017. Her hobbies or past times also included golfing, gardening, crocheting, machine embroidering, china painting, canning, baking, candy making and, of course, with a large family, good home cooking. She was a huge sports fan, loving to watch the Utah Jazz. She followed and loved watching any good golf tournament. There were many facets of ArLee Tegan’s life that one might say defined her. Certainly she would argue that her truest passion was of course her faith, her children and her family. Others might say when speaking of her she was a lady in every sense of the word, best described as fearless, driven, spirited, honorable, loving, gentle, confident, charming, faithful, and curious. She was a pinnacle of virtue, a no-nonsense, common sense lady absolutely committed to living a purposeful life every single day of her life. She is survived by four of her children, Sandra Vickers (Husband Jim) of Twin Falls, Jerry Tegan (Wife Angie) of Hailey, Pat Powell (Husband Gil) of Stanwood, WA, and Pam Tegan of Morgan, UT; 15 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Tegan, her eldest son, Michael Howard Tegan, who passed away at the age of 54, her mother and father, William and Ethel Selley, her brothers, William “Junior”, Paul, Leland, Woodrow, Calvin, her sisters, Vivian and Betty. What is the definition of a well-lived life. What is the legacy to those left behind. Long before we’re ready, we sadly say good-bye, but there are those in a far more beautiful place who are saying, “Welcome home!”

The family wishes to thank Idaho Home Health and Hospice as well as the caring staff at Chardonnay Assisted Living Center for the amazing care given to ArLee. Special thanks to her Hospice nurses, Teresa Miller and Steve Nelson for their love and attention.

Funeral services for ArLee will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 16, 2018 at the 19th Ward LDS Church, 723 Hankins Road N, Twin Falls with Bishop Alan Davis conducting. A gathering for friends and family will take place on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 10:50 a.m. at the LDS church. A family burial will take place at the Filer Cemetery. Services are under the direction of White Mortuary, Chapel by the Park, Twin Falls.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be given in ArLee’s name to the Twin Falls Humane Society. Contributions may be given to funeral staff for processing or mailed to Twin Falls Humane Society, 420 Victory Ave., Twin Falls, ID 83301.

Condolences may be left for the family by visiting www.whitemortuary.com.