Mary LaRae Avery

Mary LaRae Avery of Milo, Idaho; Preston, Idaho; and Glenns Ferry, Idaho joined her heavenly family on May 12th, 2026, in Twin Falls, Idaho.

She was born on August 3rd, 1938, in Heppner, Morrow, Oregon to Everett Leroy Iler and Mamie Charlotte Smith Iler.

Mary LaRae graduated in 1956 from Seaside Union High School, Seaside, Oregon, where she was Jr. Prom Queen and a member of the White Caps a service club. She then went on to the nursing program at Ricks College, Rexburg, Idaho. She graduated from the program with her R.N. from the last three-year program that Ricks offered.

She met Merrill Duane Avery at the hospital where she was his nurse. They married on January 9th, 1960, in Seaside, Oregon.

Her nursing career served her well as her life progressed. She worked at the L.D.S. hospital in Idaho Falls. When Merrill and LaRae moved to Preston, she worked at the Franklin County Hospital doing a little bit of everything. She became the 3-11 shift charge nurse on the surgery floor at EIRMC in Idaho Falls, then she went into home health in the S. E. part of Idaho. She also worked in a clinic in Portland, Oregon.

Merrill and LaRae raised their family in Milo, Idaho and then Preston, Idaho. She also lived in Chesterfield, Idaho; Lava Hot Springs, Idaho; Portland, Oregon; Idaho Falls, Idaho and finally Glenns Ferry, Idaho.

She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she was active in the Cub Scout and Scouting program. She also was a 4-H leader and a 4-H mother. She loved to crochet, knit and do embroidery. She was a very talented painter, and she could draw but not a lot of people knew that. She loved flowers and could name them all.

She is survived by her sister, Jeri Iler; a daughter Jody (Jeff) Askew; two sons, Jeffrey (Stephanie) Avery and Matthew Avery. At the time of her passing, she had 20 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren. Mary LaRae was preceded in death by her husband Merrill Avery; a daughter Julie Kaye (Steve) Farmer; a brother, Larry Iler; 1 grandson, 1 great granddaughter and too many in-laws to count. All loved and missed.

Mary LaRae Avery’s services will be held Saturday, May 23, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Milo, Idaho L.D.S. church building (12127 N 75th E, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83401). Family and friends are invited to attend her celebration of life on Saturday the 23rd from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. She will be interred in the Milo, Idaho Cemetery, Milo, Bonneville, Idaho (8020 E 129 N, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401).