Marlene Joyce (Peyton) Perry, 89, of Spearfish, SD, passed away on July 5 ^th , 2022, which would have been her husband Ken's 89 ^th birthday.

Mar was born in Deadwood, SD, on March 24, 1933, to Leonard and Charlotte (Lamm) Peyton. She was blessed with a brother, Richard, ten years later. Marlene attended school in Deadwood graduating in 1951. On May 27, 1951, one week after graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, Kenneth Perry. They were blessed with one daughter, Colleen.

Ten years after graduating from high school, Mar decided to return to school at Black Hills State University. She caught a ride to Spearfish with her brother, Dick who had just begun college. She graduated in 1964, with a degree in Elementary Education. Marlene taught at Deadwood Elementary School for twenty-nine rewarding years. She had fond memories of former first and second grade students, as well as her coworkers.

While living in Deadwood, Mar was a member of P.E.O. and Delta Kappa Gamma. She belonged to the South Dakota Retired Teachers Association. Marlene and Ken were active members of the Deadwood United Methodist Church. After their move to Spearfish in 1994, they became involved members of the United Methodist Church of Spearfish.

Marlene enjoyed reading, traveling, and visiting with friends. Her greatest joy was spending time with family for birthdays, holidays, vacations, and any time in between. They loved to follow their grandkids, and later, great grandkids, and truly enjoyed watching them participate in school and sports activities.

Mar is survived by her daughter, Colleen Harford of Spearfish; son-in-law, Russ Harford, Chadron, NE; her grandchildren, Joshua Harford, and Mindy Sandoval, Frederick, CO, Kenette, and Ryan Scharf, Spearfish, SD, and Toby Harford, Lincoln, NE; her great-grandchildren, Skylar Harford, Larkyn Harford, Charlotte Harford, Lennon Sandoval, Will Scharf, Kate Scharf, and Jack Scharf; her sister-in-law, Mary (John) Nygaard, Spearfish, SD; nieces, Crystal Bartlow, Apache Junction, AZ, Kim Stafford, Deadwood, SD, and Connie (Vince) Braun, Rapid City, SD; nephews, Kevin (Lisa) Peyton, Deadwood, SD, and Ted (Lynn) Manley, Sun River, MT.

Marlene was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Kenneth; baby daughter, Debra Jean, who died at birth; her parents; father and mother-in-law, Theodore (Mary) Perry; brother, Richard "Dick" Peyton; sister-in-law, Fran Watt; and brother-in-law, Gerald Perry.

Marlene was grateful for all the doctors, nurses, and staff, that cared for her at the end of her life at the Monument Health ER and hospital in Spearfish, as well as the kind, loving people at Spearfish Canyon Nursing Home who worked diligently to make her comfortable.

Memorial service will be 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 11, 2022, at Spearfish United Methodist Church with an inurnment to follow at Mountain Lawn cemetery in Lead, SD.

Memorials have been established to the Children First Spearfish United Methodist Church or the donor's choice.

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