Raylene Clara Floyd

Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great grandmother, and sister, Raylene Clara Floyd, 89, of Cheney, Wash, returned to meet her Savior Jesus Christ on Jan. 23, 2025.

Born exactly 89 years earlier on Jan.23, 1936 in Missoula, Mont, Raylene was the daughter of Gail Rodney Zimmerman and Anne Elizabeth (Capp) Zimmerman.

She moved to Cheney in 1976, having previously lived in Montana, Colorado and Alaska, as well as in Ellensburg, Wenatchee, and Walla Walla, in Washington State.

She is survived by eight children, Tamlee (Scot) McGary of Basin City, Wash., Bradford (Tandy) of Eureka, Calif, Randall (Pamela) of Pleasant View, Utah, Denna (Quinn) Coburn of Richfield, Ohio, Wesley (Barbara) of Mayfield, Utah, Louis (Cindy) of Tipp City, Ohio, Benjamin (Lara) of Kennewick, Wash, and Jeremy (Laura) of Vancouver, Wash., as well as 31 grandchildren, 81 great-grandchildren, 6 great-great grandchildren, 2 step-daughters, and her brother Richard (90) of Spokane, Wash.

She was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Bryce Floyd; and two great-grandsons, Elijah Floyd and Reddoch Floyd.

To quote Maya Angelou, "To describe [our] mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power."

Growing up with parents who lived through the Great Depression and then going through a divorce at age 40 that left her to raise her 6 youngest children on a shoestring budget, her watchwords were 'Waste not, want not' and 'Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.' She worked hard and she taught her children the same work ethic-whether they wanted to learn it or not.

By necessity, she engaged in creative repurposing around the home before it was cool, and sewed much of the clothing her younger children wore.

After her children grew up, her dynamism did not falter. She built a gazebo in her backyard, installed wood floors and stairs in her home, and continued to split her own wood until her last few months. She loved tending her prolific vegetable and flower gardens and her many fruit trees through all the seasons.

She also loved doing genealogy research, and she amassed a trove of information about her ancestors. A running family joke was that her weekly family emails about her whirlwind of daily activities often also made the reader feel fatigued!

But her greatest legacy is her faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel. A faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since converting at age 21, she served in many capacities in her local congregation and in the Spokane area. She also served a mission at the Washington DC temple from 2015-2017. And whenever there was someone in need, she would immediately go to help. Her Christlike service touched countless lives, and in her remaining months she was blessed with calls, emails, and visits from countless dear friends.

Till we meet again, Mom. And please go easy on the angels--they may not be able to keep up with you.

Visitation will be at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of Cheney, 2536 N. Sixth St., from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, followed by an 11 a.m. memorial service. 

Interment will be next to her parents in Whitehall Cemetery in Whitehall, Mont. at 3 p.m. Feb. 2. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a spontaneous act of kindness.