Mary Lynn Talboy

Mary Lynn (Lawler) Talboy was a lovely, kind, and caring person who assumed many roles throughout her life: beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, devoted friend, and exceptional nurse. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Ruth and Matthew Lawler on July 28, 1951. Mary Lynn grew up in Des Moines, Iowa as the oldest of nine children. Her three sisters (Nancy, Katie, and Mollie) and five brothers (Matthew, Michael, Patrick, Robert, and James) were her enduring foundation throughout life. Mary had many fond memories of growing up in Iowa and visiting family in Illinois. She graduated from St. Joseph Academy in Des Moines in 1969.

In 1973 Mary Lynn received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. While attending Creighton, she met, fell in love with, and then married Frank Talboy, a pharmacy graduate student at the time. They were married in Des Moines, Iowa on August 6, 1977. She worked at University Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska from 1973-1979. Frank and Mary Lynn then settled in Boise, Idaho where Frank was raised and his family resided. Mary Lynn continued her nursing career as an OR nurse for Frank’s father, Glenn Talboy, a prominent general surgeon in Boise. After Dr. Talboy retired, she began working as a recovery room nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital and continued to work there for more than 25 years. As a working mother Mary Lynn had a number of accomplishments. She earned a Masters of Science in Nursing from Idaho State University in 1994. In addition, she mentored her younger nursing colleagues and published an article in the AORN journal. During her time as a nurse, she made many lifelong friends and left an indelible mark on the lives of those she cared for.

Together Mary Lynn and Frank raised four children: Matthew, Tara, Katie, and Rebeccah. Mary Lynn’s greatest joy was her family. She was a devoted mother that raised her children with kindness, love, and empathy. Her gentle, angelic nature lives on in her children and grandchildren and will continue to be carried through the generations to come.

Mary Lynn will be remembered for her warmth, generosity, wit and sense of humor, and the way she made the people around her feel loved and cared for. She found happiness in the simple pleasures of life - time with family and friends, music and film, good coffee and wine, Gonzaga basketball, the ocean, and traveling. She returned often to the places that held special meaning to her, including Cannon Beach, McCall, Maui, Spain, Italy, and Iowa. She had a gift for making everyday life magical - always seeing the good in others, finding humor in the little things, and bringing lightness and joy wherever she went.

She died on September 8, 2026 from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. She was preceded in death by her parents Ruth and Dr. Matthew Parlyn Lawler Jr. and her brother Michael Lawler. She is survived by her husband Frank and their children and grandchildren: Matthew Talboy, Tara (Streeter) Johnson (Henry, Maxwell, and Olive), Katie (Andrew) Chirhart (James and Thomas), and Rebeccah (Tylor) Pavel (Patrick).

A funeral mass will be held at 11:00am on Friday, September 25, 2026 at the Cathedral of St.John the Evangelist (807 N 8th Street, Boise, ID 83702). To honor Mary Lynn, her family invitesyou to wear blue or add a touch of blue to your attire.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Mary Lynn’s name to The Society of the Little Flower, Jesuit Refugee Service, or Save the Children.