Beryl “Chris” McIntire

Beryl Stella “Chris” McIntire, 83, passed away December 6, 2022, at The Gables of Idaho Falls. She was under the care of her family and Hands of Hope Hospice.

Beryl was born to Bartholomew and Elsie Wilford in Bedford, England, on June 10, 1939. She was their only child. She attended grammar school where she learned French, Latin, and German languages. In the latter stages of World War II, she remembered war planes flying over her home in England in the dead of night, as blackout curtains covered their windows. While Beryl was on holiday to the Island of Wight with family friends at the age of 13, her father passed away unexpectedly.

On September 10, 1959, she married Jerome “Jerry” Martinson in Bedford. Beryl and Jerry were blessed with three children, Elaine, Steven, and Scott. Jerry was in the United States Air Force, which required the family to move multiple times. Upon assignment within the United States, they resided at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi for two years, then transferred to Jerry’s hometown of Baudette, Minnesota. While living in Minnesota for seven years, the family had the privilege of knowing grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. They enjoyed numerous camping and fishing adventures in Canada and around Minnesota. After Baudette, they lived in Wakkanai, Japan, and Glasgow Air Force Base in Montana. Beryl applied for naturalization and was granted citizenship in 1968. She was proud to be both a British and U.S. citizen.

Beryl and Jerry were later divorced, and Beryl remained in Montana, working first as an Avon Lady at Glasgow Air Force Base and then as a District Sales Manager with Avon Products for Flathead and Lincoln Counties. She then worked at Safeway Stores in Kalispell and later as an insurance sales representative and manager for Combined Insurance Company. After being on the road for two and a half years, she took a local job as an agent for Mutual of Omaha in Great Falls, Montana.

In 1987, Beryl moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho, to be closer to her children. She became a sales representative for American Monument Company. She then worked at Mitchell’s truck stop. While there, she met Gary McIntire. They were married in 1993, and made their home in Idaho Falls, where they enjoyed the company of multiple friends and family members.

Beryl loved traveling “home” to England to see friends who were like family. She was always looking forward to her next visit. She had gone home eight times over the years, once with Gary and other times with travel-loving family and friends.

Other countries Beryl visited were Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Netherlands, and France, but her heart was always in England. She dearly loved her little village and that it hardly changed over the years. When there, she could be with people who had been friends since childhood. She also loved being able to entertain them when they came to visit America.

Beryl enjoyed hosting tea parties, having a few laughs and sharing memories. In addition to spending time with family and friends, her other passions were playing cribbage and scrapbooking.

Beryl is survived by her husband Gary; children, Elaine Duvall, Steven (Darcie) Martinson, and Scott Martinson, all of Idaho Falls; step children Lori (David) Pincock of Idaho Falls, Brad McIntire of Chandler AZ, and Bart (Sheila) McIntire of Pocatello, ID; five grandchildren, Aaron Martinson, Amanda Jenson, Kendra Vaalemoen, Kaitlin Fuhriman, and Shealyn Case; seven great grandchildren, Macie Fuhriman, Sawyer Jenson, Bridger Fuhriman, Parker Jenson, Reagan Haggard, Stockton Fuhriman, and Oliver Jenson.

She was preceded in death by her parents, grandson Robert Martinson, and stepson Brady McIntire.

Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday December 10, 2022, at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon Road. The family will visit with friends from 9-9:45 a.m. prior to services at the funeral home. Burial will be at Fielding Memorial Cemetery following the service.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.woodfuneralhome.com