Jeanine Kay Buhler

Jeanine Kay Buhler, of Filer, Idaho, passed away on October 7, 2026 at Heritage Assisted Living and Memory Care in Twin Falls. She was 77.

Jeanine was born on January 15, 1949, in Malad, Idaho to Joseph Kay and Doris Morgan Kay. She was the oldest of three children and the family lived on a cattle ranch outside Swanlake, Idaho. Jeanine attended elementary school in Downey, Idaho and later graduated from Marsh Valley High School in 1967. Shortly after, she attended Ricks College (now BYU Idaho) in Rexburg followed by BYU in Provo, UT where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work in 1971. Jeanine relocated to Twin Falls, Idaho to start her career as a social worker. In 1973 she met her sweetheart Twayne and they married on November 30, 1973, in the Logan, Utah LDS temple. The two lived in Twin Falls for a few years before building a home and settling in Filer in 1976. That same year their daughter Melissa was born, followed by their son Ormond (also known as Toby) in 1980. Jeanine soon left her career in social work to be a full-time mother and a farmer’s wife.

Jeanine was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout her 50 years in the Filer community, she held numerous LDS church positions within the Relief Society, Primary, Young Women’s, and in the church library. She was also a den mother in the Cub Scouts for many years. She loved working with youth and for decades was also a substitute teacher for the Filer School District. She took all of her responsibilities seriously and made many lasting friendships both at church and at the school.

In 2010 her husband of 36 years passed away and Jeanine was unfortunately forced to press forward on her own. She did so with strength and resilience, always handling what needed to be done and managing mini storage units in Filer that her husband had built years before. She was heartbroken over the loss but she kept going and occupied her time with church, working at the school, participating in her literary book club, traveling, and helping take care of her four grandkids. She also served in various positions at the Twin Falls, Idaho LDS Temple, which she enjoyed very much. Jeanine loved watching old westerns, baking homemade bread, and sitting by the heater with her cat Tiger.

Sadly in 2022, Jeanine was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She continued to live alone and hold on to her independence for about a year after her diagnosis until her son moved in with her as her caregiver in April 2023. He cared for her full time for three years and they made many lasting memories together including walking the goats and going for field trips to the store. Some of her favorite activities in these last years were taking silly photos, watching her favorite TV shows, and eating warm chocolate chip cookies. As her disease progressed, she was moved into memory care in March 2026.

Jeanine is survived by her daughter Melissa Dawn (Joel) Merrill of Filer, her son Twayne Ormond Buhler II also of Filer, four grandchildren: Madison (Carson) Prescott, Taylor Vitek, Gage (Jessica) Vitek, and Wyatt Vitek, one GREAT grandson Lane Prescott, and her sister Marsha (Alex) Inglet of Preston, Idaho. She was proceeded in death by her father and mother Joseph W. and Doris Kay, her brother Sheldon Kay, and her beloved husband Twayne Buhler.

There will be a viewing for Jeanine will be held on Friday, October 16, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m. immediately followed by funeral services at 11:00 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 840 W Midway St, in Filer, Idaho. Burial will follow at the Filer cemetery.

The family would like to thank everyone for your support, thoughts, and prayers over the past few years. Those who checked in on us and came to visit as well as her many final caregivers, really made the last part of Jeanine’s life so much better.

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Jeanine's memorial webpage at www.farmerfuneralchapel.com.