Marlys Blanchard, 84, of Melcher-Dallas, Iowa, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2026.

Born April 27, 1942, in Albia, Iowa, Marlys was the daughter of Gordon “Tony” and Norma Whitlatch and was raised in Oskaloosa. She married James “Jim” Blanchard on October 27, 1959; they shared more than six decades of marriage and raised two daughters, Laura and Kathy.

Marlys’s lifelong love of dogs began with six poodles and grew into a career—she taught herself grooming and breeding toy poodles and later expanded to boarding, founding and operating Poodle Villa in Oskaloosa for 35 years. She and Jim enjoyed traveling together, making memories on motorcycle trips and RV adventures across the country, and they spent many winters in Texas after retirement.

She is survived by her husband, Jim; daughters Laura (Dennis) Freeman and Kathy (John) Payne; brother Dennis (Cathy) Whitlatch; nephew Tony Whitlatch; seven grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held later this summer.