Sara Marble Mock

Sara Marble Mock, 67, after a long battle with cancer, died in her home in Weiser, Idaho on Oct. 2 at 6:42 a.m.

Sara went peacefully and was surrounded by family and a beloved border collie sitting obediently at her side.

Sara was the first born to Marjorie Cooper Marble and John Merrill Marble on March 25th, 1948 in Tacoma. There, she grew up on Day Island with her two brothers, John and Scott Marble.

While father John Marble was on the road selling timber and lumber equipment for Atkins Saw and Mother Marjorie kept the house in line, the three Marble kids, with their dog Mike, wreaked unbelievable havoc on an otherwise peaceful island community.

Skimming over seaweed shallows in rowboats, fishing away at the docks, digging clams; their only respite of the entire day was coming home only after sunset to a great home of loving parents.

Sara was tireless in her love for art and nature. Any hour spent while indoors was with a sketch pad in hand, drawing mostly horses and Scottie dogs, two animals she yearned and dreamed to care and love for herself.

While she waited, injured or wayward animals such as turtles, pigeons, seagulls, and other wildlife were cared for until healed in cages and coops she kept near the porch of the house.

She would volunteer her every free moment to cleaning stalls for free at a horse stable near Point Defiance for the sole opportunity to be near horses.

Her father would oblige her the first of many horses in her life, a palomino named Vicky bought from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Posse.

She would spend all day to sunset riding around the stables and around the island, stopping only to take an apple or pear from a nearby orchard.

A horse would be with her at every opportunity, riding in play days running barrels, or swimming off the beach around the kelp beds, to the amazement of island residents.

She didn’t stay long in Tacoma after graduating Curtis High School. Briefly, she was a draftswoman and tired of confined office work.

She left for the Kittitas Valley, just over the Cascades away from the ocean, a place where she could befriend true ranchers, horsemen, real cowboys and cowgirls. They all loved her immediately.

Norm Stuart would gladly rely on her to help with his draft pulling team, teaching her the unique art of harnessing and utilizing a working draft horse team. In his final years he would come by for breakfast. He always brought flowers and happily held Sara’s children in a loud and joyous kitchen.

Before Troy and Sara met in Ellensburg, Troy had spent time in Tacoma finishing school, and it wasn’t until years later after their marriage that Sara realized she had married the same tall handsome lad wearing the Tony Llama boots she had spotted and admired years before in Tacoma.

After that, they would randomly meet a few years later in Ellensburg while among friends. They fell in love immediately and married Oct. 9, 1976.

Soon they would become the proud parents of daughter Jennie, and a son, Louie. Sara and Troy would raise their kids in the Kittitas Valley for a time, with Sara raising a plethora of farm animals, milking cows, and notably, Percheron draft horses.

Sara’s affinity for draft horses was deep. She would drive different teams in the Ellensburg Rodeo parade, first driving a unique horse-drawn steam calliope on a beautifully gilded wagon. Other years, one could see her driving a big wagon pulled by a team of Percherons with members of the Yakama Indian Nation onboard.

Between that, she was using them at home, driving a sled team to feed the cows during heavy snow seasons, or a stone boat for everyday chores around the ranch. In the fall, she and Troy would take some draft colts and fillies to sell at the Sandpoint Draft Horse Show and Sale, where they would also drive their own as well as other draft teams.

When the family moved to Ritzville, Sara supported her kids in every extracurricular activity that the community offered. She supported them and other kids through their 4-H projects, FFA, sports, and scholastic pursuits.

Through all this, she raised calves and milked cows, and spearheaded the steadily developing registered Angus herd that would later become Lazy J&L Ranch.

Furthermore, she was a rock for her husband to lean on during an honorable, and at times dangerous and stressful tenure during Troy’s 29 years of serving Kittitas and Adams County as a deputy. Only she could run a full ranch operation, raise two grateful children, and support a ranchman and full time law enforcement officer.

In 2013, Sara and Troy would move to different pastures closer to their daughter, Jennie and grandchildren in Weiser, Idaho. Sara had a new and brighter light in her eyes as she doted upon her two newfound loves.

Sara never lost an opportunity to tell family members, friends, or complete strangers of her undying love for the wonderful grandchildren in her life. She had plans and dreams for them to fill many lifetimes; her loving and enduring spirit fills ours.

Sara is survived by her husband Troy Mock, of Weiser. Daughter Jennie Walker of Weiser, and her two children. Her son, Louie Mock, of Filer, Idaho. Brothers John Marble of Fairfield, Iowa and Scott Marble of Port Townsend.

Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: Fruitland Mountain States Tumor Institute/Respite House 1118 NW 16th Street, Suite D. Fruitland, ID 83619: 1(800) 473-9618. For every dollar, St. Luke’s will donate $9.