Blackmer Funeral Home
Based in Grangeville, Idaho
| Gary DeHaas, 70 |
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Dad was born March 22, 1940 the 9th out of 11 children to Clara Workman and William DeHaas. He grew up on a Camas Prairie farm just outside of Grangeville where he helped out with all the farm chores, played practical jokes alongside his brothers on the school teachers, and developed many of his life-long passions for hunting, fishing, and farming. Dad rode the bus to town every day to attend school and became friends with many people he would still consider friends today.
In high school Dad’s passion for sports and athletics began. His Senior year he was captain of the football team and excelled in track and field. He was also highly committed to academics and community involvement. He graduated Salutatorian in 1958 as Senior Class President and was awarded the American Legion Medal of Honor. He has attended every class reunion since, most recently his 50th in 2008.
Dad followed his passion for farming and worked for Stegner Grain and Seed for four years before attending the University of Idaho where he met and married mom, Carol Jones of Weiser, Idaho in 1964. He graduated in 1967 with high honors and a B.S. in Agriculture. He was offered full scholarships to various universities to continue working on a Master’s and Ph.D. He chose to return to Grangeville to open and manage the chemical/ fertilizer division for Stegner’s, where he worked for 32 years. “This is where I wanted to be. This is where my family and friends were. It’s beautiful here. Why go anywhere else?” He was married for 27 years and raised two daughters, Jennifer and Betsy.
During his life he was devoted to the farmers on the Camas Prairie and the surrounding area. His children remember delivering burlap bags of walnuts at Christmas time to all the customers and riding around “checking” the crops with him every spring and summer. In 1989 he began working for Union Warehouse which later became Primeland. He retired in 2005, however, he never stopped checking the fields and held in his heart a real concern for the local farmers.
He loved to hunt in the fall and fish in the spring and summer because it gave him the opportunity to drive around and enjoy the spectacular views this area offers. He was a valued member of the Sno Drifters Club for many years and served as president in 1974. He became a devoted Grangeville Swim Team parent in the 80’s and helped found the Central Idaho Aquanauts (C.I.A.) that gave the small summer teams from Kamiah, Orofino, and Grangeville an opportunity to compete against the year-round swimmers at the bigger meets in places like Moses Lake, Spokane, and Walla Walla. Dad grew up in the Grangeville Christian Reformed Church and more recently attended the Grangeville Christian Church. He was also a member of A.A. and received his four-year coin in January of this year.
He is survived by his daughters Elizabeth DeHaas of Spokane, Jennifer Boissiere (Denis) and granddaughter Madison of Velo, France; his brothers John (Susan), Frank (Rosella), Don (Mryna), Bernard (Barbara) of Grangeville; sister Sharon (Cork) Hogaboam of Connell, W.A.; as well as his little mini-dachshund dog, Hiedi.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Gerrit Richard, Marion (Freida), Robert DeHaas, and sisters Betty (Ken) Forseth, Patricia Fischer.
Family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Grangeville Christian Building Fund of the Grangeville Christian Church’s Memorial Fund. |
Gary Ronald DeHaas, went to be with our Father in heaven June 17, 2010. He passed away peacefully in his home just before 5AM after a 15 month battle with cancer. He is now free!