Clara DeHaas, 105

Clara DeHaas, 105, a resident of Idaho County for nearly 100 years, died on February 28, 2008, at Grangeville Health and Rehabilitation Center (GHRC), of infirmities of age. News reports surrounding her 105th birthday suggested Clara may have been Idaho’s eldest citizen.

She was born December 19, 1902, in Manhattan, MT, a daughter of John and Hilje Workman. When she was six years old, the family moved to Grangeville. During those subsequent years, she was able to transition from her native Dutch language to English and begin school in the Grangeville area. Clara loved learning and often shared tales of her childhood school experiences.

She married William DeHaas on October 11, 1922, and they farmed in the Grangeville area until their retirement in 1974. In 1997, Clara became one of the first residents of The Beehive in Grangeville, where she enjoyed the opportunity to have constant companionship and someone else to prepare the meals- something she had done for countless farm folks over the years.

Clara’s Christian-based faith remained the foundation for her life. She was a founding member of the Grangeville Christian Reformed Church, enjoyed fellowship with family at the Grangeville Christian Church, and thoroughly enjoyed singing hymns. While living at the Idaho County Nursing Home and GHRC, Clara often led the meal time prayers. Sundays were marked by Clara donning a dress and attending afternoon church services with her children in the GHRC dining room. Clara enjoyed the many activities presented by GHRC and treasured the opportunity to serve as an ambassador while riding in the 2007 Border Days parade.

Clara’s personal diaries also reflect her strong interest in flowers. Even in her latter days, she would awaken and ask to smell the fresh flowers on her nightstand. Friends and family remember Clara for her easy-going, sweet personality and her sheer delight in visiting with her extended family and friends.

Survivors include her sons living in the Grangeville area, John (Susan), Frank (Rosella), Don (Myrna), Bernard (Barbara), and Gary; her daughter, Sharon (Cork) Hogaboam, in Connell, WA; daughters-in-law, Georgia DeHaas Earp and Carol DeHaas of Grangeville, and son-in-law Bob Fischer of Bismarck, SD. She is also survived by 31 grandchildren, 55+ great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren, to whom she has imparted great wisdom.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William, who died in 1980; children and spouses, Gerrit Richard, Marion (Freida), Robert DeHaas, Betty (Ken) Forseth, Patricia Fischer; four grandchildren and one great grandchild. Siblings John Workman, Joe Workman, Gerrit Workman, Tena Vrieling, Jennie Hoogland and Lavina Likkel also preceded her in death.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 8, 2008, at 1:00 p.m., at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville. Burial will follow at Prairie View Cemetery. Visitation will be held Friday, March 7, 2008, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., at the Blackmer Funeral Home.

Family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Grangeville Christian Church Building Fund or to the Grangeville Christian Reformed Church’s Memorial Fund.

Condolences to the family may be sent to www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Hendrika Betournay, 88

Funeral services for Hendrika Betournay 88, will be on Friday, March 7, at 1:00 p.m., at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville. Burial will follow at Prairie View Cemetery.

David Weisz, 85

Funeral services for David Weisz, 85, of Grangeville, will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville. Burial will follow at Mount Idaho Cemetery.

Viewing will be on Friday, February 29, from 2:00-6:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

A full obituary will appear in the near future.

Josephine A. Stewart, 90

Josephine A. Stratch Stewart, 90, of Grangeville, died Monday, February 25, 2008, at the Grangeville Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Josephine was born October 14, 1917 in Garden City, Kansas.

She married Ralph P. Stewart on October 24, 1934. They moved from Midwest Kansas to Grangeville in 1936. In 1941, they moved to Spokane for a short period before moving to Vancouver, Washington in latter 1941 to work in the shipyards during WW II. Josephine was a burner (cutting torch operator) in the shipyards and her husband Ralph was a shipwright.

They moved back to Grangeville in 1948 and two years later in 1950, they bought the Grangeville Transit Mix. Josephine was the business bookkeeper until 1976 at which time they sold the business to their sons, Ralph (Sonny) and Gary.

Josephine loved her many grand, great-grand, and great-great grandchildren and loved to spend time with them. She was a bowler for 40 years and was also an instructor for kids bowling. She loved to collect dolls and mend and make clothes for them. She had accumulated as many as 500 dolls over the years. She enjoyed playing cards and spending time with her friends and family. She also loved to make her many weekly trips to Kamiah to play the penny machines at the casino with her best friend, Lorraine Kennedy.

She is survived by a son, Ralph W. (Sonny) Stewart of Grangeville; grandson Gary and wife Susan Stewart, and their children Ashley, Kelly, and Calla; grandson Marty Stewart and his girlfriend, Kari Page, and Marty’s children Stephanie, Jordan, Dylan, Taylor and Jake; grandson Johnny and wife Kathy and their children Jason and Jennifer; granddaughter Kathy Henn and husband Bill, and their children Kyla, Cody and Chad; granddaughters Heidi Funke and Marcie Stewart and Marcie’s son, Ethan; great-great grandchildren Taren, William, Chance, Treson, Emma; as well as many nieces and nephews. Many other children considered Josephine to be their grandma, also.

Josephine was preceded in death by 3 infant sons in early years of marriage; her youngest son, Gary Stewart; 2 great grandchildren; her husband Ralph P. Stewart; daughter-in-law Yoshiko Stewart; all six of her sisters, and one brother.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2008, at 1:00 p.m., at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville, with Pastor Harold Gott officiating.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Condolences to the family may be sent to www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Jo Ann Austin Cereghino, 70

Jo Ann Cereghino, 70, of Lucile, Idaho, passed away Tuesday, February 19, 2008, at her home on John Day Creek after a 17 month battle with cancer.

Jo Ann was born in St. Helens, Oregon on May 13, 1937, to Astrid and Jay R. Austin. She graduated from St. Helens High School and followed her sister, Sally, to Oregon State College.

She married David E. Cereghino on February 13, 1960. They lived in Sherwood, Oregon where they raised their four children. In 1978, they bought a cattle ranch in Lucile, Idaho and made their final move from their onion farm operation to Idaho in 1980.

Jo Ann’s passions where cooking for crowds and crowds of family and friends, painting, gardening, fishing, and penny slots in Jackpot, Nevada.

Her selfless character will be missed by all those who’s lives where touched by her love.

She is survived by her husband, David; daughters, Gina Turnlund and Carrie Rock; sons, David and Mike; eight grandchildren; her sister, Sally Nelson; nieces and nephews and many, many close friends.

A private graveside service was held at John Day Cemetery near Lucile on Friday, February 22.

The family suggests that remembrances may be made in Jo Ann’s name to the Syringa General Hospital Hospice Care Program, 607 W. Main, Grangeville, Idaho 83530. Their warm and loving care sustained Jo Ann and the entire family through the last month.

Arrangements were handled by Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville, Idaho.

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

Sharon C. Wing, 68

Sharon Colleen Wing, 68, of Elk City, passed away in her sleep after a hard, long, battle with cancer which claimed her life Tuesday morning, February 19, 2008. She had been residing with her son in Elk City, where she spent her remaining days.

To those of us who were fortunate enough to know Sharon, we will always remember her positive, “can do” attitude, which she maintained all through her difficult ordeal.

Sharon was born on October 18, 1939, in Minnesota, but her family moved to Spokane, Washington when she was a very young girl. She graduated from high school in 1957 in Spokane.

Sharon was married when she was 28 years old to Bob Horrocks, and from that moment on, most of the rest of her life was spent on the back of a horse or around them, where she acquired all of the knowledge of a master horseman and all who knew her respected her opinion on the subject. She cooked in backcountry hunting camps, delivered first calf heifers, and lived the life of a rancher’s wife. Sharon’s true passion was horses and she was fortunate to spend most of her life doing what she loved.

Sharon is survived by her sister, Billye, of California, and may other cousins, nieces and nephews in California; her son, Cole Horrocks, who resides in Elk City with his wife and young son; and two other grandchildren, Hud and Fallon of Winchester, Idaho.

We will all miss Sharon, but we may all take some comfort in the knowledge that she is now at peace and free from pain, free to ride wherever the wind takes her on her best horse, with green grass underfoot, no fences, good water, with two good stock dogs at her side.

Goodbye Mom, we love you.

Cremation has taken place, and at Sharon’s request, no services will be held.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

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

Mary Jeanne Nordin, 77

On February 16th, together Jesus and Orrin reached out their hands to take Mary Jeanne home after a long and challenging battle with Alzheimer's.

Mary Jeanne Kottke was born to Arthur B. and Elsie Ida Clara Wendt Kottke on February 4, 1931 in Graceville, Minnesota. Just 60 miles away the love of her life, Orrin C. Nordin was born just a few hours later. However, they did not meet until they went off to boarding high school at West Central School of Agriculture in Morris, Minnesota in 1946.

While at WCSA, Mary Jeanne was involved in chorus, YWCA, and the class plays. They held onto those high school friendships their entire lives. Together they graduated in 1948. Soon after, Mary Jeanne left to attend nursing school in Oregon City, Oregon, where her parents had moved to. Mary found nursing school too intimidating for her at the time so she returned to Morris for another year in Advanced Studies at WCSA. However, we all know it was really because she missed Orrin too much.

They were inseparable and married on June 26, 1951 in Hoffman, Minnesota where Orrin was working as a carpenter. They bought their first home, a 40 acre farm just 5 miles south of Hoffman for $2,000.00. It was on the farm that Dana Mark, the first of their 5 children, was born in September of 1952.

The following summer of 1953 they moved to California. It was in their home on Gamma Street in Garden Grove that they added 3 daughters, Jill Christine, Lynn Marie and Beth Nancy and finally, another son, Reid Timothy. During those years the family spent countless weekends out in the desert and sand dunes jeeping and camping with the 4 Wheelers of Orange County. There were also many family houseboat vacations on Lake Meed and Lake Mojave.

Mary Jeanne was a stay at home mom until 1970 when she returned to school to finish her nursing degree in 1973, the same year her first born daughter graduated from high school. Mary Jeanne spent her entire career working the night shift at Western Medical Center as an Oncology nurse. She worked for 15 years until she was forced to retire early due to an acute onset of Bells Palsy that never improved. Mary's 3 daughters have all followed in their mother's footsteps and are all nurses working night shift in different areas of nursing.

In 1994 Orrin went into semi-retirement so he and Mary moved to Grangeville, Idaho to live with their daughter, Lynn and husband Jim. In 2001, the Nordin's celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the home of the Welborn's with family and friends coming from all over the country.
Along with traveling back to Morris for most all of their class reunions, the Nordin's also attended several Kottke Family reunions. Mary and Orrin's family grew from 5 children to include spouses, 11 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

Mary Jeanne will always be remembered by her love of purple, her beautiful voice and her sweet gentle spirit. She loved any occasion she could dress up. She had impeccable taste and could easily look as elegant as a queen. She loved her soaps and even got Orrin hooked on them. She could make a mean bowl of oatmeal and believed no one should start the day without it. Her Christmas breakfast tradition and singing grace continues to be carried down through the generations. In her earlier years in OC, she could be seen bee-bopping around in her baby blue BMW. She had quite the lead foot. Orrin was known for his joking phrase regarding this habit, "Step on it Parnelli, their gainin' on us". Despite the ravages of this horrible disease known as "The Long Goodbye", still there were times when she'd laugh with us and hum to her favorite hymns. During this time of decline still her sweet kind spirit shown through at the most unique times with simple yet profound comments. She was a blessing to all who met her. Although we will miss our mother, grandmother and great grandmother terribly we are glad her suffering is over and she is gone to be with our Lord and with Orrin, the love of her life.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Orrin, in October of last year; her parents; 2 sisters, Muriel Oliver and Beth Griess; a brother, Eugene Kottke, and a son-in-law, Jan Kline.

Mary is survived by her 5 children, Dana Nordin of Grangeville, Lynn & Jim Welborn of Grangeville, Jill Kline of Anaheim, California, Beth & Bo Wendel of Farmington, Utah and Reid & Jill Nordin of Lake Elsinore, California; her 11 grandchildren, Jeremy, Ryan and Heather Welborn, Krista, Chad, Jennifer and Adam Kline, Katie and Reid Wendel, Trevor and Peyton Nordin; 4 great grandchildren, Krystan, Justin and Owen Welborn, Brayden Kline and Orrin Welborn. She is also survived by two sisters, Jackie McMames of Arizona and Theola Lohr of New Jersey, and a brother, Ron Kottke of Minnesota.

Funeral services will be at Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville on Saturday, February 23, 2008, at 1:00 p.m., with burial following at the Mt Idaho Cemetery. There will be a dinner for family and friends at the Grangeville Christian Church following the burial.

Condolences may be sent to the family at Blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Thelma "LaVon" Gotzinger, 95

Thelma "LaVon" Gotzinger, 95, passed away at the Grangeville Health & Rehab Center February 9th, 2008, of causes related to age.

LaVon was born November 16, 1912 in Orofino, Idaho to Angus & Ethel Howard Kennedy, the second of four children. Shortly after birth, the family moved to the Doumeqc Plains where she started school, later graduating from Whitebird High School.
The family moved to the Fiddle Creek Ranch on the Salmon River.

LaVon loved to dance. At one of the many dances held along the Salmon River, she met Firmin Gotzinger. They were married in Grangeville on June 9th, 1931. His family owned and operated the Cross-O Ranch at Pollock. Lavon and Firmin settled into their first home on Rattlesnake Creek on the ranch, raising cattle and hay with the Gotzinger family. They moved to Lewiston in 1946. While there, Firmin was a partner with Brad Carrey in the Twin City Sales Yard.

The Salmon River came calling, and in 1947 the Gotzingers returned to Riggins where LaVon worked for the post office and Firmin worked for Salmon River Lumber Company and the Forest Service. In 1952 they took over operations of the Cross-O where they raised their children. Today, the Cross-O is recognized as one of the oldest family operated ranches in the state as well as being an Idaho Century Ranch. Firmin passed away in 1992. The ranch is now operated by grandsons Dave and Aaron Wilson and great grandson, Cody Wilson.

After Firmin passed, LaVon remained on the ranch until her path once again crossed that of her grade school sweetheart, Muggs Bentley. She had most recently been living in Grangeville, spending her time with Muggs.

In 2006, Lavon served as Grand Marshall for the Riggins Rodeo parade, an honor she was very proud of.

LaVon had an impact on the lives of many. She was the surrogate mother and ‘Gram’ to many of the cowboys and hay crew that passed through the Cross-O Ranch while she was there. These people can all tell stories of the positive influence she has had on their lives. She will be greatly missed by many. Gram can now truly go ‘over the top’!

Lavon is survived by her daughter, LaRea Bernard and husband Ron of Yuma, Arizona, and son, Ronald of Lapwai, Idaho; grandchildren David Wilson of Pollock, Ronaine Kinard and husband Chuck of Pierce, Aaron Wilson and wife Sherry of Rapid River, Terri Smith and husband Dan of Pierce, Susan Coimbra and husband Don of Lapwai, William Gotzinger and wife Tamara of Fairview, Oregon; 12 great grandchildren; 4 great-great grandchildren; her brother, Roy Kennedy of Clarkston, Washington; as well as numerous nieces and nephews that held her dear.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband Firmin; her companion Muggs Bentley; a brother, A.V. ‘Bill’ Kennedy; a sister, Maxine Ward; son-in-law Daniel Wilson, and a great grandson.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 16th, at 1:00 p.m. MST, at the Salmon River Community Church in Riggins. Burial will follow at the Riggins Cemetery. Visitation will precede the services at church, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. MST.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Send condolences to the family at www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Margaret C. Evans, 99

Margaret May Clements Evans, 99, of Grangeville and formerly of Riggins, died Sunday, February 10, 2008, at Syringa General Hospital in Grangeville.

She was born December 19, 1908, in Riverside, Carbon County, Wyoming. She was the second of eight children born to Willa Mae Cox and James Wellington Clements. She went to school in Encampment, Wyoming, finishing the 10th grade (the highest grade available) at age 14. At this age, her mother became ill, so she helped on the ranch, took care of her younger siblings, and went to work for a photographer who taught her to type. Her mother passed away when Margaret was 17.

As a young woman, Margaret took a job with the Internal Revenue Service in Cheyenne, Wyoming to help support her younger brothers and sisters who were in a boarding school.

She married George Hall Evans on March 29, 1931, in Laramie, Wyoming. They moved wherever there was a job available. While in Missouri, their only child, Mary, was born.
Margaret spent two summers on fire lookout towers in Wyoming; ran a hotel/boarding house and drove the school bus in Zuni, New Mexico, and also owned and managed a small grocery store in Denver, Colorado.

After moving to Idaho in the 1940’s, Margaret was a homemaker and didn’t work outside of the home until 1950. She then worked as a medical assistant until retiring. In 1969, she and her husband moved to Riggins, Idaho, where she then worked for the Forest Service at Riggins and Slate Creek.

Margaret was an avid reader, gardener, and baker. She was a fantastic cook and preserved all the family’s fruits and vegetables.

She is survived by daughter, Mary and son-in-law Bill Carter; granddaughter Cindy and her husband, John Sangster; grandson Jim Vaughn and his wife, Vonnie; grandson Dan Vaughn and his wife, Paula; six great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; and her brother-in-law, Gene Arrant.

Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, George; sisters Sophia Swanson, Isabel Ross, and Mae Arrant; and her brothers Charles, James, George, and Eugene.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 15, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. PST, at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Grangeville. Graveside services will follow at the Riggins Cemetery, at 3:00 p.m. MST.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Margaret’s name to the Shriners Hospital, c/o Calam Temple, 855 Main Street, Lewiston, Idaho 83501, or to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 311 S. Hall Street, Grangeville, Idaho 83530.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Send condolences to the family at www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Merland "Muggs" Bentley, 96

Merland "Muggs" Bentley, 96, of Grangeville, passed away Wednesday, February 6, 2008, at Grangeville Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Muggs was born Aug. 12, 1911, at Gill Point near Grangeville, a son of Ernest and Eunice Palmer Bentley. He attended Grangeville-area schools and following his education he worked as a packer for the U.S. Forest Service. He started a longtime hobby of rodeo in 1928 and was active until 1964.

He married Jettie Lyda on Nov. 8, 1933, in Asotin, and she passed away in 1974. He married Doris Inghram in 1976 and she passed away in 1993.

He was a member of the Mount Idaho Lodge No. 9 AF&AM, Scottish Rite, Calam Temple, the Elks Lodge and Eagles.

He is survived by his daughter, Yvonne Wright and her husband, Jim, of Roseburg, Ore.; grandchildren Sonja Wright and husband Joe Criscione of Napa, Calif., and Lottie and husband Michael Hamrick of Roseburg; and a great-grandson, Alex Hamrick of Roseburg. He is also survived by a sister, Chloe McCulley of Grangeville; a stepson and wife, Roger and Janice Inghram of Grangeville; and his loving companion, LaVonne Gotzinger of Grangeville.

Memorial services will be conducted later this spring. Services are under the direction of Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Send condolences to the family at http://www.blackmerfuneralhome.com/.

Bernadine "Bunny" Shephard, 87

Bernadine "Bunny" Clara Mager Shepherd, 87, of Grangeville, passed away Sunday, February 3, 2008, at the Grangeville Health and Rehabilitation Center.

She was born Aug. 1, 1920, in Keuterville, a daughter of John and Bertha Bensching Mager. She married Foy A. Shepherd on Sept. 5, 1943, in Colorado Springs, Colo. They lived in Spokane, Cottonwood, Craigmont and North Carolina before moving to Grangeville. She worked as a nurse's aide at Syringa General Hospital in Grangeville. Mr. Shepherd passed away in 1983.

She was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and enjoyed music and her family.

She is survived by her children, Dennis Shepherd of Grangeville, Sharon Latimer of Post Falls, Idaho, and Jane Stephens of Lewiston. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and two brothers, Paul Mager of Grangeville and Johnny Mager of Cottonwood.

In addition to her husband, two brothers, Eugene and Francie, and two sisters, Louise Ackerman and Marjorie Shears, died earlier.

A rosary will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, February 11, 2008, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Grangeville, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow the services at Prairie View Cemetery in Grangeville.

Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, February 10, at the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Send condolences to the family at www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Violet Joyce Vavra, 70

Born February 15, 1937 to William and Velma Suhr, Joyce, as she was known, was raised on the Camas Prairie and in Grangeville with her four siblings, Glenn, Larry, Garry, and Carol. She attended twelve years of school in Grangeville, Idaho. She participated in chorus and band, in which she played the clarinet. She sang publicly at functions such as the White Bird Christmas program for most of her life.

After graduating from high school in 1955, Joyce worked at First Security Bank. On January 15 1956, Joyce married George Vavra. They moved to the Salmon River and a short time later bought a ranch on Deer Creek, where they raised their three children, Susan, Ruth, and William (Bill).

Joyce enjoyed music and flowers; loved to go new places and try new things; was an accomplished knitter; and valued time with her family and her church. She was a long time member of the Rebekahs and served her community as an EMT for many years. She was a life time member of the Christian Church in Grangeville which she attended with her mother and later with her siblings Glenn and Carol and her long time friend Mardell Mitchell. She was known and loved by many.

Preceding her in death were her parents, William and Velma Suhr; her husband, George Vavra; her daughter, Susan, and son-in-law John (Con) Parsons. Upon the death of Susan and Con in 1976, Joyce raised her granddaughter, Connie Parsons.

Survivors include her siblings, Glenn, Larry, and Garry Suhr and Carol Asker; her daughter Ruth and her husband, Barry Trivett; her son Bill and his wife Linda; and her four grandchildren, Connie Parsons and partner Jason Basse, Joni Trivett and fiancé Brian Larkin, and Brandy and Velma Trivett.

A viewing for friends will take place on Friday, February 8, 2008, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., at Blackmer Funeral Home, 305 North Mill Street, in Grangeville. Services will take place on Saturday, February 9, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. at the IOOF Hall in White Bird, with a dinner to follow the graveside services back at the hall.

Donations may be sent to the White Bird Rebekahs, Grangeville Christian Church, the White Bird EMTs, or Syringa Hospital Hospice.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

Send condolences to the family at www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.

Gregory M. Yuncevich, 61

Greg Yuncevich, 61, of Grangeville, Idaho, passed away at home after an 8 month battle with a brain tumor on Thursday January 31, 2008.

He was born in Bisbee, Arizona on August 24, 1946 to Dorothy and Sam Yuncevich. He attended Bisbee High School and was a proud graduate of 1964. He still maintains close friendships with his classmates.

He studied mining engineering at University of Arizona, Tucson and at Gunnison, Colorado but decided in 1967 to join the Navy. He completed two tours of duty to Vietnam and traveled widely during his 6 years in the Navy. In 1977 he completed a BS degree in Wildlife Management at Colorado State University at Fort Collins. He returned to Bisbee, where he worked for SEAGO and took care of the family ranch. In 1979, he began working for the Bureau of Land Management in Susanville, California as a wildlife biologist. He also met his wife, Sydney there. They were married on November 24, 1984. He spent 11 years there enjoying hunting, fishing and boating with his friends and family. In 1990, his son Steve was born and they moved to Hereford, Arizona where he assumed duties as the Field Manger for the San Pedro National Conservation Area. This was near where he was raised and enabled him to spend time with his mother, brother and other family members. In 1995, he moved to Grangeville, Idaho to become Field Manager for the Cottonwood Field Office BLM. He enjoyed the challenges of managing the demands of multiple use resources until his retirement in January of 2007. He especially enjoyed his days on the river either for work or for play and the opportunity to hunt whether it be for elk or morels.

Family was always his focus and he enjoyed attending his son’s sporting and school events.

He is survived by his wife of 23 years, Sydney, and 17 year-old son, Steve; mother, Dorothy; brother, Ron and his wife, Eleanor all of Bisbee, as well as numerous extended family.

He was preceded in death by his father, Sam in 1983.

The family expresses their gratitude to all the caring, compassionate friends, neighbors, doctors and medical staff especially those from Syringa Hospice and St. Mary’s Physical Therapy who encouraged and made him comfortable throughout his illness. Greg left behind many friends and family who cherished his wit and humor.
A memorial service celebrating Greg’s life will be held on Friday, February 8, 2008, at 11:00 a.m., at Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville.

The family suggests that donations be made to Syringa Hospice or to a charity of choice.

Send condolences to the family at www.blackmerfuneralhome.com.