Jack Albert Gilson Sr.

Jack Gilson, age 94, passed away on September 3, 2017.

Jack was born June 2, 1923 in his grandparent’s home in Santaquin, Utah.  His family moved to Malta, Idaho when he was 6 years old.  He spent his school years and early adult life in Malta and Rupert Idaho farming.  He graduated from Acequia High School in 1941.  He served honorably in the army during WWII, earning a Bronze Service Star, serving in the Philippines, and Korea.

Upon returning from the war Jack, courted and then married Hazel Lafever on December 22, 1946.  They owned a small farm in the Acequia area for several years before relocating to the Columbia Basin of Washington State in 1953 when the Grand Coulee Dam opened millions of acres of land to irrigation.  Jack and his family moved to Moses Lake and then to Warden, Washington where he owned a farm.  In addition to farming, Jack worked at the U&I Sugar Beet factory in Moses Lake as well as 7 years managing the Grange Supply Co-Op in Warden.

In 1962 Jack had the opportunity to go to work in construction as a carpenter.  He became a skilled carpenter where he spent the remaining 26 years of his career. The last 20 years he worked as Superintendent for Northwestern Construction of Spokane, WA.  During his construction years he worked on numerous bridges and dams in the Oregon and Washington areas.  With Northwestern Construction he was most proud to have been able to build a number of LDS chapels.  The final chapel he built was the Stake Center for his home stake in Othello, WA.

After retirement Jack and Hazel sold their farm in Warden and returned to Twin Falls, ID where they have lived for the last thirty years.  During that time he and Hazel served for 7 years as caretakers of the LDS church camp at Alturas Lake.

He was very proud to have reached the milestone of 70 years of marriage to his wife Hazel on December 22, 2016.

He is survived by his wife Hazel Gilson, his four children Louise (Al) Lough of Nampa, ID, Frank (Debbie) Gilson of Kittitas, WA, Jack (Betty) Gilson Jr of Twin Falls, ID and Clyde (Johnna) Gilson of Saint George, UT, as well as 15 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren.

Services for Jack will be held at 1 PM on Thursday, September 7^th, 2017, at the Temple St. LDS Church Building 2085 S. Temple Drive, Twin Falls, ID.   Friends may view from 11:00 A.M. to 12 Noon at the Stake Center.   Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park.

The family would like to thank Harrison’s Hope Hospice and Brookdale Senior Living for their kindness and genuine care for Jack.

Those who wish may share memories and condolences on his memorial page at www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com .  Arrangements  are under the direction of Parke’s Magic Valley Funeral Home of Twin Falls.