O. Gilbert McRill

Obituary For O. Gilbert McRill Orsin Gilbert McRill died quietly at Heritage Assisted Living Center in Twin Falls, Idaho on Saturday, July 17th. He was a beloved husband, father, great, great-great, and great-great-great grandfather. His life was guided by his faith and his love of family. Orsin Gilbert McRill, Jr., known as "Gib" to his friends, was born on February 1, 1920 in Twin Falls, Idaho. His parents were Orsin Gilbert McRill, Sr. and Cora Blanche Mathis McRill. His early years were spent in Contact, Nevada, where his parents ran a general store. During his first year of school, Gilbert thought it was time to go home at recess, and so he did, "confiscating" his older brother's sled whenever there was snow to sled down the hill. Needless to say, Gilbert repeated the first grade. When Gilbert was eight years old, his family moved back to Twin Falls. He graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1938 and went to work for the Coca-Cola bottling plant. Gilbert married Martha Orene Garlock on September 22, 1940. In 1941, they moved to Portland, Oregon where he worked in the shipyards until he joined the Army Air Corps in December 1943. He completed Basic Training at Amarillo Texas Army Airfield. Later, he was stationed in Ardmore, Oklahoma where he worked as a crew chief on the B-17. In Ardmore, Gilbert was joined by his wife and daughter, Phyllis. He and Martha reminisced about their accommodations in Ardmore; "It was so small and the roof had so many leaks in it that when it rained, we were unable to move our bed to avoid the leaks!". After being discharged from the Army Air Corps in 1946, Gilbert and Martha returned to Twin Falls, living just around the corner from his parents. Gilbert and his brother Jack joined their father as mechanics at McRill's Auto Repair. Although Gilbert worked very long hours, often going back to work in the evening after dinner, he was a devoted family man. Phyllis remembers her father taking her with him to go duck hunting so he could spend time with her. She hated the cold, but went because, "He was my Dad." His children loved the smell of gasoline because that meant Dad was home. Some favorite family memories of all the children were Sunday drives in the country to pick asparagus or visit friends, Sunday picnic breakfasts down in the canyon at Twin Falls park, or just sitting in the grandparents house listening to great conversations between parents and grandparents. 1960, Gilbert, along with his father and brother, owned the Studebaker dealership in Twin Falls until Studebaker went out of business in 1964. Gilbert was a man of integrity who believed that his word was his bond. He refused to take out bankruptcy and he and Martha faithfully paid the creditors for over ten years. Gilbert sold cars in Jerome for two years until 1966 when he went to work for Layh and Associates selling cemetery property. Over the next five years, he sold cemetery property in Kellogg, Lewiston, Salem, Oregon, and Boise. In 1971, he returned to Twin Falls where he worked for American Family Life Assurance until he retired. He and Martha have been members of the current Christian Center Foursquare Church in Twin Falls since it was first organized as Christian Center in 1971 where he served as an elder for ten years. Gilbert and Martha have also been a part of the same small group Bible study for over 30 years. Gilbert and Martha enjoyed camping, RVing, and fishing. Many family get-togethers and reunions were associated with camping. A part of their 50th anniversary celebration was held with many extended family members at Fort Running Bear near Anderson Ranch Reservoir. They enjoyed camping with family at Fort Running Bear, in Island Park and in Yellowstone National Park, as well as with their friends and fellow "Blue Bird" Good Sam's club members throughout Southern Idaho. Gilbert was also a regular Twin Falls Mall-Walker for years and still enjoyed joining the morning crowd for coffee. Gilbert and Martha were married for 69 years. They have four children; Phyllis (Adrian) Stallings, from Idaho Falls; Mary Lou (Eugene) Nosco from Des Moines, Iowa and Ann McRill from Seattle Washington. Their son Lee McRill aka Michael Kenneth Vernon died in Portland, Oregon in 1996 from complications of AIDS. They have eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-great grandchild. Gilbert celebrated his 90th birthday in January with family members from Idaho, Washington, Arizona, California, and Iowa. Over 150 of his friends and church family attended an open house at Heritage. He enjoyed greeting each guest and recounting the special times they had shared. The number of people in attendance was a testament to Gilbert's affect on people. He was a good neighbor, church brother, friend, father, and grandfather. He always had time for you if you took the time to be with him. Gilbert was a man of faith and a dedicated follower of Christ. He was preceded in death by his parents, Orsin Gilbert McRill, Sr. and Cora Blanche Mathis McRill, his sister Pricilla, his brothers Tom and Jack, as well as his son, Michael Kenneth Vernon. A Memorial Service for Gilbert will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, July 26, 2010 at the New Hope Christian Fellowship located at 181 Morrison Street, Twin Falls, Idaho. Arrangements under the direction of Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home. Condolances and memories may be shared at www.magicvalleyfuneralhome.com.