Delmont Nason Gibbs, 99, formerly of Pagosa Springs, died of lung cancer Oct. 20.
Mr. Gibbs was born Nov. 3, 1913, in Wallace, Idaho, to George Leland and Lottie Bell (Frazier) Gibbs. His first eight years of school were in Galena. He graduated from Prairie City High School.
He lived in many communities: Galena; Bates; Prairie City; John Day; Raton, N.M; Pagosa Springs, Colo.; Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico; and Zambia, Africa.
He married Phyllis, and worked for the state highway department.
After their divorce, he worked for a ranch, where he met and married Myrtle Saunders. They moved to Bates and he worked for Oregon Lumber Company. They moved to Prairie City and bought a coffee shop.
After selling the coffee shop, he began working for a logging company in Long Creek.
Following their divorce, he married Bunny Monner. They moved to Raton, N.M., with the logging company.
A few years later, they divorced, and he married Alice Kelley, to whom he was married for over 25 years. During this time, he owned his own logging company in New Mexico and Colorado, worked road construction and helped build the tunnel through the San Juan Mountains. The tunnel work led to their move to Africa.
On their return, he built and operated a liquor store in Pagosa Springs until his retirement. He spent his winters in Mexico.
He enjoyed fishing in Mexico during winter, and fishing in Oregon and canning — peaches, plums, pears and applesauce — in the summer. He liked to dig horseradish root in summer, often finishing off a quart before the next year. He enjoyed visits with his children in Oregon and Colorado.
He moved back to La Grande, where he and his dog, Mikey, enjoyed planting and watering the garden and flowers. He loved planting and eating corn on the cob.
Survivors include his daughters Karen (Larry) of Cove and Judi of Polson, Mont.; sons Sam (Marilyn) of Baker City, Earl of Costa Rica and Del (Kimberlee) of Texas; 10 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and 14 nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his former wife, Myrtle; brothers Clayton, Orville, Jim and Leland; sisters Mildred and Elizabeth; and daughters Anita and Polly.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cook Memorial Library or the Blue Mountain Humane Society, in care of Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 4th St., La Grande, OR 97850.
