Bill Sturgeon

     William (Bill) LaVaughn Sturgeon was born June 6, 1953 to LaVaughn Fred (Mickey) and Esther Meyer Sturgeon in Gooding, Idaho.  He passed away in his sleep on December 28, 2018.  Bill was the fourth of five children born to Mickey and Esther.  Bill was named after his father and Will Sant of North Shoshone.

     Bill attended school in Shoshone.  School was not his favorite thing except for shop class where he excelled.  Like his older brothers, Bill would learn the workings of ranching and farming on the Sant ranch as he grew up helping where he could.  His most favorite thing to do was to go herd cows with his dad who had become range rider for the Thorn Creek cattle association in the foothills north of Shoshone.  Bill spend many days with his dad listening to stories about the early days when his dad was a kid.  He learned how to ride, rope and take care of the horses. 

     As he grew older his interests changed to cars and other things.  Sometime after high school he joined the navy for 2 years.  He learned to service and maintain the ships boilers which would become his profession later on.  After the Navy, he attended CSI and received a degree in boiler maintenance.  During this time, he married Michelle Buhler.  Two daughters, Billie Lee and Kimberly were born to this union.  He and Michelle later divorced.  Bill had a gift for being able to fix anything with a motor.  He always had several vehicles and motorcycles around the house in various stages of repair which he used to teach his children how to fix and repair also.

     Sometime after this, Bill moved to Eastern Oregon and worked at several different occupations.  He eventually began working for the Veterans Hospital in Walla Walla, Washington maintaining and trying to keep their antiquated system working.  He retired from there in 2011 after 28 years of service. 

     In 1981 he met Jane Severns and they were married in 1984.  A boy, Mathew and a girl, Katie were born to this union.  He also adopted Jane’s two children Jeannie and Ron, whom he loved as his very own.  They were married for 37 years.  Bill lived in Oregon most of his adult life.  Many happy years were spent there raising their children and taking in at least half dozen young people who entered their life along the way.  Bill and Jane have always considered Johnny Johnson, Samantha Davis, Jay Vanskike, Jason Kinzer, Cody Sarten and Kevin Dieter part of their family.

     In 2011 Bill and Jane followed their children back to Idaho where he had grown up. 

     He was proceeded in death by his parents, two sisters:  Peggy Sturgeon and Penny Swarner, and one brother, Jerry Sturgeon.

     He is survived by his wife: Jane of Jerome; four daughters: Billie Lee (Adam) Durfee of Boise; Kimberly (Matt) Forsmen of Nampa; Jeannie (Chris) Houser of Milton Freewater, Oregon and Katie (Zach) Mayer of Weston, Washington; two sons: Ron Sturgeon (Kaila) of Wendell and Matt (LeAnn) Sturgeon of Jerome; one brother: Larry (Dana) Sturgeon of Shoshone: and half-sister Audrey Dean of Meridian; and 19 very special grandchildren and one great grandchild.

     A funeral service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 825 E. Ave. B in Jerome on Saturday, January 5, 2019.   Viewing at 12:00 pm and funeral service at 1:00 pm.  Interment will follow in the Shoshone cemetery at 3:30 PM.

     Funeral services are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service – Shoshone Chapel.

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