John Alexander Cabbage

     John Alexander Cabbage passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side on January 6, 2019 in Gooding, Idaho at the age of 90. He has reunited with his family in the farm up above.

     John was born on a tobacco farm on April 18, 1928 in Island, KY. His family moved to a homestead farm in Stevensville, MT when he was seven.  He attended the county school in Stevensville for a short period of time before attending Montana School for the Deaf and Blind in Great Falls, MT for 9 years.  The Montana School for the Deaf and Blind was where he discovered his passion for sports.  The family moved to another farm in Plummer, ID in 1945 where he attended Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind in Gooding for 2 years before graduating.  He then went to Plummer High School for a year where he got his second high school diploma.

     After spending short stints at Wonder Bread in Coeur d’Alene and at the Navy yards in Bremerton, WA, he returned to Gooding to work as a dorm parent, maintenance man and bus driver for 36 years at the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind in Gooding. While attending the Montana Association of the Deaf annual convention, John met the love of his life, Nelly Petra Kristine Nerhus from Billings, MT. After corresponding by mail for a year they later married on June 22, 1963 in Billings.  The couple then decided to settle in Gooding, Idaho where they have resided ever since.

     John continued his passion for sports beyond high school, for the rest of his life.  He was involved in the Idaho Athletic Club of the Deaf (IACD) as a leader and athlete for most of his life.  He played on teams representing Idaho in deaf basketball and softball tournaments all over the Pacific Northwest for 30+ years.  John also loved watching sports and was a loyal regular at his sons’, grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s sporting events. John was an avid outdoorsman, loved to hunt, fish and camp.  He also loved woodworking and gardening. He passed on his love for sports and outdoors to his sons.

     John was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held various positions in the deaf branch as well as being involved in the deaf Boy Scouts troop.

     John is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Nelly Petra Kristine; two sons, Sonny (Michelle) of Meridian, Idaho and Roddy (Emma Lozada) of Santa Fe, New Mexico; five grandchildren, Mallory (Josh) and Riley Cabbage & Henry, Sabrina and Bailey and four great-grandchildren, Taven, Sophia, Riddick and Hayzel.

     John is preceded in death by his parents, Isaac and Helen Cabbage of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, three sisters, Elouise, Martha and Etta Rhea and three brothers, Dan, Gene and Dorus.

     A Celebration of Life is planned in the near future.  In lieu of flowers, please send donations payable to the Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind (IESDB) Foundation for Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind (ISDB) Athletics program in memory of John Cabbage at P.O. Box 181 Gooding, Idaho 83330-0181.

     The family would like to thank the hospital staff at the North Canyon Medical Center and the staff of Alliance for their care and dedication to John.

     Cremation arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service – Gooding Chapel.

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