Loretta Fern (Pagac) Bird

     Loretta Fern (Pagac) Bird left her home of 57 years to rejoin her husband – George Gibb Bird the afternoon of July 1, 2020.

     She was born at home in a little house on the west side of Buhl to John Pagac, a Czechoslovakian immigrant and Bessie Minnie (French) Pagac on August 29, 1935.  She joined older brother – George and later on her younger sister – Katherine.  Loretta spent her early days in Buhl living in the apartment behind her father’s harness and shoe repair shop, summers camping and fishing at Anderson Ranch Dam as her father helped construct it, and for three years on the farm above the Archie Teater house in the Hagerman Valley before the family returned to Buhl.  Loretta attended school in Buhl and Hagerman, graduating from Buhl High School in 1953.

     November 22, 1952, at the annual Jerome Fireman’s Ball, her cousin introduced Loretta to George Gibb Bird, Jr.; it was love at first sight.  They were engaged on February 14, 1953 and married June 7, 1953.  A year later daughter Penny was born, followed by Garry, Mary and Karla.  June 7, 2016, they had been married 63 years.

     Loretta began her married life living in George’s house on West Avenue G in Jerome.  Later on, the family moved to Rupert, Idaho where she and George worked for the DHIA for a year, then to Albion, Idaho where they worked the Albertson family ranch for a year. Then returned to Jerome where they farmed the Webster place west of Jerome. In November 1963 they moved to their place in Wendell.  It was to be Loretta’s forever home.

     Loretta was skilled and mastered many crafts, she was a master tailor-seamstress, sewing all the families clothing, including all three daughter’s wedding dresses.  She also decorated wedding and fancy cakes.  Since George was unable to weld, she learned to weld to help build sack wagons, picnic tables and keep the family equipment in repair.  Loretta helped with the daily milking, raised and canned a large garden, and ran the corn chopper during the annual corn chop.  In addition, she worked off the farm, as a clerk at J.C. Penney, the spud plants in the Burley area, selling dairy supplies and real estate.

     In 1998, they retired from the dairy.  They spent two years as camp ground hosts in the Jarbidge Valley.  They spent 12 years wintering in Yuma, playing bingo and making friendships from across the states and Canada.

     Her husband of 63 years; her parents; an older sister; her brother; and two great-grandsons precede Loretta in death.

     Daughters – Penny (Charles) Morrison, Mary (Rick) Thompson, Karla (David) Boyer and her son - Garry (Debra) Bird survive her.  Grandsons – Christopher (Missy) Tinker [Christopher Jr. and Keyana]; Luke (Jocelyn) Morrison [Anika, Mackenzie, Lilian, Zackary]; Alex Morrison [Hunter, Avery (Lily Mae), Destiny, Alex Jr.]; Adam (Amy) Boyer; Carl (Wendy) Boyer [Joshua, Hailee, Colton]; Nathanael Boyer [Daniel, Ryan]; Aaron (Kenzie) Boyer; Garry Mathew (Johanna) Bird [Audra]; and granddaughters – Marya (Josh Westwood) Morrison [Trinity, Alyviah, Isaac]; Rebecca Thompson; Eliza, Miranda and Annette Bird.  Her sister – Katherine Hunsaker; two nieces, cousins and family on her mother’s side of the family also survive.

     In light of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no formal services.  The family will gather on July 4, 2020 for a private celebration.

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

     In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting that memorial contributions be made to either the Jerome or Wendell Senior Citizens Centers.

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