Eddie Joe Adamson

Richland

Eddie Joe Adamson, 80, of Richland, “our beloved Joe,” his family said, died very unexpectedly on May 20, 2019, at St. Alphonsus Regional Hospital in Boise after three successful surgeries.

A memorial service, celebration of Joe’s life and a potluck will take place Saturday, July 20, starting at 11 a.m. at the New Bridge Grange.

Eddie Joe was born at Great Falls, Montana, to Joseph A. and Rula (Mangum) Adamson and was the oldest of their children. The family was awarded 80 acres of land seven miles west of Fairfield, Montana, on Sunny Slope Bench that they farmed and ran a dairy which started with eight cows. Milking and separating was all done by hand. When Joe was 12 the electricity was installed and the milking machine was installed. He learned his hard work ethics on the farm. He went to 12 years of school at Fairfield Elementary and High School. He loved football and boxing and graduated in May of 1956.

Joe married Phyllis Whitmell of Salt Lake City. They were blessed with five children. Phyills lost her life due to a tragic car accident, leaving three young boys, Keith, Steven and Ed.

Joe then married Melva Patterson, and added her three children to the family, Rob, Rick and Susan. They later divorced.

At last he found, met and married his best friend, Liddy Conklin. Joe gained and was best friend and Dad to her two children, Debra and Scott. This marriage lasted with understanding — A friend is someone who loves and appreciates your past, believes in your future and accepts you today the way you are.

Joe moved to Salt Lake City just after graduation. He worked for the Goodyear Tire Company until 1960. He then went to work for Leatham Bros. Trucking, doing long haul. During the 26 years of driving he was awarded Safety and Truck Driver of the year twice. He was recognized with an award from the American Trucking Association for driving 2,750,000 accident-free miles and was driver of the year for the State of Utah. He was very proud of his profession.

Joe moved to Boise in 1980 and partnered with LeRoy Jenkins Conestoga Transportation. He bought and ran two trucks along with the Conestoga Fleet, dispatched and loaded, running all 48 states and Canada. This was seven days a week and long hours. In 1990 he and Liddy started J & L Enterprises with five trucks and 50 self-owned and -operated units. This was lots of work, but a successful happy time and they had a great bunch of drivers.

When the fuel prices went out of sight, Joe took a hard look at their options and knew it was time to retire. They hauled the last load and brought all the trucks home on Dec. 31, 1996, when they closed.

Joe and Liddy moved to Richland in 1997 to enjoy retirement, which was short lived. He drove shuttle cars for Diane Jensen and was a taskmaster at Clear Creek Bed and Breakfast for Barbara Phillips. He was a member of the Sheriff’s Posse and did Search & Rescue and was on the pistol shooting team. Joe started driving the Eagle Valley Ambulance and became a first responder. Then he was elected master of New Bridge Grange No. 789. Merle Beale got him to join Community Connection as a board member to replace her. He became chairman of the Advisory Council Board of Community Connection. Some 20-plus years later he was still doing his jobs with a happy smile and glorious laughter.

The first time he ever got to go fishing, he enjoyed seeing the wildlife and feeding the deer and turkeys. His greatest wonderment was the gardens he could grow in Sparta.

Joe is survived his wife, Liddy; his sons: Steve (Shirley) Adamson of Salt Lake City and Ed (Jan) Adamson of Fairfield, Montana; his stepchildren, Debra Greene of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Scott Greene of Parma, Idaho; his brother, Monte (Janet) Adamson; his sisters, Doris of Fairfield, Montana and Arlene (Lloyd) of Augusta, Montana; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many lifelong friends.

He was preceded in death by an infant son, Joseph Brent, and 3-year-old daughter, Sandra Jo; his son, Keith; his parents; his brother-in-law, Merrill Snarr; and his best friend, Reid Tracy, who died in Joe’s arms, shot by a ricochet bullet.

Joe’s mottos were “Be a good friend and neighbor”; “If we can’t have fun, then we don’t do it”; “Whatever you do, do it right or not at all.”

Those who would like to make a donation in memory of Joe may do so to Eagle Valley Ambulance through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home & Cremation Services, P.O. Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences may be made at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com

Phyllis Kiefer

Formerly of Baker City, 1931-2019

Our beautiful, funny and spunky mom, grandma, great-grandma, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, Phyllis Rita (Moser) Kiefer, 88, of Boise, a former Baker City resident, died June 30, 2019, surrounded by love and family.

There will be no service at this time. Cremation is under the direction of the Alden-Waggoner Funeral Chapel at Boise. A portion of her cremains will be scattered at a later date, with the remainder being buried in the Moser family plot at Galena, Illinois.

She was born on May 15, 1931, at Galena, Illinois, the fourth of nine children born to Fred and Helen (Maxwell) Moser. She attended grade school and high school at Galena, where she graduated in 1949. Later that same year, she married Ralph (Chris) Kiefer and together they had four children. They moved from Galena to Marengo, Illinois, where they lived for several years prior to divorcing.

Phyllis then moved to Baker City with her two younger children. She also lived at Mill Valley, California, and Manhattan, Kansas, before retiring to Boise, where she was residing when she passed away.

Her greatest joy in life was her family. She looked forward to every visit and loved seeing everyone. She also enjoyed visiting a casino every now and then. Even though she never learned to drive, she traveled all over the country. She was an avid reader and had several Kindles on which she also played a lot of games.

She is survived by her children, Kris White of Boise, Stephen (Nancy) Kiefer of Evergreen, Colorado, Daniel (Karen) Kiefer of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Sandi (John) Eagle of Monroe, Washington; six grandchildren, Jessica White, Rebecca (Mark) Basinski, Joseph Kiefer, Patrick Kiefer, Zachary Kiefer and Brian Kiefer; seven great-grandchildren; one brother, Dan Moser; and several cousins and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Helen Moser; her sisters, Louise Davis, Helen “Dode” Herrick and Mary Carol Moser; and her brothers, Fred “Tad” Moser, Harvey “Max” Moser, Ron Moser and David Moser.

Family members expressed their appreciation to her caregivers at Spring Creek Overland Assisted Living and the staff of Doctor’s Hospice of Idaho for their loving and compassionate care during Phyllis’ final days.