Neil Gudjunis, 62

Neil Edward Gudjunis, 62, of Mountain home, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006.

A celebration of Neil's life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Cloverdale Church of God.

Neil was born in Hempstead, N.Y., on July 3, 1944, the oldest child of Wasco and Helen Gudjunis. He grew up in a military family and lived on various Air Force bases throughout the United States. Neil graduated from Mountain Home High School and attended Albertson's College of Idaho. It was here that he formed lifelong friendships and graduated in 1967 with a BA Degree in Business Administration.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army in Boise and received his basic and advanced training at Fort Dix, N.J. Neil attended Officers Candidate School for Combat Engineers at Ft. Belvior, Va. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Transportation Corps and was assigned to a Movement Control Center at Ft. Lee where he was responsible for the coordination and movement of all men and material in the First Army Area.

He served in the Republic of South Vietnam as a Motor Transport Officer. He received the Bronze Star and was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant.

Neil attended the University of Hartford, Conn., in graduate studies in Business Administration. He became employed by Hartford Insurance Company in 1971 and operated as the Marketing Representative for the Lubbock, Texas territory. In 1981, he was employed by Aid Insurance Service as Senior Marketing Representative in southwest Idaho.

Neil eventually moved back to Mountain Home where he was able to enjoy his parents' company and hunt upland game birds with his favorite dogs.

It was here that he reconnected with his college sweetheart, Janet Tomita. For the next ten years they traveled many places, enjoyed old and new friendships, and shared a love of family. Neil will be always remembered for his quick wit, wise advice, and his love for baseball, his family said.

Neil is survived by: his mother, Helen Gudjunis; sister Lynn Vedovato; brother-in-law Joe Vedovato; companion Janet Tomita, stepson Scott Elliott, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his father.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Ronald McDonald House.