Menu
Henry Nixon
Henry Broaderson Nixon, 79, my daddy, passed away at a Boise hospital on Nov. 26, 2011. Elijah and I were with him when he went to be with Stevie and Matthew, who had gone before him.
A memorial service will be held at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel on Friday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m. Daddy had just arrived from California two weeks prior. He was coming here to live so he would be close to us. We had many plans for the next few years. We were going to show him many of the amazing things of the Pacific Northwest as well as travel the ALCAN Highway when I retired in a few years.
He was looking forward to going to his grandson's drama and choir performances at MHHS. Unfortunately, fate or whatever you want to call it, decided differently and took my daddy from me.
Daddy served this great country of ours for 20 years and 14 days as a member of the U.S. Air Force. He had been on Kwajalein Atoll in his younger military days and as a family we lived in California, England, Grand Forks, North Dakota and Biloxi, Miss., the later being his favorite and one he had wanted to return to someday.
Daddy had a passion for any mechanical engine-driven toys. He flew in model airplane combat style competitions when he was in the Air Force and even won some trophies. He loved the remote control technology for model cars, boats and planes and built some of his own.
Daddy also loved auto racing and many Memorial Day weekends were spent in front of the TV watching the Indy 500, a tradition which I still observe and subject my son to every year. We often went to the old dirt oval stock car races in Mississippi on Saturday nights. Those were the days. Motocross was also a piece of our family, as my brother raced in Corona, Calif.
Daddy loved his grandsons and really enjoyed going to southern California attractions with them. He liked to take them fishing and to feed the ducks and geese at the Victorville College pond. Every Saturday he would take my son, Matthew, to breakfast at McDonalds and to the swap meet. Unfortunately, Elijah did not get the opportunity to know his grandpa very well because we had moved to Idaho. I was really looking forward to daddy having some bonding time with Elijah.
Daddy had lived in Hersperia, Calif., off and on for the past 30 years. When he wasn't in the desert he would be spending time with his best friend, Marlane. They had their ups and downs and when daddy started to feel closed in he would escape back to the desert. He loved the outdoors and had always dreamed of having a cabin in the woods. He fed little bunnies outside his trailer and had a soft spot for kids and critters.
Henry is survived by his daughter, Sylvia, grandson Elijah, sister Ruth Loofbourrow, sister Esther and her husband, Steve Nemeth, as well as nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his son, Steven, his grandson, Matthew, his parents and a brother-in-law, Vercill Loofbourrow.
I love my daddy and I will miss him so much.
In lieu of flowers please contribute to the charity of your choice in his memory, remembering his love for kids and animals.