Robert “Mike” Jewell, 65, of Boise and a former Baker City resident, died Jan. 16, 2005, at Capital Care Center.
He died of Alzheimer’s disease which he battled for more than eight years.
His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Calvary First Assembly of God Church, 102 N. 18th St. in Boise.
Burial will be at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.
Visitations will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Accent Funeral Home, 1303 N. Main St., Meridian, Idaho.
Mike was born at Boise on Aug. 11, 1939. He attended grade school at Franklin Elementary and East Junior High. At the age of 16, he joined the Navy Construction Battalion where he served until 1959. His tour of duty included one year each at Oahu, Hawaii, Kodiak Island, Alaska, and Port Hueneme, Calif.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Mike got his first big construction job with Woodall Construction Co. as an equipment operator. That year the construction company’s project was to build the first and only road from Lowman to Stanley, Idaho. In the years afterward, Mike worked construction in Idaho and drove truck for several companies. He later owned his own truck, which he leased to Beall Mer. Lumber Co. and Baker Trucking of Grangeville, Idaho.
Mike also graduated from Welding School at Hood River Community College in 1967. His favorite job started in 1990 as ranch manager at the Allison Ranch on the main Salmon River.
In 1993, Mike was working the trucking division for the Boise City Wastewater Treatment Plant. In 1996 he was disabled while on that job.
Mike married Arlita Logan on July 21, 1978. He took Jesus Christ into his heart as Lord and Savior in 1976 and was baptized in 1978. He loved and served the Lord with all his heart, soul and spirit.
He served as an assistant visitation pastor with other pastors in Bruneau, Idaho, and with the Prison Ministry at the Idaho State Penitentiary and the Ada County Jail.
Survived include his wife, Arlita; his little “O’ Poopsie”; two sons, Randy, and his wife, Nancy, and Tony and his wife, Chris, of Baker City; stepchildren, Angie, and her husband, Karl, Edgar and his wife, Jenny, and Shane and his wife, Kris; a brother, Ted Jewell; a sister, Ann Mattoon; grandchildren, Shawn, Brandon, Jessica, Sara, Brook, Daniel, Kaileigh, Paige, Zoe and Lizzy; great-granddaughter Alexis; friends Fred, Neil, JoAnn, Les, Walt and Larry and JoAnn; cousins, Jill, Janie, Steve, Bobby and Jimmy; seven nieces and nephews; and Idaho blood brother buddy, Mike Poz.
He was preceded in death by his father, Bob, and his mother, Pat.
Mike had many friends and will be missed. The family extend a special thank you to friends, Dale Taylor, Rudy Ortega, Charlie Anderson, and Bobbie Howell for their early support; caregivers Toni, Joan, Samaria, Brenda and Jana; the hospice team, Dennis, Kannette, Judy and volunteers; and advanced home care, Kevin, Brian and Kevin.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Idaho, 1111 S. Orchard St., Suite 200, Boise, Idaho 83705; St. Luke’s Hospice, 190 E. Bannock, Boise, Idaho 83712; and Mission Aviation Fellowship, P.O. Box 3202, Redlands, CA 92378-0998.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, January 21, 2005
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor