My Father Passes Away

A Family Sadness

In August of 1967 my father died of a heart attack while fishing at his favorite fishing place on the Lamar River near Yellowstone Park. His son-in-law Arky was with him. I remember so well when the phone call came.

We were having dinner and Richard took the message and then took me aside to tell me about it. I felt like the world had stopped. It was not something I had every imagined happening.

It was decided I would take Jimmy who was 1 and Linda who was 5 and fly to Idaho Falls. Grandma Vida would come and tend John and Maria and Richard would come just for the funeral and then fly home.   I stayed and helped mother for awhile.  Unfortunately it was quite traumatic for Maria having Vida tend her.  I feel very badly about that.

The night before the funeral there was a viewing and I heard so many beautiful stories about my father. The whole process with family and his friends was very joyful as they remembered his goodness and his life of service and love. It was a good time to unite with my brothers and sisters.



These three were the youngest grandchildren at the backyard gathering of family. Unfortunately Dad was not privileged to live long enough to know many of his grandchildren.

At that time Dick had all three of his children, Jeanne had all five of her children, Marilyn had all five of her children, I had all four of my children, Carole had only one.

As you can see many of them would be too young to have a remembrance of their grandpa though. In the stroller is my Jimmy, Carole's Stephanie, and Dick's Kathy.

Ferrell's daughter Marilyn shares a memory of Dad's last day on earth. He was at his beloved Silver Gate cabin.

We were a few days late getting to the cabin. Randy and Bobby both were getting over the flu. Jeanne and her family had been to the cabin the week before and Mom and Dad had taken a few days to go back to Idaho Falls before we came. Dad had worked a day at the Church Farm and had felt like he had a heart attack. They went to see Dr. Lyman Knutson, Lorin’s son-in-law. I think he wasn’t sure but he did give Dad the nitro pills.

We arrived Sunday late afternoon and as soon as we had eaten Arky and Dad went into the park to fish. I think it was around 6 PM.

Around 8 PM a ranger came to the door and said there had been an accident and would Mom and I follow him. Sherry was about 11 and we left the kids with her. I had never driven into the Park so fast. Mom was very quiet. We followed the rangers to the curve in the highway where the Soda Butte meets the Lamar River. The ranger stopped right at the curve and we also. I jumped out and left Mom and I ran across the Soda Butte (not too deep) and ran across the field and trees to the Lamar River where I could see Arky waiting. Since we had just arrived from the low altitude Texas, it was a hard run.

The second I saw Dad with a smile on his relaxed face and a full creel, I knew his Spirit was already out of the body and I felt his Spirit and it was a most wonderful, peaceful feeling. It was a big testimony to me of life after death. Dad was there but I felt so peaceful and strangely calm. I have never had that same feeling again. Mom already knew also and was calm and peaceful. It is strange to think that now but it was so.

We drove more slowly back to the cabin and Arky talked to the rangers and made all the arrangements. The rangers took care of all the details and of the return of the body to Idaho Falls. The Ranger Station was actually very close and Arky had asked another fisherman to stay with Dad while he had gone to them for help.. Arky and Dad had separated while fishing and both returned at the same time. Dad came around the corner and when Dad saw Arky he waved and fell to the ground.

Mom and Arky and I got the kids and everything we needed and drove right away to Idaho Falls. I am not sure how we called Dick but I had left my purse at the gas station at West Yellowstone and I called them at midnight when we reached Idaho Falls. I informed them that my brother was coming through the next day and would they please take a little money (I didn’t have much in it) and give the purse to Dick. They did and Dick brought it to me. 

All our Sunday clothes had been packed in Texas but that suitcase was accidentally left behind a door.  Mary went to the store before leaving Glendive and brought us all clothes to wear for the funeral. It all fit! Mary has always been such a great help to anyone in need.

Mom was something else wonderful. She was up when I woke up and had written the eulogy and made plans and had called everyone.

Dad was very special to all of us. Carole had such a hard time accepting his death. Dad was so young and looking forward to many years at the cabin. He was only 64!

The rest of the family was thankful it was Arky to be there for him as he doesn’t get too emotional.

It was so strange for Mom and I to feel peaceful and calm. Sherry’s words to the kids as we came in to the cabin were “I told you so.”

Arky, son-in-law of Ferrell, describes what happened prior to his death:

Late afternoon Ferrell and I drove the Toyota down to fish the upper LamarRiver. We parked the Toyota across the road from the spot where Soda Butte Creek runs into the Lamar River. We took our fishing gear and waded across the Soda Butte, headed upstream on the Lamar, fishing along the way. I went quite a distance ahead and fished till it was getting late and headed back toward the car.

I had walked some distance in the meadow beside the Lamar when I spotted Ferrell some thirty or forty yards ahead of me. He seemed to be looking at me, but before he could say a word he collapsed. I rushed to him and couldn’t feel a pulse so did mouth to mouth resuscitation with no sign of breathing or pulse. After a short period I spotted a fisherman coming down the trail and I asked him if he would stay with Ferrell while I ran back to the car and drove to the Lamar Ranger Station to get help. They had the Silver Gate Rangers get in touch with the family at the cabin.

The rangers brought the body back to the highway. I think an ambulance came from the Lake Station hospital and took him to Lake Hospital. We returned to the cabin. This was a sad day but Ferrell did   catch his limit of fish.