Valley County, IDGenWeb Project

David Jackson Imel 1933 - 2012

Idaho Statesman March 21, 2012

David Jackson Imel was born in Arlington CA on June 6th 1933 to Rufus and Dora Imel. David had an older sister named Evelyn "Joy". David moved with his family to Kansas and when David was 4, he and his family traveled back to California to pick fruit. They followed the ripening from Stockton CA to The Dalles OR. After attending 33 different schools, David graduated from Cottage Grove High School in 1952 and joined the Navy at age 17. Basic training in Alameda and then specialized training in Tennessee, Florida, and San Diego before going overseas to Hawaii, Tinian, Guam, Japan, and Korea. David was an aviation metal smith, and became an accomplished welder and airframe mechanic.

After the Korean War, Dave returned stateside and met Patricia Kent while visiting home in Cottage Grove. David and Patricia married in Reno in 1955 and David utilized the GI bill to attend college. David had three children, Keith, Sally, and Brian and upon graduation began teaching school. In 1965, David taught at the one room school house in Yellow Pine Idaho. David and Patricia divorced in 1969 and David moved to Boise ID.

David met Lynnea Welch, and they married in 1973. Lynnea brought to the marriage three children of her own, Martha, Laura, and James Welch. David taught 5th and 6th grades in Boise for 21 years and spent summers with his children in Yellow Pine.

David was a co-founder of the Yellow Pine harmonica contest and ran the event for many years. David passed away from natural causes Wednesday March, 14th at the Veterans Community Living Center in Boise. David is survived by his wife Lynnea of Yellow Pine, sister Joy Stiff of Cottage Grove OR, sons Keith Imel of Juneau AK, Brian Imel of Veneta OR and daughter Sally Imel of Yellow Pine. David's step children including James Welch of Emmett ID, Martha Prouty of Boise ID, and Laura Johnson of Long Island NY.

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