Newel Kimball January 07, 1935 – January 29, 2019 Share this obituary Send Sympathy Gifts View Photo Galleries| Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card Newel Elliott Kimball was born in Spokane, Washington on January 7, 1935, the son of Elvin and Lois Kimball Wilkie. His mother died when he was 3, leaving him and his younger sister Winifred to be raised in separate homes, not far from each other north of Driggs, Idaho. Newel was adopted by his maternal grandparents, Ray and Bessie Kimball and his sister was adopted by his mother’s sister and her husband, Edith and Lawrence Little.
His early life until the age of nine was spent on the Kimball farm north of Driggs. He loved these years of playing along the ditch bank in the summer with his dog Tige and sliding down the high drifts of snow in winter. Newel attended Driggs elementary 1-3rd grades.
There he met Gloria Ann Beard, the girl who would eventually become his wife. At the age of nine, his family moved to Farmington, Utah where he had a paper route, and attended school. He developed a great interest in inventing gadgets, mechanics, and rebuilding beautiful fast Model T Fords.
On weekends and after high school Newel worked at Lagoon Amusement Park, adjacent to his father’s Farmington property which eventually became his own. While in high school he organized a 12- piece dance band in which he played guitar and bass. Music was his passion!
He graduated from Davis High School in 1953, and that fall joined the army and was stationed in Korea. While he was in the service he traveled throughout the far east entertaining troops with his good looks, great singing voice and beautiful music he performed on his guitar. He won several talent shows at this time and was sent to New York City where he performed on the then famous Arlene Frances Talent Show which was broadcast live nationally on television.
He came in second place by a fraction of one percent, and decided that show business was not for him. He continued to sing and play guitar throughout his life. Even with being weak from battling cancer for almost a year and a half, his last guitar performance was New Year’s Eve 2018, where he played a beautiful solo “Oh Holy Night”, in his church.
After being honorably discharged from the army in 1954 he returned to Korea as the first full time three year missionary, opening up the area to people who desired to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. When he returned from Korea he married Myrlene Macfarlane and raised five beautiful children in Farmington, Utah. Newel graduated from Utah State University where he studied Russian language and majored in History.
He was an avid searcher of information and was knowledgeable on many subjects because of his inquisitive nature and bright mind. He was a hard worker and made his living mainly as a machinist during the next few years. He was plant manager at a Levolor blind company in Salt Lake City.
While raising his family, he spent a year and a half in Denver where he worked in the carpet business. After returning to Utah he was active in the scouting program with his sons and was a great teacher to his children whom he adored and was proud of. He enjoyed being busy building and fixing things, including remodeling his historic rock home.
Several of Newel’s inventions of medical devices were patented. He grew grapes and other fruits on his beautiful two acre property in Farmington. He was divorced in 1987 and then in 1991 moved back to Teton Valley, Idaho.
For a short time, he lived with his Aunt Edith Little on the ranch where he spent his childhood. Newel and Gloria renewed their friendship and were married on October 7, 1993 in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. He taught guitar at BYUI (formerly Ricks College) in Rexburg, Idaho for 25 years, retiring in 2016.
Gloria had four children from a previous marriage and Newel loved them as his own. Whatever they did, Newel and Gloria did together from 1990 on. They raised horses and hay on their farm southeast of Victor, Idaho.
Newel’s fortitude and knowledge of construction gave him the ability to remodel their home, build homes for their children as well as a rustic vacation cabin for themselves. Their love for adventure took them many interesting places, including a missionary reunion trip to Korea in 1995. They also traveled to Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Nauvoo, and England.
Most recently in the fall of 2018, in between cancer treatments, Newel’s dream of going to Kirtland, Ohio to see early LDS church history sites was fulfilled. During their years together, Newel authored several guitar books, depicting his unique style of finger picking and taught over 4,000 students at BYUI. Their love for each other and for music found Newel and Gloria entertaining with guitar and song at many occasions in Teton Valley.
Newel was a member of the American Legion where he was in charge of Boys State for many years. Newel was a true patriot and loved his country. He enjoyed camping with his family up South Leigh Canyon, gardening, drawing, telling stories, going to movies, singing in the church choir, teaching and serving others.
Newel Kimball was selfless and loving and would drop whatever he was doing at a moment’s notice to help others. His many callings in the LDS church, including serving in the Idaho Falls temple with Gloria, contributed to his everlasting testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ. He lived without guile.
He truly emulated charity, compassion, service, loyalty and love. Newel is survived by his eternal companion Gloria Beard Kimball and nine children in a beautiful blended family: David (Kathy) Ross, Victor, ID; Lisa (Gordon, deceased) Harrison, Bountiful, UT; Cyndi (Jon) Benson, Boulder, CO; Suzanne (Dan) Rekow, Spanish Fork, UT; Matthew (Melissa), Lake St. Louis, MO; Blaine (Holly) Ross, Berthoud, CO; John (Jody) Sunderland, VT; Janine (Kendall) Jolley, Victor, ID; and Amy Kimball of Centerville, Utah. Twenty-six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, his brothers-in-law, sisters and sisters-in-law, his many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends will remember the tremendous positive influence and nuggets of wisdom Newel left them.
After valiantly fighting lymphoma and having complications from pneumonia, Newel passed away January 29, 2019 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He was surrounded by many loving family members. Services for Newel will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Victor, Idaho.
The viewing will be held Thursday, January 31, 2019 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 1, 2019 with a viewing beforehand at 9:30 a.m. Immediately following, friends and family are invited to the burial at the Cache-Clawson Cemetery, near Tetonia, Idaho.
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