On June 27, 2011 Bessie Shewmaker Gabriel Bolt, at the age of 95 was released from a body that had kept her a prisoner. She was born January 6, 1916 in Kimberly, Idaho, the first of five children born in Idaho to James and Maude Shewmaker. There were five others born in Wyoming prior coming to Idaho. She was raised on the family farm southeast of town, on land, according to her Dad, of milk and honey.  Bessie graduated from Kimberly High School in 1934 and went to business school in Twin Falls. When it closed, she followed the instructors to Boise, becoming almost one of the family.  She continued with her education in Boise at Link’s School of Business.

One day a friend of that family, Ralph Gabriel, came by to visit. It must have been a good visit because Bessie and he were married in 1939.  Son Keith was born in 1940 and they moved to Salt Lake City.  Son Ron was born in 1943 in Salt Lake City,  and they soon moved to Hanford, Washington to work at what is now the Hanford Nuclear Reactor. They were only working on something to end the war, they were told. Mom and Dad first lived in separate barracks as there was no married housing until Richland, WA was built to provide housing for those working at Hanford.

After the war the family moved to nearby Sunnyside where Dad was a foreman on an asparagus farm. In 1947 they moved back to Boise.  In 1948 Mom started a temporary job that lasted 20 years with the Employment Security Agency, now the Idaho Department of Labor. 

When their sons were growing up she supported them in their scout activities (both sons were Eagle Scouts) and later in their sport activities.  She was a member and served as Noble Grand of Unity Rebekah Lodge # 8 in Boise, being installed two days after her 51st birthday on January 8, 1967.

Dad passed away in 1963 and Mom moved from the acreage south of Boise into town.  One evening in 1969 there was a knock at the door and the brother of the business school teachers had come to call.  He had taken Mom to her first movie back in 1938.  Jack Bolt and Mom were soon married in the living room of her son Keith’s house and moved to California.  They lived in Oxnard and Van Nuys before settling in Arroyo Grande.  Jack passed away in 1981 but Mom continued to live there until moving back to Boise in 2004.

After Jack’s death Bessie became an active volunteer in visiting the elderly with Caring Callers and as a driver for Meals on Wheels for which she was recognized by Pizza Hut as their Volunteer of the Year in San Louis Obisbo County.   She also volunteered for Harvest Bag Gleaners, in hospice helping others who have lost a spouse, and at a local Alzheimer Day Care.  She was a member of the Central Coast Fiddlers and Grandmothers Club # 50.

She was preceded in death by brothers Claude, Percy, Lloyd, Don and Orin Keith; sisters Ivy, Ravenna, and Neva; and husbands Ralph Gabriel and Jack Bolt.  She leaves behind  her two sons: Keith (Faye) of Meridian and Ron (Marylyn) of Boise;  four grandchildren and their families: Troy Gabriel (Tari and Brielle) of Kuna; Craig Gabriel of Seattle; Todd Gabriel (Pam, Nicholas, Corbin, and McKenna) and Angela Fisher (Anthony and Alexander) of Boise; a sister: Esther Butler (Raymond) of Hansen, ID; and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Judi Gabriel for her faithfulness; the staff at Heatherwood Retirement Community and Grace Assisted Living, Meridian, for their assistance; Life’s Doors Hospice, especially Scott and Darren; and her caretakers Donna Franklyn, Christie and Miriam, for their gentle caring for Mom in her last days.

Memorial services will be conducted at 1:30 PM on Friday, July 8, in the Meridian United Methodist Church, at Pine and East Third Streets in Meridian.  Refreshments will follow.  There will be a viewing for friends and family on Thursday, July 7, from 4:00 until 7:00 PM at Accent Funeral Home, 1303 N. Main, Meridian.  A private family burial will precede services.  Remembrances for the family may be left online at www.AccentFuneral.com. All arrangements are under direction of Accent Funeral Home.

Condolences: