Gary Johan PALS

PALS, COOPER, HOGAN, ODONNELL, LONG, HOFFMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/7/2008 at 10:08:27

Gary Johan Pals, a.k.a. Captain Cabella, 51, passed away on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at St. Luke's Boise Regional Medical Center (his place of employment for the past 17 years) on Wednesday, March 5, 2008. Gary was born Oct. 24, 1956 in Belmond, Iowa, to Johan and Ann (Cooper) Pals. He graduated from Belmond High School in 1974 and went to Rochester Community College in Rochester, Minn., where he graduated with an Associates Degree in Nursing in 1976. Through 1977 he worked at Winneshiek County Hospital until his longing for the great outdoors urged him to move west, where he found his permanent home in Boise, Idaho in 1978. He worked as an emergency room nurse at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center until 1983 and then moved to Omaha, Nebraska, attended Creighton University, and graduated in 1985 as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist with a Bachelor of Science in Anesthesia Degree. From 1985 through 1989, Gary worked as a nurse anesthetist in Gooding, Idaho, at the Gooding Memorial Hospital and then the Boise VA Medical Center. In early 1990, he became one of the original staff members of Anesthesia Associates of Boise and worked at St. Luke's Boise Regional Medical Center until Nov. of 2007 when he retired. He was an active member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. The outdoors was Gary's spiritual connection to life. He loved spending time hunting, camping and hiking in the northwest, Alaska and Canada. Gary was an expert rifleman and avid hunter, with one of his greatest trophies being a bull moose listed in Boone & Crockett. He was an active member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Pheasants Fever, National Rifle Association, Safari Club International, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, and three times the "Bull Croppy" for the Annual Paddock Croppy Kill.

Gary met the love of his life and soul mate, Darlene Hogan, in 2006 and was blessed with having her at his side for the past two years. He is survived by two sisters: Beverly (Pals) O'Donnell and her husband, Brian O'Donnell of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, and Susan Pals and her husband, Ted Long of Leawood, Kansas; nieces and nephews: Amy (O'Donnell) Hoffman, Brent O'Donnell, and Kaitlin Long; great niece and nephew, Allie and Devin Hoffman; canine kids, Brandi and Freddie. He was preceded in death in 2007 by his loving parents, Johan and Ann Pals; and canine kids, Bud I, Bud Light and Charlie.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Mountain States Tumor Institute (MSTI) of Boise or to the family to be forwarded for esophageal cancer research. A memorial service to celebrate Gary's life will be held at Cloverdale Funeral Home on Saturday, March 8, at 2:30 p.m., followed by a reception. Services are under the direction of Cloverdale Funeral Home, Boise.

Idaho Statesman, Boise, Idaho
3/7/2008