Ben Parker Gomm

Ben Parker Gomm, 83, of Woodville, Idaho and Smoot, Wyoming, joined his sweetheart, Dorene in his Father’s presence, surrounded by his loved ones in his home in Woodville, on Friday, February 8, 2014.

Ben was born to Ben Charles Gomm and Opal Louise Allred Gomm near Afton, Wyoming, on October 5, 1930, third of seven children.

Ben spent much of his youth farming in Osmond, Wyoming. His parents purchased land south of Smoot, which became Gomm Ranch.  Years were spent clearing the land for farming.  He worked at sawmills and fighting fires.

Ben was educated in Osmond, Afton, Tabiona, Utah and Altamont, Utah, where he graduated Valedictorian and played right-end on Altamon’t first football team.

He attended Utah State where he met his bride, proposing to her on April Fool‘s Day.    They were married in the Salt Lake City, Utah temple on August 21, 1951.  Four children; Becky, Sandee, Ben Jr, & Annette (Nettie), eighteen grandchildren and thirty-six great grandchildren.

Ben graduated Utah State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Agronomy minoring in Animal Husbandry.

He taught school then later hired by the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a Range Manager where he participated in fighting over 100 forest and range fires in Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and Alaska.  The BLM sent him to University of Wisconsin where he obtained his Masters Degree in Land Use and City Planning.

In 1971, Ben and Dorene opened Aladdin’s Flowers in Idaho Falls, spending many years establishing the business.

Hired by the Idaho Department of Lands as a Mineral Resource Specialist and Mined Land Reclamationist, he received awards for Reclamationist of the Year, and a special award from the Governor of Idaho.

A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, he and Dorene served in the Idaho Falls temple for over five years, they served missions in the Idaho Falls Employment Center, and the Alabama Birmingham mission.

Ben and Dorene spent years building lovely homes in Woodville and Smoot, greenhouses, floral shops, and other things of beauty.

An intelligent, artistic and witty person with a beautiful voice, a love of music and dancing, he was a remarkably strong athlete loving football and boxing.

Survived by children; Becky (Robert) Pinkham of Vernal, Utah; Sandee (John) Palm of Idaho Falls, Idaho; Ben (Becky Jo) Gomm Jr of Woodville, Idaho; and Nettie Wheeler of West Jordan, Utah, he was preceded in death by his wife, parents, a brother, sister, two sisters-in law, and granddaughter, Leah Gomm.

Services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, February 14, 2014 at the Woodville 1st Ward chapel - 1555 N 700 E, in Shelley family receiving friends at 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, February 13, 2014, at the church.

Another service at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 15, 2014, at the Smoot  Ward in the Osmond chapel in Osmond, Wyoming, family receiving friends 10:00 to 10:45 am at the church.  Interment will be in the Smoot, Wyoming cemetery.