Virgil Fessenden

JACKSON - Virgil Fessenden, 98, of Jackson, Idaho, died Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014, in Twin Falls.

Virgil was born Nov. 1, 1916, in Clifton, Kan., to Carroll and Bertha Bennett Fessenden. He was the oldest of three boys. He grew up working on the family farm until he graduated from Clifton High School in 1935. He continued farming with his father for a year until his younger brother, Jared, graduated. He and his brother then set out for Dorris, Calif., to work on a chicken farm. It was there that he met and married his first wife, Viola Beem. To this union one son, Denys Fessenden, was born. Virgil and Viola moved to Klamath Falls, Ore., where they both worked for the railroad until he was called to serve his country. He was drafted into the United States Army and worked under intelligence in the Pacific Theater. Virgil and Viola divorced and after getting out of the Army he joined a union and did carpentry work in Sacramento, Calif., where he met and married Francis “June” Fessenden. They moved back to Clifton, Kan., to farm once again. To this union three children were born, Gary, Diane, and Wade. In 1959, the family moved to Rupert, Idaho, where he farmed, raising potatoes, cattle and sheep for a number of years until he and June were divorced.

Virgil worked for Max Herbolt Farms for many years until he became a potato inspector for the State of Idaho at McCain Foods in Burley.

He fell in love with Jenny Magnelli and they were together until her death in 2001. He then married Ona Mae Czapanskiy on 02/02/02 at the age of 86 when he retired from his inspection job. He and Ona Mae traveled back and forth to Kansas until her death in 2013.

He is survived by his children, Denys (Loraine) Fessenden of Vancouver, Wash., Gary (Donna) Fessenden, and Diane (Lonnie) Wodskow both of Paul, Idaho, and Wade (Laurie) Fessenden of Jackson, Idaho; nine grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; one brother, Dale (Leota) Fessenden of Huthchison, Kan.; and one sister-in-law, Cecile (Jared) Fessenden of Monticello, Minn.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends and family may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, and from 1 until 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, prior to the service. Military rites will be provided by the Mini-Cassia Veterans Organization. Burial will take place at a later date in the Paul Cemetery.