John Gigous
John Gigous

Obituary of John Amos Gigous

John Amos Gigous was born to Lanahan Heck Gigous and Josephine Ethel Alene Brewer Milliken Gigous on March 23, 1912, in Northboro, Iowa. He was 94 years old when he went home to Glory on July 25, 2006. Please click on the link below to view video tribute: http://videos.lifetributes.com/?id=4427 At a very young age, his family moved to Tarkio, Missouri, where he was schooled up to the eighth grade. His family made their final move to Caldwell, Idaho, where he graduated from high school. Johnny and a friend tried their hand at farming potatoes for a couple of years before he decided that the Navy would be better than farming potatoes. So in 1935 he became a sailor where he became a torpedoman on a submarine. In 1939, after his four-year hitch was up, he went to work for the U. S. Government at Keyport Naval Station in Keyport, Washington. It wasn’t long before he met his future bride, Esther McClain. They were married on December 21, 1941, just after WWII began. Johnny and Esther lived in Keyport for four years before Johnny accepted a position as Powerhouse Operator at Grand Coulee Dam. They lived in Coulee Dam until he retired from that job in 1967. While living in Keyport, he had a life changing experience in the little Community Church there, when he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. His relationship with the Lord was a joy to his heart. Whenever there was something to be done in the way of construction or building maintenance, or taking kids to and from church summer camps, Johnny did it. He has served on church boards and building committees; he taught adult Sunday School classes, and was a delegate to denominational assemblies Johnny loved to golf, bowl, and play tennis. He also loved baseball and played on the Coulee Dam town team at one time. He loved his family and friends and there were never too many get togethers, potlucks, or family fun times. His wife, Esther, of their home in Olalla, Washington, survives Johnny. He is also survived by his daughter Sharee and her husband Keith of Olalla; his granddaughter Laurie Odegard Fletcher and her husband, Eddie, and by his grandson Andy Odegard and Meredith Orpilla. His grandchildren are Iliah Ann, daughter of Andy and Meredith, and Kristen Noelle and Emily Elizabeth, daughters of Laurie and Eddie, all of the Port Orchard area. His daughter Jonnalu Gigous Ray, (Robert) and their three children, Jeffrey, Jonathan, and Stephanie, all went home to Glory in the spring of 1973 as a result of a car accident. Curtis Browning of Spokane, Washington, Cheryl Browning Piturachsatit of Coulee Dam, and Debbie Browning Piturachsatit, of Ephrata, Washington, and many other beloved nieces, nephews, relatives and friends, also survive him. He was one of six children. His brothers were Lloyd and Ralph Milliken, and Harry Gigous. Alma Gigous Marrs and Jean Gigous Hyatt were his sisters. All except Harry, who now lives in Sun City, AZ, have passed away. Johnny was a kind, compassionate man of God who lived what he believed and taught by example. Memorial services will be at the Grand Coulee Nazarene Church on Saturday, August 5, 2006, at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. Officiants are the Reverends Bob Lambert and Joshua Julian. Arrangements by Edwards Memorial Center 253-566-1008
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