Nampa, Idaho   

Jay C. Edmunds

1948-2024

Meridian, ID-Jay was born on March 16, 1948, to Jay and Erma Edmunds in Salt Lake City, Utah. He died at home November 28, 2024 in Meridian, Idaho, after a brief period on hospice care. He was the youngest of three siblings.

Jay's interests ranged far and wide during his life. He was a talented guitarist and vocalist, and as a young man he played in a band that toured throughout Utah, and even opened for Sonny and Cher once in SLC. It was because of one of these band trips he was introduced to his future wife, NaDene Jensen. Jay and NaDene were married May 6, 1967 – a union that lasted 57.5 years. Jay was drafted to Vietnam and went to boot camp shortly after their wedding. When he came home two years later he refused to cut his hair or shave his beard for a year, fully embracing 'Outlaw Country' counter culture. His look was so distinctive that a talent scout once stopped him in Salt Lake, asking if he'd be interested in a modeling job. A professional photo shoot later, and Jay became the face of Maverick convenience stores for almost two decades.

By then, Jay and NaDene had moved to Roy, Utah, where they had room for horses, chickens, hunting dogs, a goose or two, and eventually two kids, Beorn and Gadrie. The family later moved to Meridian, Idaho in 1986 for better job opportunities.

Jay had an aptitude for electrical and mechanical pursuits (but not plumbing!), which was honed by his time in the Army working on microwave radio transmitters. This led him to a 30-year career with the National Elevator Industry, where he was a committed member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors. He installed and repaired elevators in many of the buildings in downtown SLC, Boise, and even private homes and fancy hotels in Sun Valley, ID.

Some of Jay's best memories of early childhood were summers spent in Sanpete County, Utah, at his grandparents' homestead in Spring City. He loved riding, camping, and hunting in his youth, and took great joy in teaching both his kids about the great outdoors. He rode horses in a local posse in Roy until the kids got old enough to ride competitively, when he shifted to spend his time supporting their pursuits. The cab of the pickup was filled with Willie Nelson and other country music as the family drove around northern Utah for weekend rodeos and parades.

Jay loved watching an animal achieve the best of its natural instincts, whether it was a smooth-riding trail horse, an English pointer zeroing in on a scent, or a border collie using eye contact to turn a stampy ewe. Jay dedicated a lot of his free time to refining those traits in the animals that shared his life. In his later years he raised a small flock of Texel sheep, selecting lambs for good conformation and muscling. He had help from his wife and kids, a number of good friends, and a succession of loyal and driven herding dogs. It connected him back to his past summers at his grandpa's sheep ranch in Utah.

Jay was preceded in death by his parents, Jay and Erma, and sisters Patsy (Bob) Musson and Jeannie (Gilbert) Kissell. He is survived by his wife NaDene, son Beorn, and daughter Galadriel (Gadrie) (Dave Keir) and many cousins. The family plans a private cremation, with a memorial gathering to be announced next spring. The family thanks St. Luke's hospice team for their support in Jay's final days. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your preferred veteran's organization or charity.