Gayle Holmes Fixsen

Gayle Holmes Fixsen, age 92, died September 21, 2021 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Meridian, Idaho. His parents were of (Fred)Frederick Holmes Fixsen was born on July 29, 1902 in Mt. Grove, Wright County, Missouri. and Bertha Fixsen and Gayle was the second oldest of seven children, born May 9, 1929, in Goodland, Sherman County, Kansas; He graduated from Sherman County High School with the class of 1947. After one semester at the University of Nebraska he returned home to work for Goodland Floral and Electric. He served in the Navy from 1951 to 1955 as a Tradevsman (training devices man) repairing Navy training equipment and as a Link Instrument Flight instructor. In 1955, he was hired by International Business Machine Company (IBM) and worked there for 31 years repairing large scale business computers. He worked in Denver and Boulder, Colorado, Seattle, Washington, San Francisco and San Mateo, California, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and again in Costa Mesa, California where he retired June 1986. Prior to retiring he was the Facility Engineering Manager at the IBM Distribution Center in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He met Ruth Ann (Suiter) Treadway in Denver in the Texas Company IBM machine room and they were married on July 28, 1957 at the University Hills Methodist Church in Denver, Colorado. Ruth Ann was a 1953 graduate of Sherman County High School. She brought her daughter, Gail Ann Treadway, born May 21, 1955, in Goodland, Sherman, County, Kansas to the marriage. Gayle adopted Gail Ann in 1957 at which time she became Gail Ann Fixsen. Gayle and Ruth adopted David Holmes Fixsen when he was four months old. David was born December 11, 1962, in Denver, Denver County, Colorado. After retirement, Gayle and Ruth traveled extensively. Throughout his life, Gayle, along with his wife, enjoyed camping in the mountains of Colorado, enjoyed riding a motorcycle with friends, playing tennis, ocean fishing and playing golf. He was a member of the Blue Lake Golf and Country Club. Many friends would often call him when running into trouble with their computers. Funeral service will be at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery with only family members present. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, of 64 years, daughter Gail Manahan in Snoqualmie, Washington, son David Fixsen in Boise, Idaho, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren, three brothers, Richard in Highland, California, Dean Chapel Hill in North Carolina and Dennis in Hays, Kansas, and one sister Marilyn Lohay, in Prescott, Arizona.