Orem N. Hyde

Orem N. Hyde

In the words of Orem N. Hyde:

I was born August 8, 1925 in Fairview, Idaho, the son of Leslie and Edna Hyde. My folks moved to Twin Falls in 1928, after losing their farm due to the Depression. Life was not easy for my parents, but they kept us warm and fed. As a child I worked and played hard. When I was not helping my dad in the fields, I spent time weeding onions for ten cents an hour. The canyons were our playgrounds with lots of freedom. WWII changed everything and everybody. I was not a good kid. I wanted my independence, so I went out on my own at age 16, worked on farms for one dollar a day and room and board. I joined the Navy at age 17 so I wouldn't be drafted into the Army. The next twenty years were the dark ages of my life. I was a submarine sailor and survivor of WWII. I took up the habit of drinking and smoking and it was party time until I retired from the Navy in 1963. The military, marriage and booze do not mix. It's hard on the children. I went through a nasty divorce with four children involved. My personal conduct as a husband and father was a failure, but my military career was outstanding. During my 20 year career in the Navy, I went from a WWI vintage S boat to a Chief of the Boat on a nuclear powered submarine. After retiring from the Navy in 1963, I went to work building submarines in Groton, Connecticut. I quit smoking and drinking and always said I grew up at age 40. I married a young lady 12 years my junior, Gertrude Magery Missino (Peg). My new wife brought out the best in me. The next 10 years was involved directly and indirectly raising our 11 children: hers, mine and ours. I retired full time in 1980, moving back to Twin Falls. There I spent quality time with my mother until she passed away. Over the next 20 years Peg and I traveled, enjoying each other, our children and our grandchildren. The best eight years were in Featherville Pine, Idaho. We enjoyed our winters in Quartzsite, Arizona. Then we spent five years in my wife's hometown of Norwich, Connecticut, and wintered in Florida. My wife passed away January 13, 2006. I lost a dear friend and companion. I spent 2006 in Arkansas. My wife loved it there. 2007 was spent in Prescott, Arizona living near my daughter, Sharon. In 2008, I decided to go home to Twin Falls, Idaho. I lived there with our son Damon and grandson Hunter. In 2010 I had a medical problem and my children took me from Idaho to Arkansas and then I was hospitalized in Memphis, Tennessee. After going to rehab, my children took me to Connecticut where I lived out the rest of my days with my daughter Tami, my daughter in law Chris, and grandchildren Carly and Blayne. The high points of my life have been raising the children with my wife, 20 years in the Navy, and traveling. My wife and I loved the road. I was a life member of VFW-Dav, WWII Sub Vets, and Submarine Vets V1. I am predeceased by my brother Blaine, who was killed in WWII, my son William J. Hyde who was killed in a car accident on Mother's Day, 1984; my sister Venna Smith who died in January, 2000; and my sister Lavaun Fite who died in December, 2010. I leave behind my surviving children and step children, Blaine Hyde, Sharon Petersen, Randy Hyde, Tami Hyde, Damon Hyde, Karen Bourque, Cheryl Slagle, Rick Missino, Mike Missino, Susan Hyde; 29 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren and my loyal dog, Lady. In the words of his family:

Orem N. Hyde was our father, our brother, our uncle, our grampa, our "Papa," a friend, a fan, and a friendly person to meet and talk with. He was a sailor, a long time surviving veteran of WWII, of which he was so proud. He wore is WWII cap wherever he went. His goal in life was to run a "tight ship." However, he was given an old, WWI S Boat, which was hardly seaworthy. As a young sailor, he grounded the boat, and took damage from the enemy. He stayed at the helm, barely afloat. With time, hard work, self realization and courage, he found the shore. Even after coming out of the dry docks she never was the "tight ship" for which he had originally aspired. He now has gone to the shipyard where he continues his work to build his renewed vision of that "tight ship".

The family would like to thank the VNA Hospice Services especially Shirley and Cathy for their loving, dedicated care. We would also like to thank family and friends who cared for, visited, and loved him in the final months of his life. Services will be held Tuesday, January 24 at 1:00 PM at the Twin Falls 2nd Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 851 Harrison St S. Twin Falls, ID (corner of Harrison and Orchard -south of town). Burial will take place at Sunset Memorial Park, 2296 Kimberly Rd. in Twin Falls with military honors.

Donations can be made in his name to the Wounded Warrior Project, National Processing Center, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516 or to the Connecticut Humane Society, 701 Russell Rd., Newington, CT 06111. Services are under the direction of White Mortuary "Chapel by the Park".