Martell V. Gunter

1941 - 2026

Martell Vance Gunter, 84, of McCammon, Idaho peacefully passed away in his home Thursday afternoon, March 12, following an extended illness. He was born on April 18, 1941, in Pocatello, Idaho to Zeb Vance and Rebecca Capell Gunter.

Martell was an Idaho boy through and through. He loved the outdoors, especially the mountains, pine trees, canyons, and hunting. He was a crack shot rifleman known for his marksmanship and has numerous big game trophy mounts to attest to that fact.

An opportunity was presented to become an apprentice printer at the McCammon News shop just across the street from the Gunter home. He accepted the offer and thus began his life-long vocation in the printing industry. This was back in the days of the hot metal process of printing and hand-set type for ads and headlines. A printer had to learn to read upside down and backwards.

Following graduation from Marsh Valley High School in 1959 and what was then Idaho State College Vo-Tech Print School, he worked at various job shops and weekly newspapers including the Wyoming State Journal in Lander, Wyoming; the Power County Press in American Falls; The Caribou County Sun in Soda Springs; the Blackfoot News, Gateway Printes, and finally the Idaho State Journal where he clocked in for 38 years, retiring in 2003.

During the summer of 1961, Martell was employed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Kodiak Island as a stream guard. He was responsible to protect the spawning salmon by keeping commercial fisherman away from the outlets of creeks and streams. Martell grew to love Alaska with its rugged beauty and excellent hunting and fishing opportunities. He returned numerous times to enjoy both sports.

On January 19, 1962, he married Jill Rowe in the Logan Utah LDS Temple. That day marked the beginning of the blizzard of the century. It turned out to be a good omen rather than a tragedy, for the Gunters enjoyed 64 years of married life. They are the parents of four sons: Ralph, Scott, Matthew, and Russell.

Martell was a lifelong active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served in many different callings including Bishop, Stake President, Temple Ordinance Worker, and missionary in the Minneapolis, Minnesota Mission with his wife.

Martell is survived by his four sons and wives, Ralph and Valerie Price Gunter, Scott and Elaine Ottesen Gunter, Matt and Erika Babb Gunter, and Russell and Hallie Telford Gunter. He is also survived by his sister Nadine Gunter Marlow, brother-in-law Jay Marlow, sister-in-law Janet Gunter, 18 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews whom he loved and held dear in his heart.

He was preceded in death by both parents, his sister Joan Paradis, his brother Gary Gunter, a brother-in-law Terry Peterson, a daughter-in-law Natalie Hall Gunter, a grandson Dawson M. Gunter, and a great-grandson Ryker Zane Marley.

Funeral Services were held at 12 noon on Thursday 03/19/2026

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