08/02/2025
Weekend in Idaho – Funeral Home Update
I made a quick trip to Idaho this weekend and finally got to see the progress on the funeral home firsthand. The trusses had been delayed by a week, but they arrived while I was in town—perfect timing. Walking through the building, room by room, it’s all beginning to feel very real now.
During our last visit, one of the funeral coaches wouldn’t start, so we had it taken in for repairs. These classic vehicles haven’t seen much use in recent years. After Gary Bidwell retired on December 31, 2015, he sadly passed away in November 2016. Since then, the coaches have mostly sat idle.
On Friday, I took the 1990 coach out for a drive and spent some time cleaning it up. It’s looking sharp and is just about ready to be shown again. The 1994 coach was started up back in May—it only needed a few minor adjustments and is now good to go as well. I’ve always loved the timeless look of these two vehicles. You’ll likely see them out and about here and there while construction continues.
At some point, I’ll need to remove “Bidwell Funeral Home” from the windows—but I just can’t bring myself to do it quite yet. I’ve always had deep respect for Gary and everything he did for this community. His legacy is still very much a part of this journey. I’ll always be grateful to the Bidwell family for their support and encouragement over these last few years.
This past week, our youngest daughter was in a musical called ‘Dare to Dream Jr.’ (last photo shown). The message in this musical—don’t be afraid of your dreams—hit me hard. I was in tears by the end. These last few weeks have been incredibly rewarding. The last few years? Honestly, really hard. But I’m glad we chose to chase this dream. I couldn’t have done it without the love and support of my beautiful wife Claire, our family, friends, and this incredible community.
Stay tuned—there’s more to come.
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