| Graduation Year | Class of 1958 |
| Date of Birth | Mar 08, 1940 |
| Date of Passing | May 16, 2021 |
| About | Sherrill Gene Benham passed away on Sunday, May 16, 2021, at the VA Hospice in Emmett Idaho. Sherrill was born on Friday, March 8, 1940 in Salmon, Idaho, son of Joseph A. Benham and Evelyn Powers Benham. Sherrill’s only sibling, Norman was born on Thursday, September 10, 1942 in Salmon, Idaho. Sherrill was a graduate from Salmon High School, Class of 1958. Sherrill participated in high school sports and was the Co-Caption of the football team and vice-president of the senior class. Sherrill married Gail Rita Dixson on Saturday, February 01, 1958 in Salmon, Idaho, and to the union three children were born, later divorced. After high school, Sherrill worked as a Forest Service fire fighter, but due to a combination of a landslide and a fire a one time, decided for a career change. Attended one semester at the University of Montana at Missoula. Sherrill joined the US Air Force during the Vietnam era, with training at the Air Force Basic Military Training location at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. From there was stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota for a four year term as an aircraft mechanic and when discharged at the rank of Airman First Class. Sherrill owned and operated Valley Flying Service, out of Challis, Idaho, flying into back country lodges and as part of the flying operation contracted with the US Forest Service which included flying fire watch. His flying service also included flying for the US Department of Aeronautics. He also partnered with Scott Patrick of Boise, owner of Mountain Air which also had charter flights into the Primitive Area. Sherrill also owned and operated a radio service from Challis which provided radio service to the back country, this operation was later moved to Boise. Later in his life was a long-haul driver for Simplot operating out of Southern Idaho, hauling to all 48 states. Sherrill is the father of three children; Kevin Gene, born 1958, Kerry Joe, born in 1961 and Sherritta Rene, born in 1966. Sherrill married Joyce Elaine Vaughn on Saturday, August 21, 1971 in Winnemucca, Nevada and made their initial home in Challis, Idaho. Joyce’s father, Rex Lanham owned Cabin Creek Guest Ranch on the Middlefork of the Salmon River and this is where they first met as Sherrill flew guests into the Lodge. Joyce spent the winter months in Boise, and one winter Sherrill was taking advanced training for instrument flying when they started dating. They purchased the North Shore Lodge in Warm Lake, Idaho, 26 miles east of Cascade, Idaho in 1979, selling it in 1981, retaining ownership back in 1982 and selling again in 1983. Sherrill initial injury was cause by a horse pulling over part of a corral, hitting his head causing a brain intra cranial hematoma which required hospitalized for six weeks. This lead to dementia and was eventually under hospice care with the VA in Emmett, Idaho. Sherrill spent the last 6 years of his life in the Garden Valley area in the town of Crouch, Idaho. Sherrill’s final cause of death was from complications of dementia. Sherrill was preceded in death by his parents: father, Joseph (1994 at the age of 90 in Challis, Idaho) and mother, Evelyn (2004 at the age of 88, in Pocatello, Idaho), brother Norman (2019 in Pacifica, California), paternal grandparents: Herbert Nicholes and Eliza Jane Benham, maternal grandparents; Roy and Myrtly Leona Sims. Survived by his spouse, Joyce Benham, Crouch, Idaho, his two son’s: Kevin Gene Benham (Linda Sue). Emmett, Idaho, Kerry Joe Benham (Lisa Jean), Spring Creek, Nevada and daughter: Sherritta Benham Hall (David Rollo), Tensed, Idaho, stepson: Bryan Keith Vaughn, Middleton, Idaho, step-grandson: Dustyn Keith Vaughn, Council, Idaho; granddaughters: Kayla Benham Lefavour, Moscow, Idaho and Beth Ellayne Beadle, Bellevue Washington, great granddaughter: Natalie Rene Beadle Sherrill was cremated and buried with honors at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, Section 4 • Row V • Site 722, in Boise, Idaho. Trivia: North Shore Lodge was originally named Campbell's Camp in 1937 while being built under President Roosevelt and the CCC. Over time it has been home to many miners, loggers and trappers |
| Events | Sherrill Gene Benham Birth: Friday, March 8, 1940 Salmon, Lemhi County, Idaho Death: Sunday, May 16, 2021 Emmett, Gem County, Idaho Age: 81 yrs • 2 mo Cause: Dementia into a Coma Burial: Idaho State Veterans Cemetery Buried: Cremation • Burial Memorial ID: 229121184 Plot: Section 4 Row V Site 722 Married: 49 yrs • 11 mo Friday, June 11, 1971 A1C US Air Force • Vietnam Burial: Idaho State Veterans Cemetery 10100 North Horseshoe Bend Road • Boise, Idaho |
