Bruce Nimmo, 85

I want to tell you a bit about my dad, Bruce Nimmo, or as his family called him, Clancy. He passed away this week at 85 years of age. As a young man he was in the army. He served as an MP in Germany for several years. In college, he was a bull rider and downhill ski racer. He climbed telephone polls to work his way through Loyola to become a lawyer. He met and married a red-headed Irish lady, Marylou, my mom. He lived to spend time with his grandson Nick and his granddaughter Kayla, and he was very proud to be a great-grandpa to Owen, Nick and Meghan's son. It was Kayla, a nurse, who took extra special care of him toward the end. He was my husband, Scott's, football buddy. And, he was my dad and my friend.

I got my love of animals from my dad. He had a kind heart. He was an honest and honorable man to the end. He took ill Christmas Eve and spent his last week making others laugh with his sense of humor even as the end was near. He told us he was ready to go to Heaven. He spent his final days at the Hospice of North Idaho Hospice House under the care of angels on Earth, which include each and every person who works there! That is where he wanted to be and where he wanted to leave to meet my mom. He did it his way.

Each of us will miss the special times we shared with him, but each of us are better for having had him in our lives. His family, Colleen and Scott Thomson, Kayla Vyleta, Nick, Meghan, and Owen Vyleta request that In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bruce's name to Hospice of North Idaho Hospice House, http://www.hospiceofnorthidaho.org or Western Australian Shepherd Rescue, http://www.westernaustralianshepherdrescue.com.

English Funeral Chapel of Post Falls has been entrusted to handle final arrangements. Please visit Bruce's online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.