Gail C Zamzow

Our beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, Gail C. Zamzow, passed away peacefully on October 19, 2017 at the age of 91. Heaven has now received one the finest souls God ever created.  Gail was born in Boise on April 8th, 1926 to Ed and Flossie Coffin, the youngest of six children. Her entire life was spent in the Boise Valley, only departing for a few weeks each summer to vacation in Lowman, Idaho.  Many special times were spent in Lowman with her immediate family and later with her husband and three children. Gail attended Cole Elementary School and North Junior High.   Gail would hitch a ride every morning with her father Ed, who would drop her off at North before he headed to his downtown office at “Coffin Coal”.  Gail’s junior high days were full of sports and dances. She then went to the only High School at the time—“Boise High School”.  Gail began her high school days in September of 1941, just as WWII began to rage in Western Europe and the Pacific Islands.  The horrors of war were not far off for many of her Boise High classmates, one of whom was to be her future boyfriend and husband, Stanley Eugene Zamzow.  Gail’s active high school days were filled with sports (she was an avid tennis player), ROTC, dances at the old Maple Grove Grange and working at “Murray’s Drive Inn”. Life was good in those days and Gail enjoyed growing up with her brothers, sisters and numerous friends.  She graduated from Boise High in 1945, attended BJC and patiently waited for the return of her boyfriend and hubby to be—Stan “Red” Zamzow.  He returned from his Naval tour of duty in August 1945 and immediately went to work for his father, August “Gus” Zamzow, and his older brother Bernie in the family business, “Zamzow's Seed & Feed”.  Gail and Stan were married on January 26, 1947 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.  They were blessed with three children--Pammy, Douglas and Barry. After all the kids completed school, Gail went to work at Hal Davis Jewelers for many years and had many loyal customers who loved her. Gail enjoyed sewing, cooking family holiday dinners, and taking drives with Stan through the mountains.  After Stan passed in 2002, Gail left their home of over 45 years and moved into the “Alterra-Brookdale Retirement/Living Facility”.  Gail’s family wants to acknowledge and thank her loyal and loving caregivers: Faith, Becky, Sarah, Dolly, Fran, Nancy, and Carissa who took such wonderful care of Gail. 
 
Gail was preceded in death by her father & mother, her brothers Donny and Ernie, and her sisters Lela Braun, Allene Schlueter, and June Yerrington.  With Gail’s passing, the final candle has now gone out in the immediate Coffin Family, but her legacy of love and caring will live on through her children and their children.  She is survived by her children: Pam (Ron) and her daughter Kirstin, Doug (Sheelagh) and their children LeAnne (Patrick), and Ben (Danielle) and great grandchild Little Calvin; and Barry (Margie) and their children Juliette, Emily, Clare (James), Carmen (Bret) and great grandchild Little Penelope Clare. Gail is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces. 
Her Celebration of Life will be held on October 25th, 2017 at 11:30 am at Cloverdale Funeral Home, located at the corner of Cloverdale and Fairview. There will be a viewing prior to the service at 10:30.  A reception will be held immediately following the service at Cloverdale Reception Center.  A private burial will be held at the Dry Creek cemetery.
Gail was a very special lady who will always be remembered for her welcoming smile. There will never be anyone like her as a mother, a mentor, a patcher-upper, a listener, a devoted supporter, a tower of strength and most of all---an absolute best friend to all her children and all who knew her. 
We are so proud and blessed to have had Gail for our Mother.  WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU MOM AND GRANDMA—YOU WILL BE IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER!
Please make any donations to the Bishop Kelly Foundation in memory of Gail Zamzow.