Nondus Bithell

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Birth: May 12, 1918

Death: May 18, 1971

NONDUS HOGE BITHELL OBITUARY - "THE BLACKFOOT NEWS"

Nondus Hoge Bithell, 53, wife of Walter C. Bithell, Rt 3 Blackfoot, died from an allergic reaction at the family home in Harmony Acres, Tuesday May 18, 1971 at 8:45 p.m.

She was born at Blackfoot May 12, 1918, the daughter of Walter S. and Sarah L. Grimmett Hoge. She married Walter C. Bithell on Oct. 5, 1940 in Provo, Utah. Their vows were further solemnized at the home of William Smith Hoge in Paris, Idaho the following March. They made their home in the Blackfoot area all of their lives.

Interested in the youth, she was widely known as a columnist for the Blackfoot News, for her daily radio program over KBLI, a weekly TV program over KID, Idaho Falls, as 4-H club supervisor, Eastern Idaho State Fair; director of Miss Bingham County Pageant; director of Idaho 4-H Alpine Camp Assn.; member of Women's Rescue of Boy Scouts of America; recipient of Distinguished Service Award, National Assn. Extension Home Economists; Outstanding Work Award, University of Idaho Agriculture Extension Service; president of Home Economics Assn. of Idaho; Alpha Phi; Beta Sigma Phi; Epsilon Sigma Phi; Soroptomist Club; a listing in Who's Who in the West and in Who's Who of American Women.

She was a member of the Blackfoot 7th Ward, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

She is survived by her husband, Walter C. Bithell, Blackfoot; two sons and two daughters: Walter Hoge Bithell, Boise, Mrs. David (Linda) Oliver, Groton, Conn., Thomas Charles, with the U.S. Army in Tuslog, Turkey, and Nancy Bithell, attending the University of Idaho. One brother, Dr. Walter G. Hoge, Blackfoot, also survives, as well as five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted in the Blackfoot Stake Tabernacle of the LDS Church on Saturday, May 22, at 2 p.m., with Bishop Dean Jones conducting. Burial will be in the Grove City Cemetery.

Family will greet friends at the Howard Packham Mortuary Friday from 7-9 p.m. and prior to services Saturday.

The following article was taken from "The Morning News" in 1998.

U of I Honors Nondus Bithell as 'Outstanding Citizen' by Emily Hone of The Morning News

BLACKFOOT - Nondus Hoge Bithell, the person credited with bringing Bingham County's 4-H program from the lowest enrollment in the state of Idaho to the highest, has been named one of The Century's Outstanding Citizens by her alma mater, the University of Idaho.

Bithell ws recognized on the 100th anniversary of UI's School of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Her children, Walther H. Bithell of Boise, Linda Bithell Oliver of Arlington, Va., Thomas C. Bithell of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and Nancy Bithell Merrick of Blackfoot, attended the ceremony in Moscow on Sept. 19-20.

All of her children as well as her husband, the late Walter C. Bithell, are graduates of UI.*

Up until her death in 1971, Bithell was one of the most well-known personalities in Southeast Idaho, famous principally for her work with the 4-H program.

When she bacame extension home economist in the county, it had one of the lowest 4-H enrollments in Idaho.

Bithell promoted 4-H far and wide as a prestigious and character-building activity. By the time she died in 1971, practically every school age child in the county was enrolled in 4-H and the program had one of the highest per capita memberships in the U.S.

In addition to her activities with 4-H, Bithell conducted regular sewing, canning and other homemaker workshops throughout the county. Her sewing workshops were so popular they became social events.

Bithell hosted a daily radio show for more than a decade, and wrote a weekly column for the Blackfoot News, forerunner to The Morning News. She was also active in Scouting and directed the Blackfoot Junior Miss and Miss Blackfoot pageants.

Following her untimely death, the Bithell family established a scholarship at UI as an eternal memorial to their mother.

According to her daughter, Nancy, the fund is one of less than a dozen at the School of Family and Consumer Sciences, and is the only one with no restrictions other than need.

The Walter C. and Nondus Hoge Bithell Scholarship has been helping UI students complete their education for 30 years, Merrick said.

She said the Bithell children have continued to contribute to the fund, and with the death of their father, Walt, two years ago, have added contributions in his name.

Along with her many other awards, Bithell had received the Outstanding Work Award from Epsilon Sigma Phi, the national honorary for extension workers, and the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Extension Home Economists.

"She said the award that pleased her the most was being named 'Mother of the Year,' by the UI chapter of Pi Beta Phi Sorority, when I was a member," Merrick said.

• The news article stated that all of the Bithells graduated from the University of Idaho. I (Nancy Bithell Merrick) need to make a correction. Linda Bithell Oliver attended the University of Idaho for three years but graduated from Connecticut College for Women, now known as Connecticut College.

Family links:

Parents:

• Walter Smith Hoge (1882 - 1940)
• Sara Louisa Grimmett Hoge (1884 - 1967)

Spouse:

• Walter Charles Bithell (1918 - 1996)

Burial: Grove City Cemetery Blackfoot Bingham County Idaho, USA Plot: Block 124 Lot 6 Center