Idus David "Jack" Gage

Idus David Gage was the eighth of nine children born to Idus and Alice Gage. They moved from Barling, Arkansas to Hale Center, Texas in 1932. In 1934, they moved to Whitharral, Texas. His brothers nicknamed him Jack after Jack Dempsey, the boxer. Jack was raised in and around Cotton Gins.

He married Delvina Shedd on May 29 1948. She preceded him in death on August 3, 2005. They had three children; Sandray Kay in 1949, Larry Dan in 1952 and Jeffery Scott in 1964. Larry died June 17, 2007.

Jack served in the U.S. Navy at the end of WWII aboard the USS Peridot in Midway, as a Gunner Mate. As a young man, he worked in his dad’s cotton gin. He later drove a truck and spent several years harvesting wheat along-side other family members. He spent thirty-three years working for Amoco Production in Levelland, Texas retiring in 1986.

Jack loved sports and was quite an athlete himself. In high school, he played football, baseball and basketball. He played pro-baseball for the Lubbock Hubbers in 1952. He coached many Little Dribblers and Youth Baseball teams. Friday nights would find him refereeing either a high school football or basketball game. Retirement years were filled with family, hunting and fishing.

He loved God, country and family. He was a firm disciplinarian. He had a great work ethic and taught the value of a dollar. He was a man of courage and strength.