How we loved Aunt Nedra. She is my dad's youngest sibling and is the last of my aunt's and of that generation to pass away.
Aunt Nedra was truly one of my heroes. Soon after Ken and I were married, Aunt Nedra organized the first of the Lyman Conrad Gabrielsen Sr. family reunions- hosting us all at their home in Oakley, Idaho then at their ranch. We arrived the night before it began and stayed in their beautiful Oakley home. I will never forget sitting down to breakfast the next morning. There was oatmeal with cream, bacon and eggs and toast and orange juice. Everything was so delicious! Aunt Nedra was a fabulous cook.
Aunt Nedra brought the family together. After that reunion, we continued to hold them regularly. Because of her, we got to know one another and enjoy one another's company.
If you never read the obituaries I post, I don't blame you. But if you want to be inspired, you should read this one. Aunt Nedra lived a long and very inspiring life. She was an amazing individual.
Nedra Gabrielsen
Bedke
Born: Sunday Aug-07-1932
Died: Sunday Jan-18-2026
Funeral: Saturday Jan-24-2026
Morrison Funeral Home
& Crematory
188 S. Hwy 24
Rupert, Idaho 83350
Contact and Directions
NEDRA GABRIELSEN BEDKE
OAKLEY -Nedra Pauline Gabrielsen Bedke was born on August
7, 1932, in Logan, Utah, the youngest of five children born to Lyman Conrad and
Erma Deborah Adams Gabrielsen. She grew up in Logan, where her father worked as
a building contractor, constructing more than 500 homes, along with churches
and schools—many of which are not only still standing but remain in use today.
Her dad always said that “anything worth doing was worth doing well”, a
principle that seemed to become her life’s mantra.
Nedra attended high school
in Logan and later attended Utah State University, where she met the love of
her life, Ray C. Bedke. They were married on September 12, 1952, in the Logan
Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Shortly after Ray
graduated from Utah State, he was inducted into the military. He completed his
service in 1955, and they returned to the family ranch.
The move from Logan to the
Winecup Ranch was a significant adjustment for a city girl. Living in an old
log cabin without indoor plumbing or electricity—and relying on an
appropriately placed outhouse out back—she took on the demanding task of caring
for a hay crew of more than a dozen men. Each day, she prepared three square
meals and washed their laundry, learning the rhythms of ranch life along the
way. In time, she became a master of the old wood-burning Majestic stove,
approaching every task with the same care and attention to detail that would
come to define all her work.
Nedra and Ray are the
parents of six children. Their first son, Derek, passed away after just 12
days. Three anxious years later Scott (Sarah) was born, then Eric (Marcie),
Alex (Kathy), Leslie (Will), and Brice (Camille). Raising five children while
maintaining two households—one in Oakley and one up Goose Creek—kept Nedra
busy, yet she somehow always found time for others, giving each person her full
attention and love.
If life wasn’t busy
enough, Nedra always made room for music. Beginning in 1956 to 2023 (67 years),
Nedra taught organ and piano lessons, instructing literally hundreds of
students, including her children, and many of her grandchildren, and
great-grandchildren, usually with patience! Through music, she taught
discipline, confidence, and skills that inspired her students long after the
lessons ended.
Nedra generously shared
her time, talents, and determination in service to her community. She served on
the governing board of Cassia Memorial Hospital, was president of the PTA, and
served as a member of the Oakley City Council and the Oakley Valley Arts
Council board of directors. She also served faithfully in her church in many
roles, including president of the Relief Society, Primary, and Young Women, and
for many years as a ward organist or chorister.
After Ray’s passing in
1998, Nedra continued to play a vital role in the family business as the ranch
bookkeeper—a responsibility she dutifully carried for more than 50 years. At 88
years young, she retired from keeping the ranch books in 2020 but remained
president of Winecup, Inc. to the day of her death, last week. Meticulous in
her work, her records left no doubt about what was what.
To her family, Nedra was
especially known as a wonderful cook and gracious hostess. She hosted countless
holiday gatherings, bringing family together year after year around grand meals
prepared with great attention to detail. Eating with Nedra has always been an
experience. Her home and yard reflected the same attention to detail, with
well-kept grounds and flowers, especially her roses, she tended herself well
into her 90s.
Nedra loved to quilt and
over the years she made quilts for each of her children’s graduations, weddings
and for her grandchildren’s graduations and weddings, not to mention the
countless baby quilts. Each one was crafted with precision and care, over a hundred
in total.
Above all else, Nedra’s
greatest desire has always been that her family remains close and to be a
source of strength to one another. She organized countless family gatherings
and made every effort to be present for the important moments in the lives of her
children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Whether mastering a wood
stove, teaching a difficult piece of music, balancing ranch books, or piecing
together a quilt, Nedra did everything with excellence and as an expression of
devotion to those she loved. Her legacy is one of faithfulness, quiet leadership,
steadfast service, and a love so deep it transformed everything and everyone it
touched into something beautiful and enduring.
Nedra loved the community
theater. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made on behalf of Nedra to Oakley
Valley Arts Council.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday,
January 24, 2026 at the Oakley Stake Center 355 North Center Street in
Oakley. Burial will follow in the Oakley Cemetery. Family will
greet friends on Friday evening, January 23, 2026 from 5:00 until 7:00 at the
Oakley Stake Center and from 10:00 until 10:45 a.m. Saturday morning prior to
the funeral. Arrangements are under the direction of Morrison Funeral Home,
located on the Burley, Rupert Highway. A live webcast of the services will
be available and maintained on the Morrison Funeral Home Website
We left on Friday to drive to Burley where we spent the night. The next morning, we drove by the recently opened Burley, Idaho temple.
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| Visiting with family |
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| All of her great-grandchildren sang I Am a Child of God |
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| At the cemetery |
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| Nedra's kids and spouses. |
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| Pam and Roger took the lead in getting a gift for the family. We gave this little tree and boxes of Sees chocolates for each of Nedra's kids. Aunt Nedra loved Sees chocolates. |
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| As I saw Pam and Joan together, I was so impressed with how much they look alike that I had to take a picture. |
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| There were SO many flower arrangements. This picture shows about 1/2 of them. Aunt Nedra was much loved, as are her offspring. |
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| Brothers: Tom, Hal, Ken, and Roger |
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| Sisters; Joan, Pam, Kay, and Patty (John and Cindy had to leave right after the funeral to make it to Rexburg in time to watch their daughter-in-law in a play that evening. |
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| All of my cousins and spouses gathered for a picture. I think it quite remarkable that every cousin was there except for two: Diane who lives in Missouri and Ellen who lives in Philadelphia. |
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| Early on Sunday morning I could hear Ken and William out in the living room chatting while I got ready. They sat there like that for 1 1/2 hours! They had such a good visit. |
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| William showed Ken a chart he made showing Grandpa Ken as one of his favorite people. |
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| Kenny was asked to give a talk in Sacrament meeting. It was his first ever as he just became a deacon. Here he was practicing for us on Saturday evening. |
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| He practiced again the next morning before we left for church. Kenny did such a great job. We were so proud of him. Michelle and a group of sisters also sang in sacrament meeting. Then William gave the scripture in Primary and we watched Michelle lead the singing in Primary. It was a special day to be in their church. We then hurried to their home, packed up, and left for home. It was a beautiful weekend full of memories and family. |
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