Obituary of Richard Gene Messersmith

Richard Gene “R.G.” Messersmith passed away on Thursday October 29, 2020 at 83 years old. R.G. was in his home, surrounded by family. R.G. was born July 6, 1937 in Grand Island, Nebraska. His parents, James (J.W.) and Alta Messersmith moved R.G. and his brother, James (Jimmy) from their Nebraska farm to Idaho in 1939, where water was more abundant for agriculture. The Messersmiths acquired land and found success in Twin Falls, where R.G. began school the same year he started riding horses, a pastime he loved for as long as his sight would allow. His favorite horse was called Big Red, whom R.G. raised and trained. As a teenager, R.G. performed at rodeos with his trick pony Buster. At six years old R.G. started riding horses, and also started work at cattle auction houses, which he continued to do until he was 18. After graduating from Twin Falls High School he spent a summer cowboying in the Ruby Mountains in Nevada. After he returned to Idaho, R.G. was active in the United States Junior Chamber (Jaycee), where he developed his business skills and relationships. Eventually, R.G. focused those skills and relationships to found Gem State Realty with his parents, eventually buying them out. In 1970, R.G. met the love of his life when he encountered a mother of three who had just moved to Idaho. The mother, Deaun, was having car trouble and R.G. offered to jumpstart the battery. Deaun and R.G. eventually fell in love and in 1971, they married at the Twin Falls Methodist Church. Their marriage joined a family of seven children, six daughters and one son. Between his calm, reasonable demeanor and intellect, R.G. established himself as a highly capable businessman. Peers regularly consulted him to resolve business disputes and he developed much of Twin Falls, from Candleridge and Sunterra, to the Turf Plaza and North Ridge developments. Along with his business partners, he donated the land to begin the Snake River Canyon Rim trail. Throughout his life, R.G. was primarily devoted to his family. He and his wife would routinely travel the country to visit their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They reliably joined their family for graduations, weddings, the birth of a new child, milestone birthdays and more for as long as R.G. could travel. R.G. and Deaun also organized regular family gatherings and reunions, as their family members’ bonds with one another were sacred for R.G. and Deaun. R.G. is preceded in death by his parents, J.W. and Alta Messersmith and brother Jim (Justine) Messersmith. He is survived by his wife Deaun Messersmith, his children Todd (Karol) Messersmith, Rajean (Wes) Weast, Denise (John) McClusky, Ranae (Mark) Bunker, Kim (Mac) McReynolds, Monica (Brady) Panatopoulos, Rhea (Chris) Newell, his 18 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren and counting. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Foundation Fighting Blindness at donate.fightingblindness.org. Due to health restrictions, services are reserved for family only. The family invites others to join services remotely via video conferencing from 10 - 11 a.m. on Nov 6, 2020 at bit.ly/RememberingRG. Meeting ID: 889 8286 7781 Passcode: 422711