JoAnn Erickson Genta, 79 passed away December 16, 2020 with her husband of 59 years by her side.JoAnn Erickson Genta was born June 25, 1941 in Rexburg, Idaho to Henry and DeVeda (Nelson) Erickson. She was the third child of five, and says that the nurse named her. She grew up in Archer, Idaho attending the old Archer School through 8th grade. Then graduated from Madison High School in 1959. There she met the love of her life as a high school sophomore. She graduated with an Associate’s Degree from Ricks College in 1960. She and Norman “Errol” Genta were married and sealed for time and all eternity August 18, 1961 in Idaho Falls LDS Temple. They lived in Provo, Utah, Afton and Casper, Wyoming then back to Rexburg, Idaho. Then in 1972, they moved to Caldwell, Idaho where she worked at the College of Idaho for the athletic department and then Taylor Music. In May of 1984, Errol and JoAnn opened Garbonzo’s Pizza of Middleton, where they have both spent countless hours working for 36 years to make it successful and a staple of Middleton, Idaho. Everyone knows Garbonzo’s. Even after their son Tom took over running it, JoAnn would continue to stop in regularly to help out. She played the piano beautifully and instilled a love of music in all her children. She spent many years in various callings and leadership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She loved to sew and crochet and spent many hours doing humanitarian work. Her greatest tradition was making Christmas ties. Her legacy is that she loved everyone and many called her a beloved friend. She told everyone that she loved them. She loved the Savior and was an example of love and service. JoAnn is survived by her beloved husband Norman “Errol” Genta, 80, sisters Renee Smith and LaTawn Wolfley, and brother Blaine Erickson. She leaves behind daughter JoEllen G. Taylor (Jim) of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, sons Thomas E. Genta (Stacey) of Middleton, Idaho, Scott Erickson Genta (Nancy) of Chandler, Arizona, Gregory Norman Genta (Elizabeth) of West Hills, California, and daughter Wendy A. Ashilman (Shane) of Caldwell, Idaho. She is the best grandmother ever to twelve grandchildren with one on the way, and three great grandchildren. JoAnn had a cute dimple in her chin and when each new grandchild joined the family she checked their chin for a dimple. She was a beloved Aunt to many nieces and Nephew. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother DeVon. 

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An article from the Eastern Arizona Courier about Ron Keith:

College’s musical mainstay is gone 

Dr. J. Ronald Keith died Sept. 6 in Gilbert. He was 73.

Just as with the passing of former EAC athletic director and football coach Ladd Mullenaux in August, the crowd at the Eastern football game Saturday offered a moment of silence in honor of Keith.

Keith took over the EAC band program in 1970 and grew it into one of the largest junior college marching bands in the nation. He also served in a number of administrative positions for the college, eventually retiring in 2006 as the vice president of student and academic affairs.

“I came here in 1970. We were only going to stay here two years, and then 37 years later, we retired. The reason was that we fell in love with the kids. And we had only been here two years and decided we didn’t want to go anywhere else,” Keith said in a video interview for EAC’s 125th anniversary last year.

“Ron Keith always had a twinkle in his eye and a grin. As he grew older, he never lost the boyish excitement of discovery and learning,” EAC President Mark Bryce said. “He cared deeply about his family and the students of Eastern Arizona College. These wonderful qualities and many others he brought to the several positions that he held at the college.”

Keith also enjoyed telling stories, a result of his third love — behind family and music — sports broadcasting. Almost from the time he started at EAC, he connected with KATO radio to do football and basketball play-by-play. He was the voice of Gila Valley sports from the 1970s until his final broadcast in 2004.

“Last year, at half time during the 125 year (EAC) anniversary game, I brought him up to the booth for a 10- to 15-minute chat that went on for 30 minutes,” KATO Sports Director Lee Patterson said. “He loved it. When I first started, I was just doing the halftime show while he would go out and listen to the band. He is still the only partner I have ever had, and he was a great guy to learn from — a guy who was self-taught.”

In relating stories about Keith, person after person ended the same way with: “The most important thing to him was family.”

His family includes his wife, Connie, seven children and 36 grandchildren.

“We raised all our family here. They all graduated from EA; they all did their first two years here. This is home and it’ll probably be home until my dying days,” Keith said in the EAC video.

His membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints led Keith to holding a number of different positions, including bishop of a ward in the Thatcher Stake.

“There was one time we were met with a challenge. Before we went to meet with this person, we actually went to (Keith’s) office and had a moment of prayer,” former student and colleague Jeanne Bryce said. “He was a spiritual man and a spiritual leader to a lot of people who looked to him for advice.”

Even though it’s been almost a decade since he waved a baton, Keith’s presence is still felt today in the college band room. The EAC marching band that he started is now the only community college marching band in Arizona.

Current EAC band director Geoff DeSpain said Keith once told him, “‘I will never say that your band is better than mine, but they are as good as mine ever was.’ It was the ultimate compliment coming from him. He’s gong to be missed.”

There will be a special reception, where family will receive friends, at the Eastern Arizona College Fine Arts Center, Friday, Sept. 12, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A second reception will take place Saturday, Sept. 13, from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. at the Thatcher LDS Stake Center Relief Society Room.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 10 a.m., and concluding services will be at the Thatcher Cemetery.

Dan & Luana with their family - 2014