Gary Gene Delka

11/2/1945 — 10/26/2026

Service Date: 11/7/2026
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Our husband, dad, papa, brother and great-grandfather, Gary Gene Delka, 80, passed away peacefully Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at his home in Lewiston with his wife by his side, following a courageous, decade-long battle with myasthenia gravis.

Gary was born Nov. 2, 1945, in Franklin, Neb., to Delbert E. and Audrey A. (Mikkelsen) Delka, descendants of Danish and German immigrants. While in first grade, his parents were told by his teacher that he would never learn to read or write.

Raised in rural Nebraska, he graduated from Hastings High School in 1963, where he played fullback on the football team.

He met his lifelong partner and soulmate, Judith Stock, in eighth grade while living in Kearney, Neb.

They maintained a long-distance relationship through high school and were married on June 7, 1964, at the First United Methodist Church in Kearney.

Gary earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education in 1967 and began his career as an English teacher at Ogallala High School. Their son, Jon, was born in 1971.The family later moved to Colorado, where Gary taught English and directed plays at Heritage High School in Littleton, Colo. In 1977, he became assistant principal at Cañon City High School. Their daughter, Kristin, was born in 1979, while working on his dissertation to get his doctorate in education. In 1981, he completed his Ed.D. in educational research at the University of Colorado in Boulder. In October 1983, Gary moved his family to Lewiston, to serve as curriculum director for the Lewiston School District, a role he held until 1990.

The pinnacle of his professional career came in 1990 when he joined the faculty at the University of Idaho in Moscow as an associate professor in the College of Education, where he taught for 15 years until his retirement in 2005, when he was honored with the title of professor emeritus.

Throughout his career, Gary was a dedicated mentor who lived by principles of fairness, high ethics and service to others.

Gary loved Japanese landscaping, was a lifetime member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 896 in Lewiston, and volunteered at the Jack O’Connor Center at Hells Gate State Park. He was also an active member of the Congregational-Presbyterian Church and the Lewis-Clark Kiwanis Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Delbert and Audrey Delka

Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of 62 years, Judy; his son Jon Delka and wife Lori; his daughter Kristin; grandchildren Jenz, Jillian (Pate), Julissa, Britta and Forrest; great-grandson Suede; his sisters Terri, Tammi and Tonni; his brother Tim; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at noon, Saturday, Nov. 7, at Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home, 920 21st Ave., Lewiston. A celebration of Gary’s life will follow from 2-6 p.m. at the Lewiston Elks Lodge, 3444 Country Club Drive, Lewiston.