My mother used to tell me from a very early age that I was born an “old soul”… something I never understood as a child, but I would come to fully understand as I matured and became a man. I passed from life to life Monday, October 18, 2021, following my five-and-a-half-year battle with a rare bone marrow cancer called multiple myeloma.
The last fourteen months of my life leading up to my transition were the hardest, as I nearly died when I relapsed from a stem cell transplant while on a hunting trip with our sons in the Nevada desert the first week of August 2020. The greater part of my life from then on was spent receiving rescue chemotherapy as an inpatient at the San Francisco VA hospital and, toward the end, at UCSF hospital. I also received a new therapy, CAR-T. We had high hopes for CAR-T as it was the last line of therapy offered in my fight against myeloma. The therapy didn’t work for me.
I was born September 5, 1961, and raised in Parma, Idaho. I had a loving relationship with my parents, Theron & Margaret (Knipe) Gough who ran the local newspaper, The Parma Review. I was the middle child of three, survived by my oldest sister Teresa Warrington, brother-in-law Sam, nephew Andrew Warrington, Andy’s wife Elizabeth, grandnephew Gage and three grandniece’s Aria, Peyton and Jordan; niece Megan Warrington and my younger brother Thom Gough and his partner Lynne.
My life took on new meaning when I met my wife Lisa and her two boys, Jeff and Jeremy. Lisa and I were married on April 11th, 1992 in a stone church in downtown Reno. Lisa would be the first to tell you that, in marriage, I learned to be more loving and less critical, more giving and less selfish. Lisa helped me become a much better listener. I was a young aviator with no children of my own when we met. Jeff and Jeremy were not my biological children but they were definitely my sons. They taught me to be a better person. They grew my soul and taught me the true meaning of what it is to be patient. In fatherhood, I’ve learned to let them go and let them grow. Some of the greatest achievements in my life were in fatherhood raising two men that are full of integrity and work ethic. I was very proud of both of them.
The day Jeff married his Lisa was one of the happiest days of my life. He brought a very sweet daughter-in-law into our lives, and I loved her dearly. I was asked how I would describe my legacy. That’s easy. I considered my legacy to be how my children turned out. I helped make them who they are today. My family grew when I married Lisa. It didn’t take long before I felt accepted and welcomed into the family. Her mom, Sandy Farris, and her dad, Danny Farris, passed entirely too young. I had a deep love in my heart for all of my brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces & nephews, and aunts and uncles who survived me on both sides of our family. I’m blessed to have known the love of such a big family, and I felt even more blessed to have shared my love with all of them as well.
My love for flying, and for my father inspired me to go into the military. My father served in the Navy during WW2. I picked the Navy because of him. I also served in the Army Guard and Air National Guard during my time in the service. The relationships forged with my brothers and sisters in arms brought deep joy and a strong sense of community wherever I served. I thoroughly enjoyed all of my comrades and hold special memories of our time away while serving together on deployments. I wanted to become an astronaut but it wasn’t in the stars for me. I enjoyed scuba diving. I was very fortunate to visit several places in the world while diving. Deer and elk hunting was a passion of mine and I really enjoyed target shooting. I loved astronomy, photography, and travel. I was very proud to have toured with the military. I was only 60 miles off from having been around the entire circumference of the world at the end of my military career. I lived most of my life in Fallon, Nevada, and have many fond memories of friends and loved ones in our town. My hunting brothers will forever live on in my heart as will the many friends I grew to know during my time at the base and eventually when we owned a gym.
To Kyle, Jay, Wayne, Sherman, Bob, Flynn, Rick, and many others close to my heart, I want to thank you for enriching my life as only you could. I never had a shortage of brothers I could count on. Thanks for the memories and please always remember the unspoken. You lived deep in my heart. My brothers forever. I believe in God and Divine connection, and it brought me great comfort knowing that life continues after death. One truth that I held close in my heart is that things could be a lot better if we didn’t fight, but learned to agree to disagree in love. It’s a gift when we can be more loving and forgiving of ourselves and others. Be an example to others because love is everything. Never give non-constructive criticism and always show up. Be present and do your best. Those who love you will appreciate and remember you for it.
A memorial and celebration of life service are planned for Monday, April 11, 2022, in Reno, NV. The exact location is yet to be determined. Please email [email protected] by January 1, 2022, if you’d like to receive a save the date invitation. Theron’s favorite charity is UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Care at cancer.ucsf.edu
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