January 23, 1934 – January 30, 2021 (age 87)Saturday, January 30, 2021, Cache Valley lost a magnificent landmark with the passing of Terry Barnt Nivison.
Terry was born in Alton, Kansas, on January 23, 1934, to the adventurous couple, Bill and Marie (Barnt) Nivison. They brought Terry to Utah when he was a youngster. They ended up owning, operating, and living in Nivison Drug Store on 19 West Main Street in Richmond, Utah which has now become the Richmond Liquor Store. It is now operated by Terry’s grandson, Homer.
Terry inherited the generous and amiable nature of his dad, Bill, and the adventurous spirit of his mother, Marie. Almost as powerful as his love of family was his love for sporting adventure. Terry was my father and my memories are an endless stream of sporting adventures blended with the building and running of a quality-oriented mink ranch. My dad taught me trapping when I was just a wee lad. Floating on the mill ponds of Gilt Edge Flour; setting traps for mink, muskrats and weasels. Traps for bobcats up Cherry Creek canyon; trolling for trout on Twin Lakes; casting for bass on Johnson’s reservoir; working the dogs for pheasant, grouse, and ducks. The deer hunts were a spectacular event! A whole folkish community, Murray’s, Thornley’s, Bowcutt’s, Buttars, Nivison’s, and more, around the campfire at night and in the woods by morning. And Terry could shoot! Woe to the critter who entered his sights! I never saw him miss.
Terry married a Salt Lake City girl, Elaine Price. He brought her from the hustle, bustle of the city to a mink ranch in Richmond, where she found a true love for the country life, and became one of the finest graders of mink fur in the world! They had two children Howard “Bacon,” and Brenda, both of whom inherited the spirit of adventure, one of whom is still here nevertheless, me. I have become a highly educated folklorist and have noted that Terry occupied the captain’s chair in the folklore world. Terry was a “traditor.” It was the telling of the stories, the performance of them, that illuminated his identity. His catalog of jokes was endless.
All who knew Terry remember “Dirty Ernie” stories and Elaine’s face turning red at his telling of another off color joke.
Terry is preceded in death by his parents Bill and Marie Nivison, his soulmate Elaine Nivison, and his beautiful daughter Brenda (Guy) Harris.
Terry leaves behind his son Howard “Bacon” Nivison, three grandchildren Jeremy (Bethany) Nivison, Justin “Homer” Harris, and Ashley (Bucky Garvin) Harris, and a batch of great-grandchildren, Miles, Lucas, Kenadi, Cashlyn, and Corbin. And finally, “Ernie slipped off the dam and drowned. All his mates showed up at his funeral with life jackets on. Because that’s what he would’ve wanted.”
Oh yeah… This is from Bacon!
Graveside services will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 1:00pm in the Richmond, Utah Cemetery.
A visitation will be held on Friday from 6:00 – 8:00pm at Webb Funeral Home, 1005 South 800 East, Preston, Idaho.
Interment will be in the Richmond Cemetery.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at Webb Funeral Home.