James Nyle Garn “Geedus”

The life of James Nyle Garn “Geedus” began in the year 1935. Born at home in Moody, Idaho and later moving to Sugar City. He sometimes rode a horse to school in the first grade, fished everywhere, helped on the farm, harvested potatoes, and swam in all the rivers.

Sports were his passion though. At Sugar Salem High School, Geedus was active in all the sports – football, basketball, etc. all while singing solos in the school’s operettas. He was elected co-captain of the football and basketball teams. For two years they never lost a football game. He was also voted the High School Student Body President.

Geedus’ freshman year at Ricks College he was elected Freshman Student Body President and was voted as the ‘Most Preferred Man on Campus’. He played football for three years at Ricks College and earned all-conference football linebacker for two years which included teams from several states they played against. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints sponsored a basketball tournament that included the USA, Mexico, Canada and anywhere the church was organized. Nyle played in this tournament for three years while attending Ricks. They won first place one year and second place another year. It was quite an honor.

After college, he served an LDS Mission to Australia. While traveling there on the Church’s cargo ship, they stopped at many of the islands- Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, etc. When serving his mission in Australia he was asked to play on a basketball team called the “Morman Yankees” against the Olympic teams. Not only did they play, but they also beat most of the Olympic teams! They helped to coach the Australian Olympic team, too. A movie was made about this experience called “The Spirit of the Game”.

On Nyle’s way back to Sugar City from Australia, he traveled the other way around the world through the Suez Canal, saw the White Cliffs of Dover while sailing through the Mediterranean Sea. He rode camels to the Sphinx in Egypt, watched bull fights in Spain, saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace and landed in New York City to see the Statue of Liberty. When he arrived home, he was immediately drafted into the Army, serving in Fort Ord, California.

On April 13,1960 he married his sweetheart, Joan Snow in the Salt Lake City LDS Temple; they have six children Martin (Lisa) Garn, Julie (Michael) Stoddard, Diana Grover, Daniel (Shelece) Garn, Randolph (Charolette) Garn and Jerald Garn, and over 90 in their posterity. Nyle and Joan served two missions together in St. George, Utah.

Graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in Education Administration, Physical Education and qualified as a physical therapist, he took his first coaching job at Green River High School in Utah, as a teacher and head football coach. He became the town “hero”! The high school football team had never, ever won a game. That year Nyle coached them to four wins. They next five years the family made their home in Salmon, where he served as a Bishop and was an administrator at the Junior High while assisting in coaching.

In 1972 the family moved to Sugar City where Geedus was hired as the Head Football Coach. He had great success. He was considered the winningest football coach in the state of Idaho after he reached his 100th win as head coach at the time. He was chosen “Coach of the Year” three times. He was also the Head Girls Basketball coach for seven years. He spent many hours in the gym and on the fields at Sugar Salem while also teaching. Nyle was the Athletic Director, which included supervising all activities in the school. There were multiple tasks to be taken care of making sure everything ran smoothly behind the scenes – scheduling, bussing, repairs, equipment, etc. He stayed with Sugar Salem High School for 28 years.

Nyle loved his job at Sugar Salem High School and all the people. He worked hard everyday and very seldom took any time off. The students at Sugar were great competitors and won many awards. Coach Garn helped inspire many of the young people in many ways. Geedus is quite a legend and has left a legacy as a True-Blue Sugar Salem Digger!

Nyle is preceded in death by his parents Martin & Valera Garn, and two grandsons.

Family will receive friends on Friday, September 13 from 5:30pm – 7:00 pm at Flamm Funeral Home in Rexburg, Idaho and on Saturday, September 14 from 9:30am – 10:45am at the Sugar City Gray Chapel prior to the Funeral Service at 11:00am.

In lieu of flowers the family ask please consider a contribution to the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Champ’s Heart in Idaho Falls. https://champsheart.org/donate/ or Hospice of Eastern Idaho.

Family would like to give thanks to the Hospice of Eastern Idaho who helped care for Nyle the past year.