Michael Peter Gaviola

Michael Peter “Mike” Gaviola, 72, was born July 31, 1954, in Nampa, Idaho to Evelyn and Julio Gaviola. He passed away on Sunday, September 27, 2026, surrounded by his family.

Mike was raised on the family’s small dairy farm in Marsing, working alongside his siblings, Gary, Julie Ann, and Raymond, where he learned the value of hard work and developed a lifelong love for the community he called home.

Mike attended Marsing schools, where he played football, basketball, and baseball, graduating in 1972. During his senior baseball season, he threw both a no-hitter and a perfect game. He went on to play American Legion baseball with the Caldwell Silver Streaks and continued playing softball alongside Gary and many lifelong friends. Mike married Vicki Callis in 1982 and later divorced. Whether on the ball field or shooting sporting clays, Mike's competitive spirit was impossible to miss.

On August 6, 1989, Mike's life changed forever when a tragic accident left him in a wheelchair. Returning to the family farm, he and Raymond built a successful custom swathing business that operated for more than 25 years. It was often said that there wasn't a field between Marsing and Homedale where Mike had not cut hay or shot a pheasant.

Like his father before him, Mike knew every inch of the Owyhee's and spent a lifetime enjoying the outdoors he loved so much. He loved hunting and snowmobiling, and on hunting trips, while others walked the fields, Mike always blocked and shot from his pickup. His determination and sense of humor were reflected in the way he approached both life and the outdoors, always on his own terms. "Hire the handicap, they're fun to watch. Can't take the spin out of ol' Mike."

In later years, the physical demands of working around the swather and living with his injuries took a toll on Mike's body, but never on his spirit. He maintained his love of life and had a remarkable ability to make everyone feel like a friend. To those who knew and loved him, one thing is certain: every family needs a Mike!

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Julio and Evelyn Gaviola, and his brother, Gary. He is survived by his sister, Julie Ann Pagenkopf (Kerry) of Wilder; his brother, Raymond Gaviola (Tracy) of Marsing; his nephew, Nick Pagenkopf (Gulnoza) and their children, Natalie and Ethan of Caldwell.

The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to the doctors, nurses, caregivers, and medical professionals who cared for him during the final three years of his life.

A Rosary will be held Wednesday, October 7, at 7:00 p.m. at Flahiff Funeral Chapel in Caldwell. Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 8, at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church in Caldwell, followed by interment at the Marsing-Homedale Cemetery and a celebration dinner at the Txoko Ona Basque Center in Homedale. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Mike's name to the Txoko Ona Basque Center (333 S Main St, Homedale, ID 83628) or Marsing Fire & Ambulance (303 Main St, Marsing, ID 83639)