March 08, 2014 7:00 pm

March 4, 1921-March 5, 2014

TWIN FALLS • Stella was born March 4, 1921, to the late Fred Carl and Stella Jackson Grenz on her Grandmother Jackson’s homestead south of Roy, Idaho. She was the third child of five and the older of two daughters. She grew up in Twin Falls, graduating from Twin Falls High School in 1942. Her graduation was delayed because of a childhood bout with polio. After graduation, she entered the nurse’s aide program at Twin Falls County Hospital. It was her lifelong dream to become a registered nurse and she realized that dream by signing up for the RN training offered through the military WAVE program at Pocatello General Hospital.

During the final year of her nurses training, she met the love of her life, Russell Aubrey Biggs, who was stationed at the Pocatello Air Base while serving in the Army Air Corps. They were married Sept 6, 1945, in Pocatello and later moved to Twin Falls, Idaho, raising five children and opening their home to many others and extended family throughout those years. They honored their wedding vows for 52 years, separated only by the death of her beloved husband.

Stella’s nursing skills covered OB nursing, the post surgery floor, and she was one of the first nurses to begin work in the Intensive Care Unit at Magic Valley Memorial Hospital as the night charge nurse. Stella worked there most of her married life, retiring from the hospital in 1976. Her passion for nursing did not keep her retired for long as she continued doing part-time work with Quality Home Health and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program providing care for the terminally ill.

She raised her family and was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church. She taught Sunday school and was active in the Ladies Guild program preparing medical supplies for missions. She was active in the community with many projects such as census, and volunteered to serve if needed in times of disaster with her nursing skills.

Stella is survived by five children, Ann (Tim) Fuller of Shoshone, Idaho, Russell (Carolyn) Biggs of Twin Falls, Janis (Carl) Jones of Rockland, Idaho, Mary Jo (David) Church and Amy (Guy) Forsyth of Twin Falls; and one grandson, Josh (Misty) Biggs of Star, Idaho. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, three brothers, one sister and one grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made out to the First Baptist Church Building Fund.

A funeral service for Stella will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, at White Mortuary, 136 Fourth Ave. E. in Twin Falls, with Pastor Jeff Cooper of the Twin Falls First Baptist Church officiating. Burial and graveside service will follow at Sunset Memorial Park, where she will laid to rest next to her husband. A viewing for family and friends will take place from 6-8 p.m. Monday as well as from 12 noon until the time of the service at White Mortuary in Twin Falls.

Services are under the direction of Trent Stimpson and staff at White Mortuary, Chapel by the Park, in Twin Falls.