Born: Friday Mar-10-1944
Died: Friday Sep-11-2015
Funeral: Wednesday Sep-16-2015

Morrison Funeral Home
& Crematory
188 S. Hwy 24
Rupert, Idaho 83350
Contact and Directions

Donald “Ned” Horner, 71 year old Paul resident, passed away Friday, September 11, 2015 at River Ridge Center in Twin Falls.  Ned was born on March 10, 1944 to James Thomas Horner Sr. and Marian Smith Horner.  Ned was born at his Grandma Smith’s home in Burley, Idaho.  Ned was raised on the family farm in Paul, Idaho.  He attended school at Heyburn Elementary and graduated from Minico High School in 1962.  Ned became active in 4-H showing sheep, pigs and beef cattle at the early age of 10.  Ned continued on in 4-H until he went to high school where he became a member of FFA (Future Farmers of America).  Ned loved FFA and his great FFA advisor Keith Merrill.   Ned was the secretary for his FFA chapter his sophomore and junior year and his senior year Ned was the Chapter President.  Ned was also the District FFA secretary his junior year and District Vice President his senior year.  Ned earned his green hand award as a freshman and his star farmer award as a senior.  Ned was also awarded the Honor Student for Agriculture his senior year in High School. Ned became a 4-H leader in 1962 for his brother Dave, sister Nancy and the neighborhood kids.  He continued on being a 4-H leader for his nephew Terry, niece Tami, his daughters Ronda, Julie and Dawn and many other kids in the Paul Emerson area.  Ned was a 4-H leader for 35 years.  In 1995 with the help of his good friend Tami Harr, Ned wrote an essay about his mother Marian Horner and submitted it to the Minidoka County Fair Board.  Ned was thrilled when they called to tell him his Mother had been picked the Minidoka County Grandma Queen for 1996.  Ned made sure our whole family was in attendance to help celebrate this great event with him and his mother.  Ned was 8 years old when they discovered he had diabetics.  For the next 10 years his mother, Marian helped to make his life as close to normal as possible.  The fall of 1962 Ned and his mother boarded a train to Portland, Oregon where they stayed at the Good Samaritan Hospital for one month.  This intense training changed Ned’s life.  He was able to eat food he had never tasted before.  In the late 80’s Ned’s health began to decline.  Ned had a kidney transplant at University of Utah in September of 1990.  This gave him a new lease on life until he started losing his eye sight.  In November of 2009 Ned was honored as the oldest living diabetic with a kidney transplant in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Ned married Brenda Lea Ovard in September 17, 1970 at the United Methodist Church in Burley, Idaho.  Ned and Brenda farmed north of Paul raising their 3 daughters until Ned’s health became necessary for him to retire.    He is survived by his daughters Ronda Lea Hansen (Lynn Hansen) Twin Falls, Julie Kae Stimnett (Bryan Stimnett)  Twin Falls, and Dawn Marie Whitesides (Aaron Whitsides) Paul, brother David Horner (Janet Horner) Paul, sister Nancy Horner Storey (Joe Storey) Gooding, sister-in-law Dee Ann Horner, Heyburn, 6 grandchildren and 8 great grand children.  He was preceded in death by his parents James and Marian Horner, brother James Horner Jr. and his wife Brenda Lea Horner.  In February Ned started having complications from his diabetics.  He was admitted to St. Lukes in Twin Falls and then remained in River Ridge Center until the time of his death.  The family would like to thank River Ridge Center in Twin Falls for the wonderful care they provided to Ned.  Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 16, 2015 at the Paul Pine Chapel located at the Paul Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made to the Minidoka County 4-H Association, 85 East Baseline Rd., Rupert, ID 83350.