Eusebio Emilio Gabiola Jr.

The life of a much loved and unique man has come to a close. Eusebio "Joe" Gabiola passed away peacefully at his home in Carson City after a lingering illness.

Joe was a good Christian man who served as an alter boy early in his youth at St. Gall's Catholic Church in Carson Valley and has once again been called to serve his lord.

Joe was a man of numerous talents, the only child of a Spanish Basque sheepherder and his wife, Joe's mother, who often worked as a chef in the best Basque restaurants in the Carson Valley.

He was born near Winnemucca and lived his early years on a farm about 40 miles North/North West of Winnemucca in a home with grandparents, mother and father and four uncles with wives. The farm was self-sustaining with the exception of sugar, tobacco, flour and salt. This required, when supplies ran low, a 2 day round trip to Winnemucca by hay wagon and horses. Joe loved these trips. I believe this was the period of his life when he developed his love of babies, animals, music and dancing as his favorite pastime.

In his words: "This was the most wonderful time of my life and it was hard to leave."

Joe left the farm with his mother at somewhere around age 6 to 8 for Carson Valley where Joe Gabiola Senior had found more lucrative employment as a lead sheepherder for the larger sheep owners.

Joe Jr. now started formal schooling, played football, served the church and made many friends, Basque, German, Italian and others. He sheep herded with his father in the mountains in summer and drank his first alcohol beverage. A small splash of wine from the bota bag into a large container of water put him to sleep in the mountains every night. Then went down the mountain to church with his mother on Sundays.

As life went on pretty much the same, the one big change was Joe became known as a very good dancer (Spanish influence) and I'm told the girls lined up to dance with Joe at the Genoa Candy Dance.

In 1951 he joined the Marine Corps during the Korean War and served in the S-4 Supply Dept. at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA. Then later on to the Cold Weather Training Battalion at Pickle Meadows, where as a youngster he had been with his father watching and herding sheep.

He left the Marine Corps after the Korean War but completed his obligation with 5 years in the Marine Corps Reserves in Reno. Joe Sr. a beloved sheepherder passed away sometime later.

Joe built a house for his mother and himself in Carson City and married Pat, who had an adopted daughter Cindi. They all loved the out of doors and did a lot of camping. It was a good life for Joe.

Joe got a good job with the Nevada Highway Dept., where he eventually became the lead man and supervisor of the 5 man striping crew for all new and old highways throughout Nevada. In the winter the job turned to snow plowing. He spent a lot of time as the driver on State Rd. 431 to Mt. Rose Ski area. Noted for high drifts on the road, Joe was noted for his plowing ability and never had an accident EXCEPT ONCE: In a high drift, of which there were many, was a little abandoned Volkswagon, the Volkswagon lost of course (No Casualties).

Joe stayed connected with many of his school friends, both make and female, Basque friends and whoever he met along the way.

Surviving him are his step daughter Cindi, who lovingly took care of him for the last number of months at his home, the one he had built for his mother. Also I must mention his granddaughter Samantha, who was also with him when he passed. Joe is also survived by numerous great grandchildren.

I will finally close by mentioning all his friends in the 3 military organizations of which he was a long, loyal patriotic member.

This story of Joe Gabiola was submitted by: Korean War Veterans Chapter 305 of Carson City, Capitol Post 4 of the American Legion of Carson City, Marine Corps League the Silver State Detachment 630 of Carson City and loyal friends of Joe.

P.S. I lost my best friend. Ate over 200 meals with him, watched Lawrence Welk with him at 6:00 pm (1800 for Joe & I) every Saturday night and had by teary good-bye with him Sunday the 15th of February 2020. We communicate and I kept my promise.

You're in Gods hands now ole Buddy! Semper Fi – Anonymous

Joe will be interred on March 20th at 1:30 pm at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 14 Veteran's Way in Fernley, NV with full military honors.