TWIN FALLS, ID - The man known as the Father of the Snap Pea has passed away, leaving behind him a lasting legacy in the produce industry and beyond. Dr. Calvin Ray Lamborn, 83, ended his short battle with acute leukemia on August 19, 2017.

Born in Laketown, UT, December 28, 1933, to the late Raymond and Lillian Lamborn, Dr. Lamborn is best known to our industry as the creator of the first snap pea seed. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah, Dr. Lamborn completed his Master’s and PhD degrees in plant pathology and virology at Utah State University, where he learned the skills he’d use as a plant breeder with Gallatin Valley Seed Company, and also where he met his wife, Bonnie Duce. Knowing he met the love of his life, he pulled out all the stops, wooing her with Aggie ice cream dates, and eventually marrying on September 12, 1962, in the Logan LDS Temple.

After accepting the job with Gallatin Valley Seed Company in Twin Falls, Idaho, where Dr. Lamborn remained for the rest of his life, his plant breeding prowess became well-known. As the Father of the Snap Pea, Dr. Lamborn recieved the All American Selections National Gold Award for the Sugar Snap Pea in 1979, and the National Silver Award for the Sugar Ann in 1984. These are just two of the many honors, awards, and acclaim he received throughout his career.

As explained in his obituary, Dr. Lamborn cared deeply for people and their quality of life. On a trip to visit pea fields in Africa, he was touched seeing women with their children strapped to their backs while stooping down to pick peas, and made it his mission to develop new varietals that would produce peas higher on the vine to reduce strain.

Beyond his love for breeding plants and inventing machinery, he was an amazing story-teller. He was well-known for teaching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren the art of weeding and searching in the fields for that one special plant, and he always rewarded them generously for their efforts.

Spending time in the mountains was a favorite pastime of Dr. Lamborn, particularly at Bear Lake. Each year, the Lamborn family would join together at Rendezvous Beach while he would tell stories about growing up as a sheepherder, a slayer of rattlesnakes, and tales of bears to his eagerly awaiting listeners.

A 16-year member of the Twin Falls School District School Board, Dr. Lamborn’s service gave all of his children the special honor of walking across the stage at high school graduation to receive their diplomas from their father. Dr. Lamborn was also an active member of the LDS church, serving a two-year mission in Australia and holding numerous church positions throughout his life, including ward and stake callings and, most recently, service as a temple worker.

Dr. Lamborn is survived by his wife, Bonnie Lamborn; his children, RaeJeanne (Ty) McCutcheon, Melanie (Steve) Brown, Rodney (Sue) Lamborn, Ruth (Adam) Robertson, and Daniel (Jessica) Lamborn; 20 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the physicians, nurses, and staff of Mountain States Tumor Institute and the staff of Heritage Hospice for their expertise and loving, compassionate care. Viewing will be on Friday, August 25 at 6:00-8:00 p.m. at White Mortuary, 136 Fourth Avenue East, Twin Falls, Idaho.

Funeral services are at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 26 at the Twin Falls Stake Center located at 541 Orchard Drive, Twin Falls, Idaho with a pre-visitation from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. The burial will be at the Hyde Park Cemetery, Hyde Park, Utah at approximately 4:00 p.m. on August 26, 2017.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made to LDS Humanitarian Services or the American Cancer Society.

AndNowUKnow would like to offer our condolences to the iconic man in the produce industry, and thank him and his family for their meaningful contributions.