Remembering Maj StormoGipson

During my Walk Along the Waterfront Thursday afternoon, I spotted a plaque on a swing bench along the Centennial Trail honoring the late Coeur d’Alene pediatrician Maj StormGipson. The swinging bench was erected late last summer just west of the Coeur d’Alene Library. Deputy City Administrator Sam Taylor said it has been so popular that he’s often thwarted in his attempts to sit on it during breaks. Sam tells this story of the swinging bench: (Click on the photo above for a photo of Maj at a medical clinic in Latin America, as well as a photo of the swinging bench, with the library in the background)

“The new swinging bench was designed by Miller Stauffer architects and donated to the City by Dr. Justin Stormogipson in memory of his wife, Maj. The bench was actually in storage for a year and was damaged, and Parks staff utilized their expertise in a variety of construction disciplines to repair it and make modifications to it. They did everything from additional fabrication to structural work to the roofing. We’re very appreciative of the donation and the swing was very, very popular throughout the late summer, too. It was so popular that every time I tried to go take a break and try it out, another community member was already there! The bench is well situated to provide a great vantage point of the entire park, and I think that’s why folks love it so much.”

StormoGipson drowned in a rafting accident during a family outing in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in July 2013. She and her husband, Justin, “were a force in social justice issues,” according to an obituary written by colleague Becky Kramer/SR. “They volunteered at medical clinics in Nicaragua, Mexico and Guatemala, helped found a nonprofit called International Eye Institute and were active in local issues.” You can read more about this amazing woman here.