Ida was born April 21, 1927 to John L. and Emma G. Brandt of Umbarger. During her childhood, she and her farming family survived the Great Depression and the dustbowl storms of the Texas High Plains. While in High School, the naval base at Pearl Harbor came under attack, and she saw many friends and classmates called into military service during World War II. After graduation from Canyon High School in 1944, she worked at Walker's Drug Store until she married Harry S. Birkenfeld of Nazareth on June 1, 1948. Together they farmed northeast of Nazareth, adding a dairy in 1953, until Harry's death in 1972. Ida, with the help of her children, continued the dairy farming operation 5 more years, and, while making numerous improvements to the land earned the Conservation Farmer of the Year award in 1976 from the Running Water Soil and Water Conservation District. She entered college and sold the family farm to pursue her lifelong dream of being a nurse. Ida became a Licensed Vocational Nurse in 1979, and embarked on a 25 year nursing career that touched the lives of countless patients, families, and co-workers. She was presented the Nurse of the Year and Employee of the Year awards in 2001 from Hereford Regional Medical Center. Always keenly interested and well-versed in nutrition, Ida was an exceptionally gifted cook and baker, as well as an avid gardener and canner. She was an accomplished seamstress and quilter. Ida married John Gibson in 1980. He passed away in 1984. Ida is survived by 7 children, Sheila and Gerald Brockman of Whitney, Erlene and Tony Fritz of Belton, Sidney and Peggy Birkenfeld of Nazareth, Jimmy and Debbi Birkenfeld of Midland, Vera and Mark Hoelting of Lone Oak, Curtis Birkenfeld of Nazareth and Roxane and Bo Richardson of Livingston; 2 brothers, Dennis and wife Marcella Brandt, and Jack and wife Sadie Brandt all of Umbarger; a brother-in-law T.J. Rosson of Georgetown; 17grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren. Ida was preceded in death by her 2 husbands, her parents, and her sister, Gertrude Rosson.