Irvin D. (Skip) Nightingale passed away on November 5, 2016, at the San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, New Mexico.
Mr. Nightingale was born on November 8, 1924, in Dorsey, Nebraska, to Ralph Erwin Nightingale and Elena D. Nightingale. Skip lived in Nebraska until his teen years when he moved to Denver, Colorado. During World War II, Skip served in the Army Air Corps and was a participant in Operation Overlord (the Battle of Normandy).
After the war, Skip lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, before returning to Colorado, where he met his wife, Frankie Jean Adamich, while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder. They were married in Raton, New Mexico, on March 3, 1951. After 63 years of marriage, Frankie preceded Skip in death and passed away in 2013.
Skip and Frankie initially settled in Pueblo, Colorado, where their three children, Jill, Jack and Penny were born. Skip began his banking career in Pueblo, Colorado, and he moved his family to jobs in Tucson, Arizona, and then Durango, Colorado, and eventually to Farmington, New Mexico, where he took positions at Citizens Bank and Farmington National Bank. In 1970, Skip and Frankie purchased Moab National Bank in Moab. Skip and Frankie later expanded the bank franchise to Monticello and Blanding, and renamed the business, First Western National Bank. After 25 years of serving southeastern Utah’s financial needs, the bank, in 1995, was merged with Zions National Bank, headquartered in Salt Lake City.
Skip viewed life as an adventure. He was always on the lookout for new opportunities, and in addition to a lifelong career in banking, Skip participated in many ventures, real estate and business dealings. He was especially caught up in the excitement and possibilities of the mining and oil and gas industries. He formed a small company and, through the years, acquired oil and gas leases, as well as uranium and gold mining claims.
Skip loved the rugged beauty of the Southwest. There are few highways and roads throughout the canyonlands country of southeastern Utah and northern New Mexico, and the mountains of southwestern Colorado, that Skip and Frankie did not explore. Skip and Frankie adored their family, always finding time to attend to the various needs of each member. They loved to travel, and especially when they were accompanied by their children and grandchildren. They took family vacations to many exciting places, such as Spain; Portugal; Canada; Alaska; Washington, D.C.; Hawaii and New York City, to name a few.
Skip was proud of the work he completed during the six years he served on the board of the Utah State Trust Lands Administration. Skip’s background in finance and banking made him uniquely qualified to oversee the management and growth of the revenues generated from 4.3 million acres of state lands that support Utah’s public schools.
Skip is survived by his daughter, Jill Jacobson (husband, Gary), of Moab; his son, Jack Nightingale, of Bloomfield, New Mexico; and daughter, Penny Newman (husband, Jim) of Montrose, Colorado. He is also survived by a sister, Janet Carlson; a brother, Jerry Nightingale (wife, Nancy); and seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Skip was a longtime member of Moab Community Church. A memorial service was held at Moab Community Church on Friday, November 11.
