The local farmer who died in a tragic farm accident was charismatic, devoted and friendly

CHESTERFIELD, Caribou County – A local husband, father and farmer is being remembered as a “family man” and “friend to all.”

Tracy Josephson of Caribou County died in a farm accident on Sept. 7. His sister-in-law, Rane Jensen, told EastIdahoNews.com he was on his family's farm in Bancroft at the time of the accident. Josephson was repairing the disk machine, a piece of equipment that is pulled behind a tractor, when the hydraulic hose broke while he was underneath it.

“Tracy usually blocks it. Blocking means you put a safety block under the device to hold it in place when you're working on it. For some reason he didn't do that this time,” Rane explained. “(His wife said) he didn't crawl in or out the way he normally gets under the device. It sounded like he crawled back out when the hydraulics broke and then the device fell on him and pinned him under the disk.”

His death was pronounced at Caribou Medical Center in Soda Springs. Josephson, 48, leaves behind his wife, LaVonne, and their 16-year-old daughter, Gracie, who has special needs.

“He was devoted, kind, protective, funny, silly, loving, very present, always up for a laugh and very dedicated,” LaVonne Josephson said in a statement to EastIdahoNews.com.

Rane added: “Tracy was super charismatic and very personable. He had a really laid back personality that made you feel at home.”

Rane said Josephson called LaVonne and the two talked for hours, something LaVonne said she will miss. He also left notes for her and Gracie all over the house.

“He and LaVonne were really good friends. They were a good team,” Rane said. “Not everyone had it figured out, but they had it figured out.”

In addition to his love for his family, Josephson had a passion for cooking since he was a young child. He enjoyed putting his own twist on recipes and baking banana chocolate chip cookies with his daughter.

“Tracy was a talented cook and was always in the kitchen creating new recipes and making sure everyone around him was well fed,” his obituary reads. “He took great pride in preparing dishes to perfection and enjoyed nothing more than gathering family and friends around the table to share his culinary creations.”

Josephson loved to travel and wanted to show his family what the world had to offer. The day before the accident, he was with his mother trying to make the final arrangements for an upcoming family trip to Hawaii.

“Tracy's love of travel was born out of his desire to have meaningful and lasting experiences,” his obituary reads. “He took great pleasure in planning family trips, always finding the most scenic route and savoring life's little moments.”

Although this was a devastating time for LaVonne and Gracie, LaVonne expressed her gratitude to those who helped them.

“I am touched and overwhelmed and feel so blessed for all the love and support that has been shown to me and Gracie,” LaVonne said. “This whole thing is so surreal, but the love that has been shown to me and Gracie means everything.”

Click here to read Tracy's obituary.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family cover unexpected funeral expenses and to support LaVonne and Gracie “as they navigate this heartbreaking chapter.” Click here to donate.

Venmo donations can also be made directly to LaVonne by clicking here.