MEMORIALS

     Ocie was born Aug. 22, 1915, in Ash County, North Carolina, to JosephL.                      Vannoy and Lillian Colvard Vannoy. He was the youngest of 9 children.                                His mother died when he was 7 years old.

     He came West at age 15 with his father and older brother Allie during                        the Great Depression. After a few years in the timber industry near Orofino,                              including driving a lumber truck, the Vannoy brothers began farming. They                                                      rented approximately 1,000 acres near Cavendish,                                                              which they farmed for several years with horses.
                             Ocie married Helen Bryant of Orofino on Dec. 19, 1938.
 
                                  In 1946 they moved from the rental property to a farm they                                            had purchased near Cavendish. Ocie loved farming and                                                        experienced the complete evolution of farming equipment and                                            methods from farming with horses to the equipment used today.
                                     

.

                             Helen was born April 16, 1919, in Orofino, to Andrew Hamilton Bryant and Mamie Sumpter Bryant. The family lived in the Glenwood area, and she was the third of four children. As a high school senior, and a short time after graduation from Orofino High School, Helen worked as a waitress in Malloy's House of Sweets in Orofino.
     Helen often prepared meals for farm crews in a house with no electricity, indoor plumbing or telephone. There were many stories of critters, snakes, ornery horses and mules, and having to make do with little. Helen related that the early days of farming had been a hard life, but it had been a good life.
     Helen and family attended the Cavendish Methodist Church, a log church built by the community in the late '30s. She was blessed through her church involvement over the years both spiritually and socially.
 
     In 1946, Helen and Ocie purchased a farm property nearby, where they lived and farmed until retirement in 1981. They continued to live at Cavendish until 1995, when they moved to Lewiston. 
     Helen had many interests including gardening, crocheting, fishing, camping, boating and traveling with a camp trailer. The Vannoys spent many winter months in Yuma, Ariz., living in their trailer, and later in a home they purchased there. Helen has been an avid fan of Gonzaga basketball for many years and never missed watching a game on TV.

Helen, who died in 2017, was preceded in death by her husband, Ocie, in 2007; brothers Delbert Bryant and Faye Bryant; and a sister, Neva Wilson.
Helen is survived by her daughter, Sandra Enger and husband Darl of Missoula, Mont.; son Robert and wife Marolyn of Greenville, S.C.; grandchildren Susan Hawkins and husband Jeff of Nampa, Joseph Vannoy of Kirkland, Wash., Todd Vannoy of Redmond, Wash., Mike Enger and wife Debra of Walla Walla, and Michelle Snobar and husband Sam of Seeley Lake, Mont.; and 10 great-grandchildren. There are several nieces and nephews in the Lewiston area, as well as her sister-in-law, Edith Vannoy, and dear friends Carley and Don Lawrence.

Ocie and Helen  Vannoy

Leonard and Virginia Cole

   Virginia Faye Cuddy Cole was born Feb. 3, 1934, in Southwick, to                               Coy (Arnie) Cuddy and Christena Southwick Cuddy. She grew up on                                the family farm in the Southwick area, attending school in Southwick                                and Kendrick. She enjoyed many good times and had great mem-                                      ories of growing up on the farm with her siblings, and the busy                                    day-to-day life on the farm.

   In 1952, Virginia married Leonard Cole of Cavendish and they began                            their lives in Cheney, Washington, while Leonard attended school.                              After living in Cavendish for a short time they moved to Lewiston.                            Virginia began her career in Lewiston at St. Joseph Regional Medical                            Center and later worked for various medical doctors in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley prior to working at Long Machinery and retiring from Nez Perce County. While working for Nez Perce County, Virginia was involved in organizing the elections that took place in the county. She enjoyed this part of her job greatly and truly appreciated the election process.
     Virginia enjoyed civic affairs and was actively engaged in the political process. Indeed, many political planning meetings were held at the home to assist those eager to pursue a political career, to plan campaigns, or simply ponder current issues. She was a proud Democrat and deeply concerned for the well-being of others and the future of our young people. In 2001, Virginia received statewide recognition when she received the Dottie Stimpson Award recognizing her demonstrated perseverance, persistence, patience, passion, commitment and leadership in work on behalf of the Democratic Women's Caucus and the Democratic Party.
   Throughout her life, Virginia was full of laughter and loved jokes and pulling pranks on her family and numerous friends. She enjoyed camping, fishing, crafts, music and played piano for many family sing-alongs. She and Leonard were known for their hospitality and entertaining at 3101 to celebrate life events for family and friends and to simply share stories and good conversation.
   Virginia and Leonard celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2002 and shared many happy years together working side by side to raise their two daughters, Debbie Freeze (husband Ralph), and Barbara Fry (husband Warren Volkman). It should be noted that Virginia was especially fond of her sons-in-law. Virginia was instrumental in helping build two houses for the family and establishing the family garage door business. Leonard passed away in 2008 and Virginia passed on March 13, 2015.
Virginia cherished her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loved laughing, crafting, coloring, baking and just spending time with them. Cori Pearson (husband Brian) and Faron Fry (husband Frank Kimberling) were her sidekicks, learning about the serious, but mostly fun side of life, from their grandmother. They spent many hours together and had a very special relationship, mastering the art of practical joking, pranking and general mischief making. Her other grandchildren, arriving later in life, were all just as special to her and she loved every one of them, as they did her, Jason (wife Shelli) Freeze, Jon (wife Staci) Freeze, Melissa Lambert, Robin Freeze, Aleisha Autrey, Tiffany Carmouche and Adrienne Volkman.
Great-grandchildren brought a new joy of life with their arrival, Gracie, Phranqie, Faylee, Michelina, Jessica, Samantha, Kierstin, Austyn, Tristin, Sammy and Kacie, Jacklyn and David, Ashley and Elise and Jaxon. 

Nellie Millard

Dorothy King Silflow

     A long-time Kendrick resident, Nellie Fry Millard, passed away                                    Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, at the age of 91. She was born to Clarence                                  and Frances Fry, the youngest of nine siblings. Mom spent her                                          early years on Gold Hill. Later the family moved into town where                                  she graduated from Kendrick High School. She married her high                                  school sweetheart, J. Herbert Millard, and had three kids, Abbie,                                      Cynthia and Brenden. There is a lot of life in her 91 years, but                                          Nellie would focus her history on the people in her life who                                      made it so fulfilling.

     Nellie lived in the Kendrick, Juliaetta and Lewiston area her entire life, except for a short stint in California. She was proud to be part of the community and a working member of many businesses in the area. Mom was hardworking and not one to sit around. She had a business mind and liked to try new things. You may have encountered her at Mead & Howard Lumber Co., Fleming Truck & Equipment Co., Gem State Lumber Co., the Cafe, Phil’s Food City, bartending, paper carrier, real estate manager, Kendrick/Juliaetta School District especially as your school bus driver, or during a visit to That Place.
She liked being part of the close-knit community as she was able to walk down the street to the store with a stop along the way for some “kibitzing.” She enjoyed her coffee gatherings at the corner booth with the gang to discuss the topics of the day. She was always pleased to meet up with her classmates. She talked about Friday night dinners with a group of friends or nights of cards or socializing.
 
     In 1988, Nellie reacquainted with her high school friend, Walt McCall. They established a remaining life bond of traveling and camping, evening martinis, dinner discussions and enjoying the hunt for treasures at auctions and yard sales.
Nellie loved people and taught her children to be very accepting to all, something she attributed to her mother. Few were a stranger to Mom. She was truly interested in hearing “your” story. She often sought out individuals in a group that appeared to be just watching the fun and invited them to join in. She looked out for the “underdog” in situations and would work to make sure all got a “fair shake.”

     Nellie was creative and enjoyed finding new ways to use her junk (often talking others into helping) and sewing. She was a storyteller and looked to find the fun in everything she did regardless of the circumstances. She was young at heart through her entire life. She enjoyed playing practical jokes, finding that perfect costume, evenings playing cards, telling jokes and dancing. If you were a friend or family member of Nellie’s, you likely have a story or two as part of one of her adventures. A planned event or simple drive may have started out innocent, but by the time you got home there were tales of interesting characters, extraordinary experiences, an unexpected overnight stay, getting lost or hauling something home.

     Family was important to Nellie and she often hosted family gatherings, which were large and filled with delicious homemade specialties. She was proud of her kids. She impressed the importance of education and taught us lessons in life (sometimes unbeknown to us). She raised her children to be strong and independent, letting us make our own mistakes but always ready to provide support.
     Her legacy lives on through her kids, Brenden and his wife Lisa, Abbie and Cynthia, along with five grandchildren John, Emily, Tylor, Ryan and Bryson. Her greatest enjoyment was time with family and friends. Her goal every day was to make one person laugh, so we hope there is a memory for all who knew her that you will remember and laugh.

     Don grew up on the family farm on American                                                              Ridge. He was born to Frankie and Jo (Guy)                                                                      Benscoter on Jan. 27, 1921. He attended grade                                                          school at the American Ridge School and grad-                                                                uated from Kendrick High School with the class                                                              of 1938. He then attended one year at the Uni-                                                          versity of Idaho before enlisting in the U.S. Army                                                              Air Corps on Sept. 30, 1942. Eager to enlist, but                                                 not meeting the weight requirements, Don ate a                                            bunch of bananas just prior to his physical. This one meal                                                        moved the needle just enough to allow him to                                                            "sign up."

     He was not called into active service until Feb. 17, 1943. Don served his country as a technical sergeant, flying in a B-17 "Flying Fortress" as a flight engineer and top turret gunner, and he was awarded an Air Medal with Five Oak Clusters, the Good Conduct Medal and the European-African Middle Eastern Service Medal. He was a member of the 34th bombardment group, which was responsible for bombing Nazi war-making installations, including Messerschmitt plants at Regensburg, Germany. During the war he survived yellow fever, cholera and an amazing 34 missions over Germany. He was discharged Sept. 8, 1945.

     Upon returning home, he continued his education at the University of Idaho. It was during this year that he met Barbara Garner, who was also a student at UI. They were married in September of 1947 and lived off campus until Don graduated with a degree in agriculture science in 1948.

     His first job was with the Soil Conservation Service in Genesee. From there, he worked for Lewiston Grain Growers at Cottonwood, then McCall Farm Chemicals. Eventually he went to work for Benedict Seeds at Winchester. In 1958, Benedict built a feed and seed plant in Lewiston and he and his family moved there. Don was the general manager of Benedict Seeds until his retirement in 1986.

     He and Barbara built four homes over the years, but their favorite was their last, at Sweetwater. Don and Barbara bought the small ranch from Barbara's uncle, Raymond Thain, in 1972. It was here that they both were able to pursue their passions of raising cattle, horses and living the country lifestyle.

     Being a life member of the Elks, a member of the Cattlemen's Association and president of the Tammany School Board were just a few of his accomplishments. There is not enough space here to list all that he has done, and we find ourselves frustrated by the constriction of not creating a rambling biography. The fact is this man really lived his life. Not a moment was wasted - right up to the end. Two weeks prior to his death, lying in a hospital bed, lungs full of pneumonia, he tells his daughter, "I have to get out of here and get to work." What a testimony to a spirit of a generation that took nothing for granted and valued their self-sufficient independence more than anything.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Jo Benscoter, and brother Ray Benscoter.

Don died April 13, 2017, leaving behind Barbara, his wife of 69 years; his three children, Sherry Benscoter Smith, Dana Benscoter and wife Mirtza, and Kelly "Opie" Benscoter; grandchildren Tate Smith and wife Soo Lee, Sherry Stutzman and husband Jared, Roxy Benscoter, Shelby Benscoter and Kelsey Benscoter; and great-grandchildren Mason and Mia Smith, and Asher and Austin Stutzman.

Donald & Barbara Benscoter

    Barbara was born on her parents’ farm Oct. 19, 1925. She, her twin sister, Isobel, and brothers Allan and Neil grew up on the family farm between Peck and Melrose, Idaho. Her parents were David Vinal (Bob) Garner and Alice Barbara (Thain) Garner.
    She attended the Garner grade school for seven years and graduated from Peck High School in 1943. She attended Kinman Business College in Spokane the winter of 1943-44. From 1944 to 1945 she worked at Galena Spokane Air Technical Service Command repair hangar, helping repair B-24s returning from the war. She later attended the University of Idaho, where she was selected secretary of the freshman class. While attending the U of I, Barbara met Don Benscoter. They were married in September of 1947, living off campus until Don graduated in 1948. 
     The couple moved to Genesee the winter of 1948-49, then to Craigmont, where they lived for five years before moving to Grangeville for one year. Following three years in Cottonwood, they moved to Lewiston and then finally to Sweetwater, Idaho, in 1972.
Barbara worked at Orchards Elementary School in Lewiston as cook’s helper for four years, then was employed at Pixieland day care center. She spent 12 years as an aide at Lapwai Elementary, and her last two years as an aide to the kindergarten class. This was a very rewarding time for her as she really enjoyed working with all of the local children.
    Her many passions included riding horses, building her “rock” wall, native beadwork, cornhusk weaving, genealogy, making blankets for the “Minutes of Gold” organization and, in later years, line dancing. She and Isobel spent many years tracing their family roots and completed/published their family history book in 1990. She took pride in the fact their family farm achieved the distinction of being a Century Farm that same year.
She was a member and served as vice president of the Twin Rivers Genealogy Society, as well as belonging to the Craig Mountain Eastern Star Chapter #53 since June of 1951.   Barbara passed away November 5, 2018.

William F. Towne

     David Allen “Frog” Hutcheson, 69, of Kendrick, passed away                              Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in                                    Lewiston.

     David was born Jan. 9, 1954, to Robert James and Vera Rosa-                                      mond (Ulinder) Hutcheson, in Kendrick. He attended grade school                                  in Juliaetta and graduated from Kendrick High School in the class                                  of 1972, where he excelled in various Tiger Sports.
     After graduation David attended North Idaho Junior College,                                    in Coeur d’Alene where he received an associate degree in Auto                                Body Repair. After graduation he worked for Doc Little. Other                                        employment included Gem State Lumber Company, Ed Lynch Farming, Zimmerman and Darby Logging and most recently lending a helping hand to Mark Harris.

     From a young age David was always tinkering with something. He could fix and repair almost anything. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, having coffee at the local cafe and attending sporting events in Kendrick.
      He is survived by his sons, Mark (Stephanie) and daughter Taylor, of Pullman, Laith (Amber), of St. Maries, granddaughters Macie and Kammi, sisters, Sharon Barr, Cheyenne, Wyo., Ruth Ann (Stan), Glasgow, Mont., brothers Paul (Rita) Juliaetta and Brent, Kendrick. Other survivors include his special nieces and nephews Michelle Becktel, A.J., Nancy, Randie and Blakely, of St. Maries, Michael Mulalley, Lucas and Emily, of St. Maries, Michael Hogan (Patti) Rylan and Carson, of Juliaetta and Michele Palmer (Scott) Alex and Hayden, of Moscow. Other survivors include Leslie (Michael) Atchison, of Lewiston.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Brian and sister Nancy.

David "Frog" Hutcheson

George & Helen Brocke

     George was born August 22, 1930, to parents George and Emma Brocke. George was a lifelong resident of Kendrick. He attended Kendrick High School where he was a standout player on both the basketball and football teams. George was on the very first Kendrick team to earn the state championship title for basketball. He often spoke of these times with fondness, even mentioning visiting with a past basketball opponent one week before his passing.
     George married Helen Lee Harris April 7, 1947, to whom he was proudly married for 66 years until her death Oct. 27, 2013. Helen was the love of his life, and he cherished their life together. They had one son, Dean Harris Brocke.

    He started full-time employment at George F. Brocke and Sons (Brocke and Sons) in 1950, which was the year the company was established by his father in Kendrick, ID. In 1959, Brocke and Sons was incorporated and he was named president/manager which he remained until his retirement in 1997. George was a celebrated business leader in his field, winning many awards and serving on several committees throughout his career.            Most notably he served as the president of the Pea and Lentil Association and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the same association.
    During their time at Brocke and Sons George and Helen traveled extensively. They visited nearly every continent. On their very first overseas trip to Taiwan, George was introduced to a machine that would remove the skin of a bean. He immediately had the foresight of removing the skin of the red lentil that was being researched at Washington State University at the time. He had the machine shipped home to Kendrick and after some experimenting, started marketing the popular Red Chief Lentils. Another memorable trip was traveling to China when he met Senator Frank Church and five other senators, one being a young (then Senator) Joe Biden.
 
     When asked to describe George, the words most often used are kind, loving, generous, humble and community-minded. He loved his community and gave his time and support in many ways. George was a Charter Member of the Lions Club which started in 1953, one Lions Club project he was instrumental in was the overhaul of the Kendrick City Park. He also served on the city council, served a term as mayor of Kendrick, and spent several years as the fire chief of the Kendrick Volunteer Fire Department.

 
George was also a devoted Christian and his faith was important to him throughout his life. He spoke often of his church family and the comfort and support that they provided.
In his younger years George loved to hunt and fish and took his son Dean camping often. He and Helen were avid “rockhounds” and had a large rock collection of rocks gathered from all over the region. He loved music and watching his favorite sports teams, but above all else he adored his family. He was a very hands-on father, grandfather and even great-grandfather, making certain to attend everyone’s events.

   Dorothy was born Sept. 11, 1918, in Southwick, to Walter and                                      Clara Bateman; she was the third of five sisters. She grewup in                                          Southwick while helping her widowed mother Clara and her sisters,                              and as a young woman worked as a housekeeper in the South-                                      wick community. She played women's basketball at Southwick High                                    School from where she graduated in 1937.

     In 1938, she married Thomas E. King of Southwick. Tom and                                          Dorothy farmed in Southwick for over 40 years and raised two                                          daughters, Diane and Sarah. She also helped and cared for                                                many aging family members, including her mother and father-                                          in-law. In 1981, Tom and Dorothy moved to Lewiston, where they                                      lived until Tom's death in 1987.

     In 1992 she married Harold Silflow of Cameron. Harold and Dorothy lived first on the farm in Cameron, and then in Lewiston.
     She worked for many years on the family farm, helping to drive grain truck, cooking meals for the farm work crews, and raising her children and grandchildren. She was an avid homemaker and an outstanding cook and baker. She was well known for her quilting, crafting, and artistic abilities. She enjoyed quilting and sewing, woodworking and painting, crochet, tatting, and numerous other craft projects. She will be forever remembered for "Mrs. King's Biscuits and Gravy" and for "Dorothy's Lemon Pie." She loved fishing and was well skilled at catching fish even when others could not.
     She was a member of the Lutheran Church in Cameron and made many quilts for the church bazaar there. She was also active in the Orchards United Methodist Church in Lewiston, and was active in Eastern Star.  Dorothy passed away December 21, 2012.
     She is survived by her husband, Harold Silflow of Lewiston; sisters, Juanita Reece of Lewiston, and Aletha Brown of Kamiah; daughter and son-in-law, Diane and Leonard Eldridge of Clarkston; daughter, Sarah Swartz of Kent, Wash.; granddaughter, Jennifer Eldridge of Clarkston; grandson and granddaughter, Kenneth and Lillian Eldridge of Evergreen, Colo.; great-grandsons, Thomas Eldridge of Australia and Maxwell Eldridge of Evergreen, Colo.; and stepdaughter and stepson, Kathy and Gary Garland of Cameron.

     George was born August 22, 1930, to parents George and                                            Emma Brocke. George was a lifelong resident of Kendrick. He                                            attended Kendrick High School where he was a standout player                                        on both the basketball and football teams. George was on the                                    very first Kendrick team to earn the state championship title for                                    basketball. He often spoke of these times with fondness, even                                        mentioning visiting with a past basketball opponent one week                                  before his passing.

     Helen was born at Southwick to Virgil and Opal Harris on                                Christmas Day, 1928.  She grew up in Southwick and attended                                      Kendrick High School. George married Helen Lee Harris April 7,                                  1947, to whom he was proudly married for 66 years until her                              death Oct. 27, 2013. Helen was the love of his life, and he cherished their life together. They had one son, Dean Harris Brocke.  Helen loved keeping an immaculate home and flower gardens.  She worked as a receptionist and bookkeeper at George F. Brocke and Sons for over fifty years.

     George started full-time employment at George F. Brocke and Sons (Brocke and Sons) in 1950, which was the year the company was established by his father in Kendrick, ID. In 1959, Brocke and Sons was incorporated and he was named president/manager which he remained until his retirement in 1997. George was a celebrated business leader in his field, winning many awards and serving on several committees throughout his career. Most notably he served as the president of the Pea and Lentil Association and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the same association.
     During his time at Brocke and Sons, George traveled extensively with Helen by his side. They visited nearly every continent. On their very first overseas trip to Taiwan, George was introduced to a machine that would remove the skin of a bean. He immediately had the foresight of removing the skin of the red lentil that was being researched at Washington State University at the time. He had the machine shipped home to Kendrick and after some experimenting, started marketing the popular Red Chief Lentils. Another memorable trip was traveling to China when he met Senator Frank Church and five other senators, one being a young (then Senator) Joe Biden.
     When asked to describe George, the words most often used are kind, loving, generous, humble and community-minded. He loved his community and gave his time and support in many ways. George was a Charter Member of the Lions Club which started in 1953, one Lions Club project he was instrumental in was the overhaul of the Kendrick City Park. He also served on the city council, served a term as mayor of Kendrick, and spent several years as the fire chief of the Kendrick Volunteer Fire Department.

     George and Helen were both devoted Christians.  They were life-long members of the Methodist Church.  George's faith was important to him throughout his life. He spoke often of his church family and the comfort and support that they provided.

     In his younger years George loved to hunt and fish and took his son Dean camping often. He and Helen were avid “rockhounds” and had a large rock collection of rocks gathered from all over the region. He loved music and watching his favorite sports teams, but above all else he adored his family. He was a very hands-on father, grandfather and even great-grandfather, making certain to attend everyone’s events.

Rick V. Gertje

                                             Randy Silflow, 66, of St. Maries, passed away Friday, Dec.                                            15,2023. He was born Nov. 15, 1957, in Moscow, to Roy and                                              Doris Silflow. Randy was raised in Kendrick on the family                                                farm, which he, his dad and five brothers operated.
                                              In 1993, he married Kippy Flomer and moved to St.                                                      Maries. He then began working at Hughes Home Center until                                            March 2023. He truly was “the helpful hardware man” at                                                  work, at home and in the community. As anyone who met                                                him would know, Randy never met a stranger.
                                              The greatest joys in his life were his two sons, Conner                                                  and Ryker. He was involved in every aspect of their lives.                                                He went on every field trip, a trip to Washington, D.C. and                                              numerous camping trips. He was an assistant leader for                                                  Boy Scout Troop 442, where he and Tom Jarvi had many                                                  memorable adventures and several scouts earning their Eagle Rank. He was active in his church and enjoyed fishing, hunting, and spending time with family and friends. 

    Randy is predeceased by his father, Roy, and brother, Ray. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Kippy; his sons Conner (Morgan) Silflow, of Troy, and Ryker (Maddy) Silflow, of Pullman; his mother Doris Silflow, of Kendrick; brothers Mike (Laurie) Silflow, of Kendrick, Doug (Denise) Silflow, of Kendrick, Jim Silflow, of Moscow, Richard (Anita) Silflow, of Kendrick, John (Selina), of Kendrick; sisters Diane (Dale) Imes, of Newman Lake, Wash., and Debbie (Jerry) Wishard of Federal Way, Wash.; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Randy Silflow

Don and Esther Chrystal

                                                    Retired Coast Guard Senior Chief William “Bill” Forrest                                       Towne, 82, of Kendrick, passed away peacefully Tuesday, July 11,                                       2023, surrounded by his family and his beloved wife, Joyce.                                             While the morning started with a wild, summer storm, Bill                              passed         passed away under clear skies and fair winds. 

                                                    The only child of Forrest Evans Towne and Athelene                                         Dailey, Bill was born July 26, 1940, in Bremerton, Washington.                                           In his senior year of high school, 1958, Bill applied to the newly                                       opened U.S. Air Force Academy, sponsored by Senator Henry M.                                       Jackson of Washington. He would serve in the Air Force in Medics                                     as a Dental Technician. Bill would later transfer to the Coast                                             Guard in 1963 as an Electronics Technician. Of his many adventures in the Coast Guard, Bill would serve a two-year tour in Keflavik, Iceland, a tour on Baffin Island in the Northwest Territory of Canada, and Point Arguello, California. In California, the Coast Guard had the responsibility of maintaining Point Conception Lighthouse, a service Bill greatly loved.
     In the summer of 1961, Bill met his future wife, Mary Joyce Bell. Introduced by a pair of friends, Bill could never remember a lot of their first date other than the look in Joyce’s eyes and the light in her smile; all he knew was that he had to see her again. They had only been dating for three weeks when the topic of marriage came up, and by Dec. 9, 1961, they were married at the Hitching Post in Coeur d’Alene. It was only after they were married that they decided to tell their respective families.

     Bill retired from the Coast Guard as a Senior Chief in 1980. During his time in the military, all four of his children were born: Christine, Timothy, Kelly and Michael. The family would eventually move to Spokane. Over the years, each of their children would settle down and have children of their own.
     In 2012, Bill and Joyce made the decision to move to Kendrick to be closer to family. There they became part of a great community, able to attend their grandchildren’s games and events, make lots of new friends and travel at their leisure. One of his favorite spots was Archie’s Cafe, where every Thursday morning he’d have a steak and two eggs, over medium.
    Bill was a man who always put his family first. A rock, a pillar and a stable force in many lives. To the very end, he was only concerned about how other people were doing, and even in the hospital when asked how he was, would simply answer, “I’m fine.”
    Bill is survived by his wife, Joyce, and his children, Christine Friedman, Timothy and Sandra Towne, Kelly and David Fisk and Michael and Nadine Towne. He is also survived by his 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Esther M. Chrystal, was born Oct. 7, 1931, in Lansing, Mich., the second child of Roy and Hazel Seeley. The family moved to Idaho when Esther was 7 years old, settling in Weippe. Esther graduated from Weippe High School at the age of 16 and went to work at the Headquarters Drug Store with her future mother-in-law. While in high school Esther delivered papers and worked setting pins in the local bowling alley.
Esther married Don Chrystal on Sept. 10, 1950. They lived in Headquarters, Spokane and spent many years in Bovill, before moving to Kendrick and eventually Lewiston. They had two daughters, Cheryl and Janet, whom they raised while living in Bovill. Esther worked at the grocery store in Bovill and then she began her long career with the Postal Service, eventually retiring from the Moscow Post Office in 1996.

 
Esther had many interests which included gardening, oil painting, reading and playing cards. She was quite competitive and loved beating whoever she was playing at cards. While living in Bovill she was a member of a bowling team with several other Bovill ladies that spent much of the time laughing and having a good time while bowling some too.
She was a member of Al-Anon for many years, making many lifetime friends while receiving and giving support to other members. Esther survived breast cancer in 2016, taking it in stride with her usual good-natured resilience. She was known for her upbeat personality, sense of humor and toughness. She had a positive effect on all who knew her.
Esther and Don were married 69 years before his passing in 2019.
 
Esther is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Cromer and Janet (Grady) Shawver, granddaughters Jennifer Cromer, Stephanie (Mike) Hall, all of Moscow, Kasey (Mat Hutton) Hardin of Lewiston, Alison and Navia Shawver of Cypress, Calif., and great-grandchildren Isaac, Trinity and Ben Hall and Sadie Hardin. She is also survived by her sister and brother-in-law Kaye and Jim Poindexter and sisters-in-law Marjean Seeley and Shirley Seeley and many cousins, nieces and nephews that she cared deeply about.

                                         Dec. 6, 1958 - Dec. 8, 2023

     Rick Von Gertje lost a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer                                    on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, surrounded by his loving family at the                                  family home in Kendrick.
He was born on Dec. 6, 1958, to Gary Gertje and Kaye (Weyen,                                  Gertje) Harris in Lewiston. Rick was the oldest of four siblings;                                        Bret, Gary and Shari, who often lovingly referred to their big                                            brother as "The Professor" due to his calm, soft-spoken and                                          logical demeanor.
     Growing up, Rick played under Mrs. Baker's tree on schoolhouse                                  hill with about 40 other neighborhood kids. In junior high and                                          high school he played football, raced motorcycles, often spent                                        weekends on his grandparents' farm and in the summer, water                                          skied and picnicked on Dworshak Reservoir with family and friends.
     Rick attended Juliaetta Elementary School and graduated from Kendrick High School in 1977. He attended the University of Idaho from 1977-78, then Lewis-Clark State College from 1978-80 earning an associate's degree in Mid-Management.
     While attending college, Rick worked for Brockes from 1977-80. Then in 1980 he started working for the Odom Corporation, Coca-Cola and worked there until 1992. In the summer of 1982, Rick took over the family farm in the Cameron/Leland area after the passing of his grandfather Billy Weyen. He continued to farm there for 39 years until his retirement in 2021.
     Rick married Joanne Parks on Dec. 17, 1982. They were the definition of true love, and were each other's best friends through their 40-plus years together. They had three daughters; Julia, Beth and Mary. He was devoted to the "Gertje Girls" being their biggest supporter and protector throughout their lives. He made sure to attend their sporting events, concerts, Junior Miss and any other activities that were important in their lives. Rick taught the girls many skills, such as changing tires, checking the engine oil, how to drive a stick shift, how to tie a fish hook, but most importantly the value of working hard, being honest and lending a helping hand.
     Rick and Joanne took many fishing, boating and camping trips to Dworshak with the girls. They also enjoyed spending time on the North Fork and St. Joe Rivers and taking rides in the mountains. He loved to be down in the canyon and made it a wonderful place for everyone to visit. He built a pond, stocking it with bass so the family could fish whenever they liked, and a fire pit to have smores and enjoy the view.
    Rick was blessed with nine grandchildren that he adored and loved beyond measure. He made sure to make many memories they will cherish. He took them fishing at the pond, camping and boating at Dworshak, swinging, tubing in the snow, zip-lining, combine and tractor rides, played cards, board games and roller-skating parties in the barn.
Rick, the family protector, the rock, the "Professor," the most amazing and loving son, brother, husband, dad and grandpa, will be dearly missed by all of his family and friends.