Long-time Salmon area rancher and businessman, George Henry Stoddard died 11 February 1989 in St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise. He was born 2 September 1907 at Parker, Idaho, the fourth child of William Henry and Catherine Coffin Stoddard.

His family moved to Downey, Idaho, when he was a baby. At age eight, he was baptized in the Downey Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When 10, he and his family moved to Twin Falls and at 17 to Jerome where he finished school.

He farmed in Jerome until 1933 at which time the family bought the Barracks Ranch, seven miles up the Lemhi River.

George met his future wife, Josie Hansen, a high school teacher, at a dance in Jerome and they were married on 22 December 1934, at Shoshone, Idaho. Their first home was an apartment above the J.C. Penny Store in Salmon.

In 1935 the couple moved to Los Angeles, California, where George attended Hemphill Heavy Equipment Mechanic School. Following graduation, he worked with highway construction and later with Permante Concrete Co.

While living in Santa Clara, California, the couple owned and operated an auto court, service station and grocery store complex. During these busy years, their two daughters, Patty and Judy were born.

In 1943 he moved to a ranch on Bohannon Creek in Salmon, where he raised black Angus cattle. He purchased the old airport in 1958, converting it to Salmon River Equipment Company, a farm implement and automobile dealership.

Upon semi-retirement in 1981, George had time to actively pursue his passion for restoring antique machinery. All along he still continued to sell miscellaneous parts to his old customers and friends. He had a phenominal memory for locating each and every miscellaneous part.

He was a school trustee for eight years for Geertson Creek School District, a past member of Salmon Chamber of Commerce, the local Eagles Lodge, and in Santa Clara, California, Masonic Lodge, and the local Salmon, Pomona, State and National Grange. He was a master of Salmon Grange twice.

He is survived by his wife, Josie, of Salmon; two daughters, Patty Sales of Boise and Judy Blalock of Hailey; seven grandchildren, Aleta Pottenger, of Los Angeles, Scott Beverly and Barbara Sales of Boise, George Blalock of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Dawn Roberts of Moscow, Idaho; three great grandchildren; two sisters, Estelle Walker of Salt Lake City and Elizabeth Collins; three brothers, Frank Stoddard of Salmon, Lee.....