Dad was proud of his title of "Jack of all Trades, Master of None". Looking back on the trail of his life, however, shows him to have been the Master of most everything he put his hand to. Along the way, he "acquired" countless friends, relatives, and co-workers, mentoring most, beloved by all. Born in the pre-depression west, he lived thru the early days of Idaho, working at ranches, sawmills, and mines. He loved working as a Government Packer, packing the US Geological Survey Cartographer into the Monumental Drainage to draw up the first topo-maps of that area, many of which are still the ones in use for that area. He worked at packing plants, moved mobile homes, then went into the construction trade with companies such as M-K, McGregor Triangle, and Galey's. He helped build the Hell's Canyon Dam, worked on the Nuclear Test Sites in Nevada, built highways on both sides of Idaho, as well as the Utility and Service Lines in Boise. He did a hitch in the Army, stationed in Japan, while staging for Korea. He later joined the US Navy Seabees, and worked on projects all over the northern hemisphere. Thanks to his father, he was born into music, and was playing and singing by the age of 5. He played the upright Bass, or "Bull" fiddle, acoustic guitar, mandolin, harmonica, a little bit of fiddle, some steel guitar, and even picked up a few keyboard skills. Some of our best memories are of Dad playing and singing, and he never lacked an audience. Whether with Granddad, Uncle Chuck, Uncle Jerry, Doyle, "Fizz", or the countless other musicians over the many years, Dad had a band in his soul, and everyone was welcome to "sit in", and sing along. He made music and friends wherever he was at, and passed that gift along to nephews, nieces, friends, and myself. For the past years he entertained the YellowPine residents and Harmonica Days visitors. In fact, he was "practicing up" to entertain some folks at the airport, later this month, on the day he began having problems. His trip on this Earth covered most all the West, as far East as Louisiana, South to Texas, and North into Canada. He hunted and fished, and looked for huckleberries, mushrooms, and gold. Found more hucks than gold, but that's just the way it goes. He was always one for looking to see what's just over that next hill, and had the eagle-eyes of the hunter, and could cover more ground, uphill or down, than any other person I've ever seen. As a true outdoorsman, one of his passions was to leave wherever he was a little bit better than when he found it, and he passed that job on to us all. He went to Railroad Telegrapher's school in SLC, Utah, where he met and married Lewgene Bittick. The family eventually consisted of sons David and Blake, and daughter Carrie. He and Uncle Jerry joined the Mason's, becoming a 32nd degree Mason. Since Dad had quit high school to work and support his family, he went back to school and got his diploma. Said it was because he needed a new watch, but he was proud of that piece of paper. A few years after he retired, he lost Mom to a heart attack. Later, Dad met and fell in love with Sharon, who showed him the fun of travel and seeing "the sights". They were married in the Methodist church in Sweet. They later sold the place in Sweet and moved to Yellow Pine, rebuilding the small cabin there into a mountain retreat Dad loved living in, and working on. The two of them traveled the West, snow-birded in Texas and Arizona, and hit yard sales in towns from Texas to Montana, with numerous trips to Sumpter. But while they enjoyed the travel, they missed home. At home, Dad perfected the skills of building with logs, using an axe, a chainsaw, and 20-penny spikes. He had always loved to build, and Yellow Pine gave him the perfect workshop to practice in. It also provided him with the fly-fisher's heaven of fast waters and fish with an attitude. I've seen him catch his limit from waters where others had been fishing for hours, with nary a strike. He always said "You just have to talk nice to them". Leather is another skill Dad was a master of. Today, there are billfolds, belts, book covers, and saddle tack being used all over the country, all made by his own hands. It seemed he could make most anything you could think of. He passed some of that on to my cousins and me. Dad is survived by his wife, Sharon; sister, Annie; sons, David (Carol), Blake (Beth), and Billy (Darcy); daughters, Carrie (Robin) and Rita (Bruce); granddaughters, Nicole (Allen), Angel (Shem), and Mandi (Phill); grandsons, Sean (Tia), Mike (Jessica), Clayton, Jason (Chrissy), and Jesse. His nieces, Marty (Jason), Shannon (R.V.), Mary, and Molly; and nephews, Will (Patti), Charlie (Deena), Darrin (Kari), Dan, and Dallas may have been born to his brother and sister, but he always figured they were his, as well. He always said he could use all the grandkids he could get. Of course, the very stars in his universe were the Great Grandkids. Tristan, Tyrus, Caitlin, Matthew, Michael, Gavin, Taigen, Mykel, DJ, Jaymos, Cairah, Dominic, and Sarita. They are the ones who lost the most. We had years with Dad, but the Great Grandkids didn't get near enough time to be with him. They loved him wholeheartedly, and he got his greatest joy from them. Dad was my hero, teaching all of us not just the "how" of things, but also the "why". The world has lost the gift of his music, and his creative craftsmanship. We have only the memory of his smile, his way of putting people at ease, that skill of making them feel "at home". His motto was always "A stranger's just a friend I haven't met yet". Dad, you are sorely missed. The chorus to one of his favorite songs goes like this: I'll be waiting on the far side bank of Jordan I'll be waiting, drawing pictures in the sand And when I see you coming, I will rise up with a shout And come running out to meet you, just reaching for your hand. See you there, Dad. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 8th at Summers Funeral Homes, 1205 W. Bannock Street, Boise. There will be a viewing from 11:00 a.m. until service time. In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorials in his name to the American Heart Association .

Published in Idaho Statesman on September 5, 2010