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Robert Gale Edstrom, 85

| April 9, 2010 4:08 AM

Robert Gale Edstrom, 85, of, Post Falls, passed away in Coeur d’Alene on March 9, 2010. He was born April 4, 1924, in Oregon City, Ore., to Bernard A. and Sophie Marie Edstrom.

The family moved to Spokane later that year, where Bob attended local schools and graduated from Rogers High School.

From December 1942 to June 1946 during World War II he served in the Medical Corps attached to the Army’s 42nd Infantry (Rainbow Division) in the European theater. His division liberated the Dachau concentration Camp near Munich, Germany.

Bob married Wanda Fry in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Nov. 7, 1947, while working as a civilian for the Air Force. They resided in Hart Mountain, Wyo., from 1948-1950 while he worked for the Bureau of Reclamation.

From 1951 until Wanda’s death in January 1997, the Edstroms lived in Idaho Falls, where Bob worked in the accounting and budget department as a prime operating contractor for NRTS/INEL, the Idaho Nuclear Engineering Laboratory.

For 12 years after retiring he volunteered as a chaplain at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

He moved to Post Falls Oct. 1, 1998, and married Jean Arkin on May 14, 1999.

Bob was a Sunday school superintendent and elder at St. John’s Lutheran Church; was a member of Fellowship Club, Lutheran Layman’s League, Golfing committee at Pinecrest Golf Course, Full Gospel Businessmen, Chaplain at Kootenai County jail, Governor’s Prayer Luncheon committee Real Life Ministries, Life member of VFW, and he enjoyed hunting, fishing and traveling.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Lloyd, Virgil and William. He is survived by his wife, Jean of Post Falls; his children, Robin and Joanie Edstrom of Mountain Home, Denise and Tom Muhly of Cheyenne, Wyo., Jill and Jim Dawson of Post Falls; his grandchildren, Kip and Kristen Edstrom of Salt Lake City, Utah, Mistie and Alec McKinney of Mountain Home, Sarah and Leonard Oltman of Mountain Home; Heidi and Tim Norton of Siguiri, Guinea, W. Africa; Jonathan and Julie Muhly of Moscow, Russia, and James and Jessica Dawson of Post Falls. He also left numerous great-grandchildren and step-children and step-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at noon Saturday, April 17, 2010, at Real Life Ministries Bldg. 2. Lunch will follow, and then military honors and committal at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls in the Veterans Memorial Wall.

In lieu of flowers, donations at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls may be made to Bob’s favorite charity, Esther Estacion, (Tagbilaran Baptist Church on the memo line) c/o Sally Murphy,  224 S. 14th St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.