Jack Henry Troxel, 89
Jack Henry Troxel died at 89 years of age in Spokane, Wash., on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 - Veterans Day.
He was born on Sept. 7, 1921, in Aspen, Colo., to Thomas Ray and Lucy (Perchat) Troxel.
Jack was raised during the depression in the mountains of Colorado, the second oldest of six children. His mother was a French war bride and his father was a steam shovel operator. He spent time in France as a youth with his mother and her family.
He joined the Army in September 1941, trained as a paratrooper and later joined the famed ski troopers - the 10th Mountain Division. In 1945, while fighting in Italy, Jack was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action and the Purple Heart for being shot two months later.
After the war, he worked as a ski instructor, mining powderman, sporting goods salesman and a hydroplane racer. He briefly held the world's record for Class C stock outboard hydroplane speed - more than 72 miles an hour. In 1951 he married Doris K. Newton in Denver, Colo., and started a family. Later, he bought and operated a hunting and fishing resort in Northern Saskatchewan at Lac La Plonge. He loved the outdoors and felt most at ease in the wilderness. After moving back to the states, he built houses in Bonners Ferry and Kanab, Utah.
He was a compassionate man to those less fortunate. He generously gave over the years to his favorite charity the Christian Blind Mission, he collected discarded eye-glasses for the poor, he enjoyed being a Salvation Army bell ringer, and would often visit the lonely in nursing homes.
He was a brave soldier, not only in the war when he took out a machine gun nest but afterward in the '50s when he confronted the KKK who threatened a black neighboring family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his siblings, Jean Attleson, Mimi Sumpter, Bob Troxel, Ray Troxel and Jerry Troxel.
He is survived by his wife, Doris; son Brian (Linda) Troxel of Cranbrook, B.C., and son Steve (Lisa) Troxel of Hayden and also his six grandchildren Nathan (Katie) Troxel of Victoria, B.C., Carmen Troxel of Fernie, B.C., Timothy Troxel of Cranbrook, B.C., Samantha (Jerry) Johnson of Meridian, Alex Troxel and Thomas Troxel of Hayden.
A memorial reception will be held from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, 2010, at the Friends' Church in Hayden. If anyone wishes to leave a note or tell a Jack story please go to http://perlworks.com/jack/