Lewis Marvin Minich, 97

| January 17, 2011 12:04 PM

Lewis Marvin Minich, 97, passed away Jan. 14, 2011. Lewis was born to Joseph John and Ella Emma (Ihlenfeldt) Minich on Jan. 1, 1914, in DePere, Wis.

The Minich family moved to Pasadena, Calif., in 1932. Lewis graduated from John Marshall High School and Pasadena Jr. College. He married Evelyn Strickland in 1941.

Lewis worked as a Tooling Engineer at Harlow Aircraft, Tooling Superintendent at Hardman Aircraft, Tooling Engineer at Beckman Instruments and Engineering Designer at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

"Lew" moved to Rathdrum in 2001. He loved clearing his forest property, feeding the squirrels and quail, and (when a young man) hunting and prospecting in the Mojave Desert.

Lewis is survived by his son, David Minich of Rathdrum; daughter Marilyn Holmes of Rathdrum; daughter Rosalie Munschy of Lancaster, Calif.; grandchildren Matthew Minich, Sarah Sandefur, James and Stephen Holmes, David and Steven Leggins; 13 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Helen Stone and nieces Karen Coady and Susan Goss.

The immediate family is having a private service in Mojave, Calif.