Ben H. Beare, 89

Ben H. Beare, 89, of Cataldo, passed away Nov. 2, 2011, at Shoshone Medical Center in Kellogg. He was born July 1, 1922, to Thomas Edward Beare and Mary Elizabeth Greenhaw Beare in Lurton, Ark. Ben moved to Idaho with his brothers, a sister and mother in 1937.

He schooled in Cataldo, but deciding he wanted to be a logger, he dropped school, picked up the cross cut saw and settled in. Ben loved the challenge of logging, the outdoors and the wildlife. His hobbies became hunting and fishing. Ben was also a great story teller and shared many tales of growing up in the Ozarks.

In October 1942, he laid the saw down, donned his Navy Blues and served for two years, 11 months and two weeks. He was 19 months in the Solomon Islands as torpedo 2nd class specialist before coming home. He often told of the beautiful "first sight" of the Golden Gate Bridge. Ben was stationed in California for a short time before his transfer to Whidbey Island, Wash.

While on leave, Ben married Grace Agnes Self of Coeur d'Alene. They moved to Whidbey Island until his discharge on Oct. 15, 1945. Ben and Agnes came home to Cataldo where he picked up the cross-cut saw and was again a logger. When the cross-cut was replaced by the power saw, Ben enjoyed his work even more. He excelled and was very proud of the job he did.

Ben and Agnes had two children - Sandra, who now lives in Sitka, Alaksa, and a son Larry, deceased in 1967. He was a devoted father and husband who took great pride in his family.

Ben leaves at home his wife, Agnes of 66 years, four months and one day; his daughter, Sandra; grandchildren Shayne Humphreys and his wife Renee' of Meridan, and Gaynor and husband Jerry Trebilcock of Port Orchard, Wash.; 18 great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Also, two sisters-in-law - Sylvia Beare married to Hayward and Lois Beare married to Tom. Ben was the youngest of his siblings and the last of his generation.

Preceding him in death were brothers Ed, Earl, Robert and Hayward of Cataldo, Roscoe and Jewel of Arkansas, and Tom of Spirit Lake; sisters Vernie Gregory of Missouri, Ader Wells of Arkansas and Alpha Blalack of Cataldo.

It has been mentioned that Ben greatly loved the outdoors. It was a common sign to see Ben walking around Hardy Loop. The last few months, he enjoyed watching the deer in the yard and the hummingbirds at the feeders. Both the deer and the hummingbirds were so used to him being outside that he had a deer come up and touched his hand and had hummingbirds landing on his finger.

Remember Ben, when you hear the elk bugle, when you see a doe and fawn in the field, and when you watch the hummingbirds feeding. And may the remembrance bring a smile.