Donald Lyle 'Bear' Rose, 71

Donald Lyle "Bear" Rose passed away unexpectedly at home on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014.

Bear was born June 20, 1943, in Caldwell, Idaho, to Fred A. Rose and Grace Alsup Rose. He grew up in Caldwell, Homedale and Boise. Bear attended Jefferson Grade School, West Junior High, and graduated from Borah High School in 1961. While attending Borah High School, Bear played on the varsity basketball team and was the 1961 Student Body Vice President. In the fall of 1961, Bear attended the University of Idaho for one semester.

Bear married Sandra Fiscus on May 10, 1997, after a 13 year courtship. The wedding took place on a boat in the middle of beautiful Lake Pend Oreille. This lake has proven to be instrumental in their life together.

Bear began working in land surveying in 1962. He since has worked as a professional land surveyor in many western states for several companies, including Marschall, Preston & Associates, and Vern Marschall & Associates, of Coeur d'Alene; Howard Myers Company, of Spokane; Professional Consultants, Inc., of Missoula; and Sunshine Mining Company of Kellogg.

Bear eventually retired from Meckel Mining Company and Surveying of CDA in 1999. The favorite highlights of his long surveying career were, by far, the back country cadastral and mining surveys he performed in remote areas of Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Colorado, Nevada, California, Oregon, and Washington. Bear also had the once in a lifetime opportunity to survey in Sierra Leone, West Africa, which was an experience that had a profound impact on his life.

In retirement, Bear devoted his time to helping his beautiful bride, Sandi, run her family business, Boileaus' Resort, and the Buttonhook Inn, in Bayview, Idaho. Once the resort sold in 2005, Bear and Sandi officially retired and built their dream home together on Lake Pend Oreille.

Bear had many interests and hobbies, but none pleased him more than fishing and boating on Lake Pend Oreille with his son, Rocky, and golfing and playing poker with good friends, good cigars and great whiskey.

Bear was a Chamber Board Member at Large in the Bayview Chamber of Commerce. He was also a member of the Citizens Lake Response Group of Lake Pend Oreille, as well as a member of the Twin Lakes Village Golf Club.

Bear was preceded in death by two brothers, Joe Rose and Jerry Rose. He is survived by his loving wife, Sandi Fiscus Rose of Bayview; son Jeff Watkins (Thu) of Stafford, Texas; stepson Rocky Smith (Sandy) of Herriman, Utah; stepdaughter Tiffany Wilks Wheeler (Steve) of Simpsonville, Ky.; brother Harold Rose (Helen) of Austin, Texas; grandsons Justin and Mitch Watkins of Stafford, Texas; nieces Yvonne, Pam, and Denise; and his faithful four-legged best friend and buddy, Duke.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, at Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d'Alene Chapel, 744 N. 4th St., Coeur d'Alene. Please visit Bear's online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Bayview/Athol Food Bank or the Kootenai Humane Society.