Roy Frank Podratz, 85

My name is Roy Frank Podratz for those who want to read my life story can start here, for those that don’t can go to another part of the paper.

I passed away March 30, 2016, at the Hospice of North Idaho Hospice House in Hayden, Idaho. I was born in Charles City, Iowa, on Feb. 9, 1931. I was one of six siblings. We moved in and around all over the Midwest. My father and I were carpenters. Well, he was, I was his helper.

I went in the Air Force in 1949. They stationed me at Fairchild Air Force Base where I became a boxer to get out of K-P Duty. I won the Golden Gloves and sparred with Joe Lewis, who beat me up pretty good.

Shortly there after, I met up with the love of my life, Dorothy Garberg. Don’t know exactly when I met her because time didn’t mean much back then. I just rolled from day to day. We were married Feb. 6, 1954, and I did wind up with a ready-made family of three girls: Darlene Carey (Stoffer) of Newport, Wash., who passed away Nov. 6, 2015; Carol Collins (Asseln) of Anacortes, Wash., who passed away Dec. 11, 2008; and Patricia Larson, my survivor of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

I worked in the mines in Kellogg for awhile and did a little logging for awhile, until I got on at Kaiser Aluminum where I worked for 34 years and retired from.

My hobbies that I enjoyed was building bird houses, crocheting, my dog “Chee Chee” and rolling around the country in my motor home with Dorothy (Dot) around the Northwest and Oregon Coast.

In January 2015, I lost my wife of 62 years to cancer, so I sold our home and moved in with my youngest daughter, Patricia (Patty) where I have resided until now.

I also have nine grandchildren, Robbie and Becky Stoffer of Newport, Teresa and Travis Ramsey of Arkansas, Lynnette Fluitt of Anacortes, Darryl and Tina Asseln of Anacortes, Angela and Scott Johnson of Anacortes, Tracy Sandford of Montana, James Sanford of Lewiston, Idaho, Darla Landred of Sultan, Wash., and Scott and Mimi Johnson of Coupeville, Wash. Also 14 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren.

I have lived 85 full years. My wife told me when she passed “she would walk slow so I could catch up.” So I better get walking.

Family and friends will gather for a private celebration of my life at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, 2016, at Patty Larson’s home.

— Written by Roy Frank Podratz