Harold Kiel, 99

Harold F. Kiel was born Sept. 5, 1923, in South St. Paul, Minn., to Hannah Rewerts-Kiel and Clarence J. Kiel and passed Jan. 3, 2023, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, at the age of 99. Harold grew up as the third in line of his siblings (Joe, Lois and Betty) in Thief’s River, Minn. — all preceding him in death. At an early age, he developed a love of hunting and the outdoors, as well as an incredible entrepreneurial spirit which was to serve well throughout his life. He had a love for doing things he had an "innate feel for," like woodworking and growing vegetables, fruit and trees.

He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps after high school from 1941-42 in Middle River, Miss., volunteering to learn and perform work as a cook and baker.

He joined the U.S. Navy in 1942, serving until 1945 in the Asia-Pacific theatre on a ship that performed rescue evacuation operations for wounded military personnel. After his Honorable Discharge, he married Ingrid Pearson in 1945 and had two children — Anita (Kiel) Carrel and Eric Kiel (Ingrid and Eric precede him in death). He and his wife, Ingrid, spent many happy years living in Port Townsend, Wash., until her passing when Harold relocated to Idaho to be near his children. Harold practiced his woodworking art called “wood-bending” in Port Townsend, Wash., where he held a show and sold many of his one-of-a-kind pieces.

After Harold’s discharge from Military Service, he returned to school taking courses where he received a Certification in Engineering from MIT. He then went to work for the U.S. Department of Forestry in California. After a time, he opened up his own business in California where he bought and sold fresh flowers – delivering to various flower shops/locations all over the Bay Area and the Sacramento Valley for several years, building up a clientele and reputation until he was able to open up his own floral supply and craft business in Sacramento, Calif. – Kiel’s Floral Craft & Supply in the mid-1960s. He built the building and was one of the very first to offer floral and craft demonstrations and training in the industry. He eventually sold the business to Leewards, and it would later sell to Michaels.

In 2015, Hayden, Idaho, local M.D. Kincaid published a book based on the diaries of Harold and that of a Japanese Kamikaze pilot titled “One Came Home.” It was one of Harold’s proudest moments in 2015 as he also served as Grand Marshal for the Coeur d’Alene Veterans Day parade the same year.

He is survived by his second wife, Shannon (Baxter) Kiel of Post Falls, Idaho, his daughter, Anita (Kiel) Carrel of Hayden, Idaho, his grandchildren — Valerie Carrel, Travis Carrel and Bradley Carrel — his great-grandchildren, Olivia Carrel and Brayden Carrel of Rathdrum, Idaho — and his nephew, Larry Vandermay of Orcas Island, Wash.

Harold was always proud of his service in WWII and thought he was fortunate that he never bore the physical scars and wounds that he was witness to on the rescue ship on which he served. He could never bear to watch “war” movies or violent shows as they brought terrible nightmares for him. With this in mind, in lieu of flowers, a donation to your local Wounded Warriors or Veteran Group in his name would be appreciated.

Memorial services are to be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 3, 2023, at English Funeral Chapel – 1133 N. Fourth Str, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814.