Irvin James Flesher, 91
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 15 years AGO
Irvin James "Jim" Flesher died quietly of congestive heart failure at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene on the morning of Sept. 16, 2011. He was 91, born on Sept. 2, 1920, to Irvin Brian and Mildred Amy Peterson Flesher in St. Paul, Minn.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Alicemarian Clifford Flesher; four children: Paula and John Neils (Hauser), Barbara Camp (Libby, Mont.), Richard and Bobbie Flesher (Yaak, Mont.), and Julie and Dan English (Wenatchee, Wash.); 16 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren and a sister, Dorothy Hinricks (Tacoma, Wash.).
Jim and Alice met in high school in Harlem, Mont., and were married on Aug. 4, 1943, in Libby. Jim enlisted on Dec. 17, 1941, and served in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief on a C-47 cargo plane stationed in Guam and North Africa. After the war, they settled in Libby where he worked for many years for the J. Neils Lumber Company as a mechanic.
In 1964 he fulfilled his dream to start his own business, Jim's Lineup and Radiator Shop, which he operated for nearly 20 years. During his years in Libby, he belonged to the Knights of Columbus, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. After his retirement in 1982, he and Alice traveled around the U.S. in their motor home and spent several winters in Quartzite, Ariz.
For many years they were avid square and round dancers, played pinochle and enjoyed their family. They moved to Hauser where Jim suffered a severe heart attack in 2003. Shortly thereafter they moved to Rathdrum and took care of each other in their own apartment. Jim was a kind-hearted, loving, gentle soul who most enjoyed light-hearted banter with friends and acquaintances. He will be sorely missed.
His ashes will be interred in the Libby Cemetery near his parents' and a grandmother. Family and friends gathered for a remembrance at the Neils' home on Sept. 18, 2011.
Heritage Funeral Home, 508 N. Government Way, Spokane, WA 99224, was in charge of the arrangements. Please visit Irvin's online memorial at www.heritagefunerals.com.