Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather, Edwin "Ed" Louis Helfer, 85, of Post Falls, Idaho (formerly of Prichard, Idaho), passed away Dec. 8, 2014, at Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene, surrounded by his loving family. He was born April 27, 1929, in Superior, Mont. Ed was the son of Bert and Elsie (Osborn) Helfer.

Ed grew up in Mullan, Idaho; he attended and graduated from the Mullan High School in 1947. As a young boy, he worked with his father cutting firewood. After high school, he logged with his brother-in-law, Donald McLeod, then worked at an auto dealership in Wallace, Idaho.

Ed and Edith's life together was a true love story. He met his sweetheart when Edith Christopherson moved to Mullan from Murray, Idaho. As he says it: "The first time I saw her, I knew she was the girl I was going to marry." They were united in marriage on June 19, 1949, at the Lutheran Church in Mullan.

After their marriage, Ed took a carpentry job at the Star Mine in Burke, Idaho. The carpentry training followed him all of his life and he worked a second job building kitchen cabinets, along with other construction jobs. He continued the carpentry work at the Lucky Friday Mine and was instrumental in building many of the current buildings that are there now. Ed changed careers in 1964 and became a State Farm insurance agent for the next 26 years. He had a very successful agency and won numerous awards.

Ed had many interests including hunting, fishing, cutting wood, music and drinking a beer around the camp fire. He hunted in the Lochsa, Cayuse Junction, for more than 40 years. Ed loved working on his property in Prichard and it showed. He always said "the harder I work, the better I feel." Ed also had a great interest in local geology and history. He read many related books and enjoyed sharing his knowledge with family and friends. Ed was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Mullan and a former member of the Wallace Elks Lodge.

Ed is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Edith Helfer of the family home in Post Falls; three daughters Darla (Bill) Configliacco, Diane (Keith) Jutila and Denise (Spike) Angle; nine "crummy" grandkids Bruce (Wendy) McConville, Bryan (Jill) McConville, Tony (Becky) Configliacco, Bob (Amy) Jutila, Shari (Scott) Garitone, Pat (Stephanie) McConville, Sharon (Randy) Johnson, Nick (April) Angle and Sean (Heather) Angle; 25 great-grandkids and two great-great-grandkids. Ed always joked when family was leaving his house to make sure to take all the "crummy" kids home. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, one sister and one grandson.

Please join us in celebrating Ed's life at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, 2014, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Mullan. A gathering of family and friends and a potluck luncheon will be held at the church following services.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 434, Mullan, ID 83846 or to the Silver Valley Cancer Resource Center, 204 Oregon St., Suite J, Kellogg, ID 83837.

Shoshone Funeral Services & Crematory, Kellogg, Idaho, is entrusted with funeral arrangements. One may sign Ed's online guest book at www.shoshonefuneralservice.com.