Ray L. Briere, 86, passed away gently in his sleep at the Hospice House on February 3, 2014.

Ray was born on October 6, 1927, in Malta, Mont., to William and Dorothy Briere, the youngest of three children. After graduating from high school in 1944, Ray's family moved to Idaho - the perfect place for Ray to enjoy his favorite pastimes of hunting and fishing.

Ray entered the Navy in 1945, and took up training as a body and fender mechanic at tech school in Farragut, Idaho. While there, Ray met his wife-to-be at a community dance. She was a young farm girl name Betty Hooker who stole his heart. Ray and Betty were married that November in Coeur d'Alene, and then moved to Lewiston, Idaho. There, Ray found work at the Potlatch Forest Mill, but his heart yearned for the Coeur d'Alene area.

A few months later, Betty's father gave them 27 acres of land in Garwood, Idaho, as a wedding gift, and Ray and Betty started to build their dream home. Ray worked nearby at the White Pine Lumber Co. for about five years. Then, after a short time in a body and fender shop, Ray went back to work at PFI.

Ray was always a hard, devoted worker at his job and in his home. He loved to take his boys camping and rock collecting along the river beds. Sadly, Ray and Betty divorced in 1957, but although they went their separate ways, they remained friends for the next 50-plus years.

Ray then married Carol Schafer of Coeur d'Alene, and moved his family to Sitka, Alaska. He continued to work for PFI pulp mill until he joined the Alaska Laborers Union out of Anchorage and worked on the construction of the Alaska pipeline. Ray then retired.

During his lifetime, Ray was a very talented artist who loved to create totem poles and animal carvings. He also traveled a lot between the Alaska and Arizona region, and simply enjoyed life. He made many friends, and will be missed dearly.

Ray is survived by his first love, Betty; his second wife, Carol; his three children: Dan Briere, of Post Falls, Idaho; Rick Briere, of Fremont, Calif., and Debra Clark, of Missoula, Mont., granddaughters: Miracle Haynes, of Spirit Lake, Idaho, and Tammy Bankson, of Samuels, Idaho; sisters: Ilene and Marie, of the Lewiston, Idaho, area; numerous great grandchildren, and many other family members and friends.

At Ray's request, cremation has taken place and a celebration of his life will soon follow.