Alexander "Alex" F. Brehm, 82, went to be with his Lord on March 16, 2015, in Colville, Wash. Alex was born in Chicago, Ill., on Oct. 18, 1932, to John and Elizabeth (Kinsfather) Brehm.

Alex was a builder who started out doing remodeling and small additions in the Chicago area. He met his wife, Linda, when he was hired to remodel her family's home. They were married in 1961 in Palatine, Ill., and celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary on Dec. 2, 2014. Linda was the love of his life. He once told her they were "Two Hearts, joined into One Love." Linda would always say that Alex made her laugh at least once every day with the way he could turn a conversation around to make it funny.

In 1967 Alex moved his family to southern Idaho, where he had been raised. After settling in Twin Falls, Idaho, he specialized in building custom homes and light commercial buildings. He was once told he was like an "old world craftsman," because he was so meticulous. No job was done until it was perfect. That attention to detail made him a wonderful trim carpenter. He loved creating floor plans and designing homes to meet the needs and dreams of the homeowner. He had a wonderful ability to visualize exactly what something would look like once it was built, and was able to put that down on paper.

Together, he and Linda loved to travel and see the world on cruise ships. They went on 33 cruises, but the most memorable were those they took with their grandchildren. In 1977 they moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They were snowbirds for many years and loved spending their summers at home in Coeur d'Alene, and winters at their home in Sun City West, Ariz.

Alex loved to golf and said he had the best of both worlds when he could golf year round. One of his most memorable rounds of golf was at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course with his brothers Bob and Dan, and his son Todd. He loved to have Todd come from Missoula, Mont., to play golf with him, and Alex would make trips to Montana so he and Todd could spend time on some of Montana's beautiful courses. When they moved to Colville in 2005, he would enjoy golfing trips to Canada and Chewelah with his son-in-law, Eric Pannell, and dear friends Mike Birch and Fareon Ferguson.

Alex also loved to salmon fish off the coast of Vancouver Island. He and his brother Dan, and their friend Martin Mohr, had many stories to tell about some of these trips. On one of his fishing trips with his brother Dan to Kootenay Lake, B.C., Alex caught a 24 and a half pound rainbow trout!

Alex enjoyed a good martini, especially when he could have one with Linda's sister, Nancy Blanchard. They had a whole routine when she would come visit that included a long conversation about how it was the best martini they'd had and which vodka was the smoothest.

Above all, Alex was in love with his family. He cherished every moment shared in the company of his grandchildren. Alex was the consummate provider that never left his family wanting. His demeanor, although firm on the outside, was simply to cover a man whose heart was so tender, he cried at the thought of people in need. His tears fell freely in compliment to the accomplishments of his family, his love for them and the indelible memories they created together. All this, and his lectures on life, wonderfully dry sense of humor, command and delivery of the "one-liners" and his love for sweets are luminescent treasures that will offer light in those hearts dimmed by his absence.

Alex was preceded in death by his parents, John and Elizabeth Brehm; brothers John, Edward, Daniel, Robert, and Samuel; three older brothers who passed away in the early 1900s; sisters Marie Favaro and Frieda Hallsten; and his adored son, Todd Brehm, with whom he is now playing golf on God's beautiful courses.

Alex is survived by his wife, Linda; daughter Holly Pannell and her husband Eric of Colville. Alex also has three children from a previous marriage: sons Rick Brehm of Round Lake, Ill., Randy (Brehm) Olson of Antioch, Ill., and daughter Rhonda Richardson of Phoenix, Ariz. Alex was especially proud of his 10 beautiful grandchildren: Matthew, Nathan, Rachel, Michael, Lauren, Amanda, Thomas, Brittany, Caitlin, and Zachary; his nine great-grandchildren; his sister-in-law Nancy Blanchard and her husband Jack of Glendale, Ariz., plus numerous nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Mr. Alexander F. Brehm will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church, 295 E. Dominion Ave., Colville, under the direction of his beloved pastor, Rev. Eric Ohrtman. Graveside services and vault interment will follow at Mountain View Park Cemetery in Colville.

Memorial contributions may be given to the St. Paul Lutheran Church, Colville, in memory of Alex.

Please visit the on-line memorial and sign his guestbook at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com. Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 155 W. First Ave., Colville, Wash., is entrusted with the arrangements.