Wesley Dale Holden, known as Dale to family and friends, of Athol, Idaho, returned to his eternal home on early Saturday morning, Sept. 10, 2016, while at Hospice of North Idaho from complications as a result of pancreatic cancer.

Dale was born in French Camp, Calif., on Nov. 5, 1945, to Wesley and Iona Holden. He graduated from Brentwood High School in Brentwood, Calif., and attended Mount Diablo Junior College.

Dale moved his family to Idaho from central California in the late 1970s where he later began a career as a rural postal carrier with the Hayden, Idaho, Post Office, retiring in 2007 after 28 years of service. He volunteered as an EMT in the Bayview/Athol/Spirit Lake area and also served more than 15-plus years as a volunteer fireman with the Timberlake Fire Protection District followed by several years of dedicated service as a commissioner there.

Dale was baptized on July 22, 2012, and became a member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, where he has been serving as a chairman of the Fellowship Committee for the past two years. He loved his family beyond words and his puppy, Bentleigh, his Church, Pastor Bloom and his Church family at SOTH.

He will be sorely missed by his wife of six years, LaWana J. Holden; his sons, David Holden of Post Falls, Idaho, Jeff Holden of Newman Lake, Wash., and Daniel Holden (Sarah) of Post Falls; stepson Brandon Friis (Corey) of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; stepdaughters Nikki Lambert (Jason) of Coeur d’Alene and Kara DeArmond (Justin) of Weilerbach, Germany; his brother, Jerry Holden (Marcia) of Athol; sister Kathy Crouch (Larry) of Spirit Lake, Idaho; his former spouse, Anne Holden of Yuma, Ariz.; 18 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; three nieces and one nephew.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016, at Yates Funeral Home, Hayden Chapel, 373 E. Hayden Ave., Hayden, Idaho.

Dale’s memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16, 2016, at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 13541 W. Highway 53, Rathdrum, Idaho, Pastor Neil Bloom presiding. Lunch will follow. Dale will be interred at a private service at Forest Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Kootenai County Police and Fire Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 1748, Hayden, ID 83835 or online at firstrespondersmemorial.org; to Hospice of North Idaho, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815; or to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 13541 W. Highway 53, Rathdrum, ID 83858.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Richard McLandress, Dr. Brittany Burns, Dr. Doug Borst and Dr. Emily Cox and the other young men and women at Kootenai Health Family Medicine Residency, the nursing staff at Kootenai Health, Dr. Ronald Fritz, Drs. Mielke, Jones and Peterson, Dr. David Bartels, Dr. Robert Ancker and the staff at Hospice of North Idaho for their loving care and support during this very difficult time.

Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Dale’s online memorial at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com and sign his guest book.