Ed Servick, 88

George Edward Servick passed away peacefully at North Idaho Hospice on Nov. 23, 2017, after a short battle with cancer. Ed was born Oct. 14, 1929, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the only son of George and Minnie (Toney) Servick.

He attended local Catholic schools and graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1948, where he also met the love of his life, Karmen Brenno. The two were married on Dec. 12, 1952, and were blessed with three children, to whom they devoted the rest of their lives.

In 1954, Ed joined the Army and served in Italy. After returning home he attended North Idaho College before transferring to Gonzaga University in Spokane where he earned his degree in civil engineering in 1961.

Ed worked hard throughout his life and was employed in several occupations over the course of his career; working as an engineer for Potlatch Paper in Lewiston, for Idaho Forest Industries in Coeur d’Alene, for Carney Pole Company in Spokane and for Bunker Hill Mines in Kellogg. Eventually, Ed took the position as the head of operations and building maintenance for Spokane County, from which he retired from in 1997.

Ed could fix or build anything and loved to tinker in his garage. His true passions in life however were reserved for his family and for sports, which never seemed far apart for him. Growing up on the ski slopes of North Idaho he was an expert skier, and, while serving in Italy, was asked to be a forerunner for the Winter Olympic Games in Cortina. After returning home, he and a group of friends developed the Signal Point Ski Area, and skiing became a way of life for the Servick children. Nearly every winter weekend was spent on the slopes or traveling around the region to see his children ski race.

Later in life, Ed became an avid golfer, and he eventually built his and Karmen’s dream home behind the 11th green at the Coeur d’Alene Golf Club. For the past 20 years, Ed could be found nearly every day on the links with family and friends. As with skiing, he taught his children to golf and it too became a family tradition, with his son a PGA pro and daughters competing in local tournaments.

Ed was perhaps most at home when he was on the lake in Coeur d’Alene. He loved the water and grew up swimming off Tubbs Hill and fishing and boating with his friends. For several years, Ed anchored the Coeur d’Alene water show and his waterskiing acrobatics were often featured on Coeur d’Alene postcards. He built the family’s lake cabin where he and Karmen spent most summer weekends providing their children and their many nieces and nephews with magical childhoods filled with swimming, waterskiing, campfires, nights under the stars and love.

Ed was a man of integrity and a quiet dignity. He lived his life to its full, cherishing his family, friends, good food, telling stories, taking his dog “stinky” on long walks and Gonzaga basketball. He will be remembered as the rock of his family; as the constant companion and loving husband to his wife of 64 years; as the proud and tender father to his adoring daughters; as a kind and gentle grandfather to his “baby doll” granddaughter; as the fun-loving “Uncle Eddy” to the many nieces and nephews he helped raise and as a true friend and an honest man to all who knew him. He will be forever missed by those who had the good fortune to share in his life.

Ed was preceded in death by his son, Steven Edward Servick; and four of his sisters, LuVerne Tacklind, Carmen Galbraith, Gwendolyn Sisk and Eloise Gordon.

He is survived by his wife, Karmen; daughters Susan Kaye Servick and Shelly Servick Lewis, and their husbands, Cornell Clayton and Jay Lewis; by his sister, Sr. Jacque Servick (Scranton, Pa.); by grandchildren Karmen Frampton Chenoweth and husband Dylan, Katherine Clayton and husband Martin (London, U.K.) and Nicholas Clayton; by his sister-in-law, Georgie King; and by numerous nieces and nephews, including Lola and Duane Hagadone, Teriann and Michael Herman (Buckeye, Ariz.), Laurie Ann King, Stephanie King, Joan and Bob Thompson (Crosby, N.D.), and James and Gail Galbraith (Navato, Calif.).

A celebration of Ed’s life will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Fifth and Reid, in Coeur d’Alene, with Yates Funeral Home, Coeur d’Alene, in care of the arrangements. Those wishing to sign a guest book or leave their thoughts on line can sign a guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.

The family wishes to thank the caring staff at Kootenai Health and Hospice of North Idaho. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, ID 83835; or Trinity Lutheran Church, 812 N. Fifth St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.