Burton 'Burt' John Lenker, 96
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 2 years, 5 months AGO
Lenker
Burton “Burt” John Lenker, 96, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, died June 26, 2023, at Ivy Court in Coeur d’Alene.
Burt was born April 12, 1927, in Gooding, Idaho, to Earl Albert and Beulah J. (Johnson) Lenker. He had four siblings: Gaylord Lenker, Albert Lenker, Robert Lenker and Isabel Lenker Snyder.
He grew up in Gooding, Idaho, and on the family farm located in Tuttle, Idaho. He graduated from Gooding High School. He attended the University of Idaho, Albion College in Albion, Idaho, and Idaho State College, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1953. He then graduated from Eastern Oregon College with a master's in education in 1963.
Burt married Joyce (Hobdey) Lenker in 1948 in Bliss, Idaho. He then married Anita (Powell) Lenker in 1997 in Lewiston, Idaho. They were happily married until her passing Sept. 15, 2022.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II from May 11, 1945, until July 31, 1946, when he was honorably discharged. He was a Fireman First Class aboard destroyers and fleet repair ships at Inchon, Korea, and Shanghai, China.
For work, he was a U.S. Forest Service smokejumper in McCall, Idaho, from 1947 to 1948. Then he was a public schoolteacher, elementary school principal and superintendent of schools at Clover Creek, Glenns Ferry, Mountain Home, Payette, St. Maries, Bliss, Gooding and Worley, Idaho, and in Halfway and Ontario, Ore., from 1948 to 1990.
Burt lived in southern and North Idaho, Eastern Oregon and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
His hobbies included fishing, hunting, skiing, ice skating, camping and gardening. He loved to travel, especially to places such as Ecuador, Peru, Israel, Italy, Greece, Ukraine, The Netherlands, Mexico, Mozambique and Canada.
He attended church at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho.
Burt is survived by his son, John Earl Lenker of Auburn, Wash.; daughter Kathleen Marie Gray of Kelso, Wash.; son Kevin Joe Lenker of Oregon City, Ore.; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Burt is preceded in death by his parents, all of his siblings and his wives: Joyce and Anita.
Burton, always known as “Burt,” loved to share his memories with all who would listen, particularly memories of his years living on the family farm in Tuttle, Idaho, his service in the U.S. Navy during WWII, and as a U.S. Forest Service Smoke Jumper, hunting and fishing trips with his brothers and friends, his life living on Clover Creek, Idaho, his travels abroad and the accomplishments of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He has a close personal relationship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and is now at home with his beautiful and loving wife, Anita. They celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in July just prior to Anita’s passing Sept. 15, 2022.
No services are being held at this time. Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. Please visit Burt’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuenralhomes.com.