Verton E. Kienke, 87

Verton’s parents migrated from South Dakota in 1937. Fleeing the hardships of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, they packed five small children and all their belongings into a truck and headed west. Destined for the Palouse, plans changed when they reached northern Idaho. Idaho farming life began on 160 acres of rocky fields and pine trees off the Bunco Road near Athol.

Verton was born in Coeur d’Alene on July 12, 1938.

The youngest of six, and the first Idahoan, he grew up with hard work and adventure. He and his brother, Leslie, loved hunting, fishing, and being heroes to their young nieces and nephews. Shortly after graduating from Spirit Lake High School in 1956, he joined the US Army and served at Wildwood Station in Alaska, before it was a state. He was the army's middleweight boxing champion at that time. After service, he met Dorothy Whitesell at the Ivalee Dance Hall in Huetter, Idaho. They were married one year later July 23, 1960, at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d'Alene.

Their first home was on the family homestead. When daughter Donna was born in 1961, Verton built a wooden platform and pitched a large canvas army tent in the forest. This is where they lived until winter set in. Son, Richard was born in Coeur d'Alene in 1963. The family followed Verton through Nevada, Idaho and Washington as he pursued road construction with the Operating Engineers. Youngest son, (Verton) Scott, was born in Spokane in 1965. There was a lot of moving with work until 1967, when they settled in Post Falls. Then in 1979, Maud Leeman joined their tribe as an exchange student from Switzerland.

All activities centered around the family. They enjoyed huckleberry picking, fishing, hunting, holiday gatherings, epic pinochle games, croquet and pranks. Verton’s work went from construction to logging in the late 1960s, and he began his own logging company in the mid 1980s. He and Dorothy enjoyed travel, dinners with friends, coffee and cruises until her passing in 2014. Life after Dorothy centered around Tuesday dinners with the gang, numerous road trips to southern Idaho and Walla Walla, debates with Larry, cards with Butch and adjustment to the constant changes of later life. After a long struggle with dementia, Verton passed peacefully Jan. 6, 2026. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Dorothy, parents Leslie and Bessie, sisters Laverna Baugh, Dorsay Fuson, Doris Stone, Alma Stone and brother Leslie, numerous nephews and nieces.

He is survived by his children, Donna (Mark) Evans, Richard (Jody) Kienke and Scott Kienke. Grandchildren, Kade, Logan, Garrett, Amanda, Aleshia, Katie, Ashley, Charlie-Marie, Bailey, their spouses and 12 great grandchildren.

Services will be held at English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls Sunday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m.

Visit Verton's memorial and sign his online guestbook at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.