Robert Frank Spracklen

Robert Frank Spracklen was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, to Lloyd and Helen Spracklen on Oct. 31, 1937, weighing in at a hefty 2 pounds, 5 1/2 ounces. Over the next 15 years he was joined by his brother, Kenneth L. (Kathy) Spracklen of Laclede, Idaho; sister, Myrna (Mike) West of Spokane, Wash.; Elizabeth Spracklen, deceased; and Mary (Scott) McDougall of Colville, Wash.

The family lived in Laclede, Oldtown, Idaho, and Sandpoint over the years. Robert attended school at Laclede and graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1955. On Oct. 5, 1955, at the age of 17 he joined the Navy taking basic training in San Diego, Calif., and serving there on the USS Cogswell-DD-65 1, and the USS Tingey-DD-539. During his enlistment he shipped out on maneuvers to the Aleutian Islands, Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan.

Upon discharge on Oct. 29, 1958, he worked for Dan Moore Masonry as a hod carrier and later for Kramer Electric before joining IBEW Local No. 73 Electrical Workers apprenticeship program in April 1960.

On Oct. 29, 1960, Robert married his wife, Joyce Rothenfluh in Sandpoint. They lived in Spokane for a year and a half then moved to Moscow, Idaho. He worked on the campuses of University of Idaho and Washington State University. He also worked on many dams in the area including Dworshak, Little Goose, Lower Monumental, Albeni Falls, Box Canyon and Lower Granite Dam.

After the completion of the building of the family's log home in Moscow, the family left for a three-month vacation to Alaska. Driving from Moscow through Canada up the ALCAN highway through Whitehorse, Dawson, Chicken Roost, Tok Junction, Fairbanks, Circle, Mt. McKinley, Anchorage, Seward, Kenai, Homer, back to Palmer and then home. His children were 7, 4, and 18 months. He watched his oldest son, Edric, catch a silver salmon and forget to reel the fish in but instead just kept walking back up the beach until he had landed the fish. He chuckled several years later when Aaron commented on having pushed Erica into a creek just to see if her life vest would float. A vacation that he gave his family that will never be forgotten. After returning home from Alaska he took a welding class in Spokane to improve his job opportunity to qualify for journeyman electrician/welder positions.

After moving back to Sandpoint in 1982 he worked at Anacortes, Wash., on a Texaco Oil Refinery and was in the area where a massive explosion occurred just minutes after he and his tool partner left to pick up supplies. He also worked at the Coyote Springs Generator Plant and other large construction sites in the Northwest.

He was an active member of the Historic Seventh-day Adventist Church.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and tinkering with numerous projects. He will be greatly missed for his fast smile. always helping hand, and biting wit.

He is survived by Joyce Spracklen, his wife of 47 years; children Edric (Ten) Spracklen of Raymond, Miss.; and grandchildren Evan, Shelby and Ethan. Aaron (Jennifer) Spracklen of LaGrande, Ore.; and grandchildren Jonathan and Meghan, Erica (Dan) Best of Sandpoint, and grandchildren Brayden and Emma. Also an aunt Hattie Hahn of Bethany, Okla.; aforementioned brother and sisters, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded on death by his parents, Helen and Lloyd; and sister Elizabeth.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:

Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation of America, 1600 Duke St., Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Viewing will be held Thursday, Jan. 24, from 4-6 p.m. at Lakeview Funeral Home for family and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 25, at the Lakeview Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Jack Jones officiating. Burial will follow at Pinecrest Cemetery.

Lakeview Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Please visit Robert's online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guestbook.