Deaver Augustus Noland

Born Feb. 13, 1923, in Putnam County, Mo., Deaver Augustus Noland went to be with his family members already with God on May 27, 2008.

The family moved to Missoula, Mont., when he was 4 years old, and he grew up in that area.

He enlisted in the Marines, seeing action at the first battle for Guadalcanal, where he was wounded and received the Purple Heart.

He rejoined his family in 1946, in Sandpoint, Idaho. There, he met and married his wife and “forever” sweetheart Letricia (Pat) Nolen in 1947. Their family soon consisted of five children: Dan and Ella Noland (Richland), Ona and Brad Marr (Spokane), Deanna and Lon Madsen (Spokane), Joe and Dianne Noland (Cheney), and Ruby and Jenna Cheizoo (Holland); he has 17 grandchildren, 10 great- grandchildren; and two living siblings; Billie Ervin (Medford, Ore.), and Dean and Rita Noland of Moses Lake, Wash.

He was preceded in death by his parents Clarence and Ona Noland, and siblings John and Bertha Noland, Anna and Louis Metzger, Vincel and Fred Garner, Kenneth and Mary Noland, Bill and Martha Noland, and his grandson Randy Hill.

Deaver was “a jack of all trades and master of none”, as he used to say. He was a cabinet maker for Potlatch Forest, foreman of the Sandpoint Co-op Shop, a millwright on many of the dams built in the Northwest. He was chief mechanic for PGT from 1962- 985.

Hired on in Sandpoint, he transferred to Rosalia and retired there after 23 years. He could fix just about anything, and engineered many different things. He could shoe a horse, frame a house, fly a plane, dance all night, or tell the best jokes in the world.

He developed and built the predecessor to the crew cab trucks in the form of a military duce and half frame, Chrysler Car Body with a pickup box in the trunk which he later sold to Potlatch Forrest.

He loved motorcycles, horses, cars and fishing. If he had his way he would be fishing every day.

His fondest wish was to go for a motorcycle ride with his kids. A memorial motorcycle ride to place his ashes in their final resting place in Sandpoint will be held at noon Saturday, June 7 at Coffelt's Funeral Service, Pine and Division. A short service will be held in the parking lot.

Deaver was a friend to all and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Memorial services were held Saturday, May 31, 2008, at Spokane Valley Baptist Church in Spokane.

Donations may be made to the American Legion Post 7815, Rockford, Wash., or a charity of your choice.