William 'Bill' Wesley (Toews) Taves, D.M.D., 95

William “Bill” Wesley (Toews) Taves, D.M.D., 95, went peacefully to sleep until the Resurrection Day on Monday, April 12, 2010, surrounded by loving family at his home in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21, at the Pack River Cemetery with Pastor John Stanton of the Sandpoint Seventh-day Adventist Church officiating.

Bill was born on Feb. 7, 1915, in Jamestown, N.D., to Peter and Annie Toews. He grew up on a farm where he worked many hours and played less. He attended schools in Dinuba, Calif., and later graduating from high school in Fresno, Calif. He received training as an X-ray technician in Los Angeles, Calif., and met his future wife Evelyn Williams where she was working in a doctor’s office. The couple was married on Feb. 20, 1940, in Lansing, Mich.

Bill graduated from dentistry school at Pacific Northern College in Portland, Ore., in 1945. In the early 1950s, he opened a practice in Banning, Calif. His love for children sent him back to school to further his education and receive his doctorate in medical dentistry, specializing in natural pediatric dentistry for children. He later moved his practice from Banning to Beaumont, Calif.

During his dental career he also taught and served as the head of the pediatric department at Loma Linda University. He also invented a device called the “Taves Space Maintainer.” He flew several times to Mexico to do mission/dentistry with the German Mennonites settlement. Also he and Evelyn spent time in Guam to help relieve a dentist for his sabbatical. In 1975, Bill was hit by a car and sustained injuries that eventually forced him to retire early.

In 1992, Bill and Evelyn moved to Sandpoint to be closer to family. He loved his family especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, was an active member of his church, and enjoyed teaching Bible studies, sharing his faith, reading, growing grapes, grafting fruit trees, gardening, inventing and tinkering. He is a member of the Sandpoint Seventh-day Adventist Church, American Dental Association, Teacher Association, and past Beaumont Rotarian.

He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Evelyn; he was Daddy to two daughters, Peggy (Ken) Schauer of Sandpoint, and Patti (Scott) Miller of Scottsdale, Ariz.; he was Grampie/Poppy to seven grandchildren, Tina (Steve) Isgro, Sherri Judd, Ashley Miller, Katie Miller, Bill (Marin) Hendricks, Rochelle Greiff (Matt Stephenson), Wesley Hendricks, and Michael Greiff; he was Poppy to seven great-grandchildren Ryan (Leah) Judd, Bobby Judd, Dante Isgro, Brandon Isgro, Andrew Greiff, Jacob Greiff, Rowan Hendricks and McKenzie Stephenson; one great-great-grandchild, Trevin Judd; one sister, Evangeline Luke of Fresno; plus many other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Irving, Norman and Julius Toews; a sister, Luella Cornwell; and three grandchildren, Brandon Miller, Vincent Isgro and Leonard Schauer.

The family wants to give our sincere thanks to the staff at Sandpoint Internal Medicine, especially Dr. Scott Burgstahler and Roberta, R.N. Another extra special thanks for the tremendous support of the Bonner Community Hospice Team and to Sandee Woehler who has been a tremendous support with her assistance in care giving. In lieu of flowers a donation to Bonner Community Hospice at Bonner General Hospital in Sandpoint or your favorite charity in Bill’s name would be appreciated.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Bill’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his guest book.