Gerald Dean Bouse, 90
Gerald Dean Bouse, 90, passed away April 21, 2025, in Sandpoint, Idaho. He was born Sept. 14, 1934, in Colville, Wash., to Albert Jason Bouse and Lottie Rose Bouse.
He spent his early years primarily in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. During World War II, as a young boy, he loved to go down to the docks at Playland Pier and talk to the sailors from Farragut Naval Training Station and occasionally they would take him for a boat ride. As a young teen, he was also an avid baseball player, being carried off the field numerous times on the shoulders of his teammates.
When he was 14, the family relocated to Phoenix, Ariz. He drove their newer, faster 1942-43 Chrysler with his mother and 2-year-old sister. They stopped at a motel in Las Vegas Nevada. The cost of the motel room was $5 which was too high, so they left and found somewhere more reasonable. They later reunited in Phoenix with his father and two younger brothers who had driven the older slower car to Phoenix. In 1950, the family returned to Idaho and settled in Ponderay.
In 1954, he married Barbara Weisz and began their family.
He started skiing with his daughter Sherry and sister Jonalea in 1963, the year Schweitzer opened, later joined by the rest of the family. He always skied with a toothpick in his mouth and his favorite run was Stiles. He and Barbara later enjoyed cross-country skiing in the Selkirks. They were also able to do quite a bit of traveling.
In his 40s, he began jogging, running his first Bloomsday in 1977. He usually ran six miles every day along the Kootenai Cutoff Road, Boyer and Woodland Drive. He ran several marathons in Coeur d’Alene and Honolulu, Hawaii. He particularly enjoyed the Newport, Wash., Grizzly run.
He loved hunting and fishing with his son John and in his younger years with his father and brothers. Sherry and Renee remember hand-lining for bluebacks with him on Lake Pend Oreille. He also enjoyed hiking with his children and grandchildren. He loved the mountains, the woods and he didn’t miss many baseball, basketball, soccer games or dance recitals of his grandkids.
As a young man, his favorite job was logging. Needing a steadier income, he started working at lumber mills including Arrow Tie Mill, Pack River, retiring as a sawyer from WI Forest Products. For many years he was a mill wright working six days a week, usually the swing shift. In the winters, after work, he went home, slept a bit, then he would drive up to Schweitzer to ski for part of the day before going back to work. He was a hard worker and lived a long life, now he gets to rest.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara, son John Bouse, brother Lee Bouse, and grandson Matthew Ryan Bouse. He is survived by his daughters Sherry (John) Hobday, Renee (Chris) Gaddis; grandchildren Sarah (Harry) Velez, Brian (Janina) Hobday, Brenda Gaddis, Nick Gaddis (Jordan Sewell), Caleb Gaddis (Chey Sandlin), Mark Bouse; great-grandchildren Mia, Remy, Kylie, John, Lizzie and Bridger; brother Dan (Janet) Bouse; and sister Jonalea (Bryan) Hanson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the staff at Lifecare for their care, including Josh and Chaplain David. Nurse Troy provided exceptional care and compassion and was a godsend.
Graveside services will be held at Pack River Cemetery, May 10, 2025, at 10 a.m., followed by lunch at Milltown Apartments Community Room, 1102 Sixth Ave., Sandpoint.
Family and friends are invited to sign Gerald’s online guest book at coffeltfuneal.com.
Arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service.
