Kootenai County ID Archives Obituaries.....Hilding, Ray L. September 22, 2005 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/id/idfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: K T bluewolf@onemain.com September 27, 2005, 11:28 pm Coeur d'Alene Press - The Daily Bee Ray Hilding, 94 Ray L. Hilding, 94, retired forest supervisor and longtime resident of St. Maries and Coeur d'Alene, passed away in Pendleton, Ore., on Sept. 22, 2005. He was born May 8, 1911, in Coeur d'Alene, the oldest in a family of eight. In 1926, the family moved to Asotin, Wash., where Ray became a star forward on the Asotin High School basketball team until his graduation in 1929. Ray spent the next seven years working to put himself through college, first at the University of Idaho in Moscow, and then his last two years at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., where he graduated in February 1937 with a bachelor of science degree. He was also a starter forward on the Washington State University basketball squad during his junior and senior years. Following graduation, he started a career with the Forest Service and, over the next 35 years, worked on most of the national forests in western Montana and North Idaho. He met his first wife, Roma Turnbull, of Shoshone, while working as an assistant district ranger at the Red Ives Ranger District on the upper St. Joe River. They married in 1939. During World War II, Ray and all four of his brothers served in the armed forces. Ray was a Lt. j.g. on the U.S.S. Corregidor CVE-58, an escort carrier serving the Pacific, and was involved in several major battles during Ray's three years of service. The enlisted men gave him the nickname "Trapper," based on his stories of summers spent fur-trapping and panning for gold in central Idaho during his college years. Following the end of World War II, Ray returned to his job with the Forest Service and spent time on the Coeur d'Alene, Lolo and Nez Perce National Forests. He returned to the St. Joe National Forest in 1960 as the new forest supervisor. During the next nine years Ray would earn a reputation as an outstanding supervisor and public servant. He was very active in the St. Maries Chamber of Commerce and other civic organizations. When the lumber mill burned down in the fall of 1961, it put many local residents out of work. Ray began private talks with Potlatch Forest officials in Lewiston and was greatly responsible for Potlatch's decision to build their new plywood plant in St. Maries. He also provided key testimony to Congress to have the upper St. Joe River valley included under the protection of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. In 1969, Ray was promoted to the forest supervisor job on the Coeur d'Alene National Forest. He retired from the Forest Service in 1972. Throughout his career, Ray was active in the Society of American Foresters and, after retiring, in the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and VFW. Roma died in 1977. In 1978, Ray married Yvonne Wyatt Albers of Asotin, Wash., and they spent many happy years on the golf courses of North Idaho. Yvonne died in 1998. In 2000, Ray moved to Evergreen Estates in Clarkston, Wash., and then in 2004, moved to McKay Creek Assisted Living Center in Pendleton, Ore. He is survived by his sister Lois Jackshaw of Lewiston; and brother Dick Hilding, San Jose, Calif.; son Dale Hilding and wife Mary Kay, Pendleton, Ore.; and grandchildren Michael, Patrick and Kathryn. Viewing will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 28 at English Funeral Chapels, 1133 N. Fourth St., Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814, 664-3143. Graveside service will be 11 a.m. Sept. 29 at Riverview Cemetery in Coeur d'Alene. Arrangements in Pendleton were handled by Burns Mortuary, 336 S.W. Dorion Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801-0489, (541) 276-2331. The family suggests donations to the American Diabetes Association. Additional Comments: Coeur d'Alene Press - The Daily Bee Coeur d'Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho <> Volunteer submission - No relation to the deceased. 27 September 2005 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/id/kootenai/obits/h/hilding878gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/idfiles/ File size: 4.4 Kb