Edward William Shear

Edward W. Shear passed away peacefully at home Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2015 with family by his side.

He was born August 27, 1921 to Edward Cyrus Shear and Ottillia Caroline Stricker in his great-grandfathers log home in Morton, Idaho.

When three years old, he and family lived in Sandpoint, then at Wrenco.

When Ed was five years old, his mother cooked at a logging camp on Smith Creek and his father worked in the woods. At the end of summer they moved back to great-grandfathers house so he could start school, which was half a mile away.

In the spring of 1929 his folks bought 80 acres on the Wrenco Loop Road about three miles from Wrenco and he had to walk 2.5 miles to school and back. The next year they got a school bus and he didnt have to walk anymore. One year, for a month or so, the snow was too deep for the bus, so a neighbor took them to school in a sleigh.

When Ed was in grade school he skipped second and third grade. In high school he did exhibition boxing at the Elks Lodge. When Ed was a senior the Northwest Business College of Spokane offered students who had been taking business classes the opportunity to attend the school. Ed worked for Montgomery Ward, setting up displays in the store to pay for room, board and tuition. He also washed dishes in a restaurant next to the Orpheum Theater and walked nine blocks to do yard work for his room. He took high accountancy and certified public accounting.

Ed married Hope Douretta Christenson in 1941. He went to work at Gladden and McBean Company as inventory and billing clerk in the Spokane office. Most of the production was going to Hanford, Wash. where they were making the atomic bomb, so most of the salaried employees were on deferment and didnt have to go in the service. He quit in 1944 because of low pay and frozen wages.

Ed went to work at Naval supply at Velox next to Millwood, Wash. with a supply crew. Right after he went to work, they offered him a job in the office in charge of receiving and shipping. He had just received notice his deferment had ended from the draft board and was being drafted in 30 days. He had a daughter and a son.

Nov. 1944 it was anchors away! Dear old dad went to war! He went to San Diego, Calif. for 13 weeks, spent 16 weeks at Yeoman school, two weeks in O.G.I. outgoing unit, ten days to Mare Island to the submarine base to see a psychiatrist. A week later he was on his way to New London, Conn. Submarine school.

After submarine school he was attached to the Flag Command Submarine Forces, Atlantic Fleet under the command of an admiral. Flag Command are sea going and he was listed as a Veteran of Foreign Wars. They patrolled and protected up and down the coast. He was there six months.

Eds physical exam at discharge showed he was deaf to super sonic hearing. The battle station on subs were sonar, he was stationed under the tower, or it happened at sub school he said.

Ed went to Chicago, St. Paul, Sandpoint and Thompson Falls where he worked at the mill for 44 years and eventually became resident sales manager and plant superintendent over the entire mill.

Ed was building a home in Thompson Falls. In 1953, his wife, Hope, passed away. He met and married Parleen six years later.

Ed was preceded in death by his first wife, Hope; daughter, Mary Jo McCoy; and grandson Kyle Shear.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Parleen Shear; children, Carol Thomas, William (Diane) Shear, John (Phyllis) Shear, Lee Ann Overman, Bryce Shear, Sr., Paul Shear and Edward G. Shear; 18 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be Thursday, Feb. 26, viewing noon to 12:30, service 1 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 110 Golf St. Burial will be at the Thompson Falls Cemetery with military rites.

Service Information Funeral Service Thursday February 26, 2015 Time: TBD The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 169 Helterline Plains, MT 59859