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2006 Memorial

Betty Jane (Megrew) Rohrscheib: Coeur d'Alene Chapter

Betty, 81, passed away March 21, 2006, at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene.

Born in Mystic, Iowa, March 2, 1925, to Leta Georgie (Hughes) and Alexander "Sandy" Megrew, the family moved to Deep River, Iowa, where Betty graduated from high school.

Betty joined the Navy as a Hospital Corps WAVE and served from June 1945 to June 1948 at the Naval Hospital at Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va. While there, she met and married Sergeant Robert L. Rohrscheib in July 1948. Betty was a member of the Pappy Boyington Detachment of Marine Corps League and its Auxiliary. She was also a member of the Republican Women.

Betty has lived in Dalton Gardens since 1968. She was a Toastmistress and later a Toastmaster. She had held various offices in all these organizations.

In 2000, Betty received the IWL Lifetime Achievement Award for her years of dedicated service to the League and the Coeur d'Alene Chapter. She was the first person to receive this award. The 1993 Vardis Fisher Award went to Betty who also received the Poet of the Year Award that same year. Her league service included two years as President, a year as Vice President, and two years as Treasurer. She also served the Coeur d'Alene chapter as President and in other positions. Betty gave 35 years to the Idaho Writers' League through her leadership, her writing, and her wonderful sense of humor.

Betty is survived by her husband, Robert, at home; daughter Candyce, Hayden Lake; son Michael and daughter-in-law Leigh Rohrscheib, Spokane; stepson George Lee and wife Vickie Rohrscheib, Australia. Betty has five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Her parents and brother Bill predeceased her. She will always be remembered.

Don E. Hill: Idaho Falls Chapter

, 63 passed away Jan 22, 2006. Don had suffered health problems for most of his life. He was frequently hospitalized but resiliently attended regular IWL meetings whenever he could and was a very active member of the Wednesday night group. He had his own designated chair with plenty of room for his oxygen bottle and diabetic testing supplies. Throughout his battles with illness his attitude remained positive.

Don spent much of his youth on the reservation and many of his Native American stories reflect his memories. He was working on his book Buffalo Drums at the time of his death.

He received a Bachelor's degree from western Montana College in Dillon. He worked at the State Hospital South in Blackfoot until accepting a position at Montana State Hospital as a psychiatric technician for sixteen years. He later returned to Blackfoot to care for his mother and worked at State Hospital South again until his retirement in 1995.

He was active in his church as a Eucharist Minister, lecturer, greeter and usher. He was a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed reading, writing, golfing, fishing and horseback riding.

Don was a loving and caring person. Many of his fellow IWL members enjoyed his “Toots and Honey” stories based on his adventures with wife, Arlene Donovan Hill. Arlene became a regular to the IWL meetings at Don's side and is a respected critic in the Wednesday night group. He will be sorely missed, but many will treasure the memories he left behind.

The Empty Chair
If we close our eyes and listen
We can hear a voice from his empty chair
Because though part of him is gone
His spirit still is there.

His spirit of joy
as he made us laugh…

His spirit of giving
shown on our behalf…

His spirit of adventure
in the stories he'd tell…

His spirit of commitment
to the wife he loved so well…

His spirit of determination
as he fought for each new day.
So remember Don with a smile.
He'd want it just that way.

2005 Memorial

Robert F. Casemore: Coeur d'Alene Chapter

passed away December 6, 2005 in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. Born in Highland Park, Michigan June 30, 1915.

He leaves behind wife Rosemarie, son Rick and daughter-in-law Nancy, of Coeur d' Alene. His other son, David, lives in New York. Bob also had two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren in California.

Bob and Rosemarie have been residents of Coeur d' Alene for 2½ years, relocating here from Michigan in 2003. Bob and Rosemarie celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary last April, at the Fairwinds Retirement Community, where they live. More than 70 friends and family members turned out for a wonderful party.

Bob worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps before being drafted into World War II. He proudly served his country for five years in the South Pacific.

Bob and Rosemarie were married in 1945 in Detroit, Michigan. Bob graduated from Wayne State University, with a Bachelors degree in Sociology, and he was retired from the U.S. Army at the rank of Lt. Col.

Bob was a writer by profession. His career included working for an advertising agency where he wrote ad copy, and technical sales training manuals for the auto industry. He was also an accomplished author. He published numerous fiction novels and several plays. He loved the theater, and was always involved in some aspect of the nearest local community theater group. He enjoyed both acting and directing. One of his plays, "Back to the Blanket," was recently read aloud by the Lake City Players in Coeur d' Alene. Bob was a member of the Western Writers of American and the Idaho Writers' League.

A Military Memorial Service was held Sunday, December 11, 2005 at the Fairwinds Retirement Community, in his honor.

David "Dave" Cook: Coeur d'Alene Chapter

Dave joined the IWL in February of 2005 when he attended a seminar presented by Elizabeth Lyon. His desire was to complete his memoir before succumbing to the terminal cancer he suffered from. He passed away June 28, 2005 in Spokane, WA before he completed his work. He was 46.

He is survived by his wife of ten years, Tammy. Also surviving are his children: Shawna and Jessica Cook; stepchildren: Bran-don Koerner and Sara Deems; granddaughter, Skylar Deems; parents, James and Kay Cook; siblings: Mark and Steven Cook and Christine Ber-trand; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Dave is preceded in death by Grandpa and Grandma Cook and Gran.

Dave worked for 22 years at Kaiser Aluminum, he was a phlebotomist, operations analyst and a loan officer. Dave was a writer / songwriter, recording artist and musician. He loved fishing and the outdoors. Dave was a loving father and devoted husband and he touched the lives of everyone he met.

Frances E. Harris: Twin Falls Chapter

passed away Sunday, April 10, 2005, at Bridgeview Estates in Twin Falls, Idaho. She was 99.

Frances was born Jan. 22, 1906, in Oshkosh, Wis., the daughter of Ben and Edna Chase O'Harrow. As a young girl, her family moved to Idaho where Frances graduated Jerome High School, received her teaching certificate from Albion Normal School, became a schoolteacher; started teaching at the Jerome Grade School and then later at the Russell Lane School in Jerome County, Idaho. In 1928, she met and married Bryan Harris and became a farm wife. They moved to Eden, Idaho, and resided there until 1934, when they moved to the farm in Hansen and resided there until 1975.

They then moved to the town of Hansen, where they lived until Bryan passed away in 1979. She continued to reside there until 1996 and then moved to Twin Falls. Frances worked in cooking and assisting with the many farm duties from 1934 to 1975.

In 1975, when they moved into Hansen, Frances established the Hansen Library. Room by room, their house on Maple Avenue West became the Hansen Public Library. After moving into the home, the couple donated a front room for the library and a couple of years later turned their garage into a living room and donated the original. After her husband passed away in 1979, she donated a third room.

"She was very eager to maintain the library and make it available to people and kids," said Richard Hagerman, a longtime friend from the Idaho Writers League.

When Harris moved to a local nursing home in the mid-1990s, she gave the house to the library and left most of her belongings for her family to take what they wanted and the rest was for the library to sell or use.

In 1987, Harris was awarded a National Trustee Award from the American Library Trustee Association in recognition of her efforts.

Whether it was typing catalog cards or tutoring, Harris always believed in education and helped anyone in any way she could.

"She was the type of person who, to me, epitomized a Christian person -- someone who was interested in other people and loved to teach others and show them some of the nicer things in life," Hagerman said.

After seeing that several children in Twin Falls County were suffering from muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and mental retardation and not able to attend school, she volunteered at the Hansen school two or three afternoons each week to teach them.

Through her efforts, she and others were able to get handicapped and migrant children into public schools.

At 73 years old, she was accepted to the Idaho State University's bachelor of university studies program and two years later received special applause when she accepted her degree.

"You're never too old for education," Harris had often said.

In 1988 she received her master's of health education.

Among her other passions was writing and she published "The Lighted Window" after the first poem in a book that her family treasures. She also wrote a book on the history of Hansen. She was a faithful member of the Idaho Writer's League for about 25 years and in 1993 was voted the Idaho Writers League Poet of the Year.

Linda Helms, friend and 15-year Idaho Writer's League member, remembers Harris as an encouraging, elegant and soft-spoken lady.

"She was always very reserved and had the 'What can I do for you?' attitude, 'How can I help you?' ... Being a teacher gave her a little more of an advantage to helping other writers as she seemed to think of them as being a student," Helms said.

An avid reader, writer and learner, she was also a member of the Kimberly Crossroads United Methodist Church, the Hansen Circle, which was a group of Methodist women who prepared dinners for the community among other projects, and the Royal Neighbors, a social group who all had Royal Neighbor insurance.

In her later years, she stayed active in the library by attending "Let's Talk About It" reading sessions and visiting on special occasions such as when the library received its first computer and again when organizers held an open house.

"She never gave up her love of reading and literacy," said Linda Oatman, library director. "She's really a role model .... She's one of the best people I've ever known. Something that continues to guide me when I make a library decision is, 'If we do this, would Frances like it?' "

2004 Memorial

June Knight: Caldwell Chapter

The Caldwell Chapter, as well as the whole Idaho Writers' League organization has lost a very dear member to cancer. June Knight was born June 26th 1920 in Weld County Colorado and past away on September 3rd at her home in Caldwell, Idaho

June was a long and outstanding member of IWL and was awarded the life time membership award of the Caldwell chapter and she was presented the State lifetime membership award at our conference in Coeur d" Alene this year.

June Knight is survived by four children. Some of them seem to be following in her footsteps as writers. June has had many articles published and was always entering her poems in the Idaho Press Tribune and I'm sure, they are going to miss her articles as will the readers.

I would like to include a poem that was in a book of poems titled "Voices that Call as Autumn Leaves Fall" written by June.

Cycle of Life
By June Knight

Life's Pages turn,
crimson leaves
blanket the base
of maple trees.

Time takes its toll,
Sharp winds seize
the summer's
gentle breeze.

Years onward roll,
The cover leaves
roots exposed
to winter's freeze.

Life's pages turn,
The earth heaves.
Another generation,
grieves.

"And so we say goodbye to a wonderful life, friend and author, our loss is heaven's gain

H. Sydney Duncombe: Idaho Falls Chapter

On September 29th the Idaho Writers League lost a dedicated member, H. Sydney Duncombe. His mother was an award winning children's author and Syd got the bug young. He wrote plays, and short stories, but when he showed his mom, her practical advice was to get a day job.

He graduated Valedictorian of his class at age 16, and went off to Yale where he studied his day job, state budgeting, and his dream, writing. He graduated with a degree in Economics and a minor in English. For the next 36 years, he worked his day job. Eventually getting a PHD and teaching thousands of students ethical government at the University of Idaho. Many of those students, like Governor Kempthorn and Senator Craig, paid him tribute at his death.

When he retired he picked up his dream again His first book, The Unlikely Candidate, was a thriller where the hero was a retired budget director and the politicians were the good guys. Go figure, he had to self publish. He went on to commercially publish, Enduring Faith and Blizzard in August. He self published his last books, Freedom County and Keeping Myself in Stitches. Hearts of Honor, a civil war novel written with his daughter is being marketed for publication now.

He won Writer of the year in 2002 for Blizzard in August. He went faithfully to both the critique groups in Idaho Falls. His daughter and granddaughter joined IWL because of his example. He didn't speak often, but when he did, his words were both kind and accurate. He will be sorely missed.

Mary Haley

Eleanor Byers: Coeur d'Alene Chapter

Eleanor Byers was an extremely private, one-of-a-kind, lady! To the members of the Coeur d'Alene chapter of the Idaho Writers League she was our friend and our benefactor. For many years, she opened her home and her heart to our group. Her condominium overlooked Lake Coeur d'Alene and was an ideal meeting site.

Cancer took our beloved and talented member just recently and she is missed. Still, her poetry will stay with us always. In our chapter's 2002 yearly poetry book titled, "The World Needs Love,” Eleanor wrote with great depth a poem titled, "Woman With Alzheimer's Stricken Husband.” The lead words are:

When they ask about him
I tell them, "He is gone from me."
And they say, "Oh! What a pity."
Not knowing what else to say

In these times, when Alzheimer's seems to run rampant, Eleanor's closing lines are so fitting:

In the stillness of the night
The lonely night
I remember how it was
When he lay next to me
I long for this nearness
I long for the sound of my name
In the dark
And I tell you -
It's more than a pity

It is difficult to say goodbye to a good friend and extremely talented woman. Still it seems wise and fitting to express in the poet's own words her feelings about "moving on" which was published in "ECHOES" in 2000:

When I leave from here
I will not take these rooms
where we have lived and loved.
I'll take what lies beyond the door
some, not all
The lake, the tender hills
the summer trees
but not their shadows

where we picnicked in the shade
and lay together in the grass
full length
our dreams unraveling
one by one

When I leave from here
I'll take the swallow's graceful flight
but not the mewing of the gulls
their heart-break cries
stilled only by the setting sun
I'll take the stars. some, not all:
Orion's belt, Andromeda
but not the two-faced Gemini
My own birth sign, my Gemini

No! I'll not take these rooms
when I leave from here
I'll take the porch, the scuffed
blue-painted chairs
the ivy in its marble urn
but not these rooms
these rooms where we have lived
and loved
(but not enough)

Betty Rohrscheib & Marilyn Wagenius

Theone Williamson: Bear Lake Chapter

Former chapter President, Theone Williamson, passed away on July 9, 2004.

Marilyn Bernt: Mountain Home Chapter

Marilyn Bernt, long-time member of the Mountain Home chapter of IWL, passed away March 1 following a lengthy illness.

Marilyn graduated from Mt. Home high and received a teacher certificate from the University of Idaho. After teaching school for several years, she married and raised 6 children.

Marilyn read voraciously, wrote marvelous poetry and essays, and produced a delightful family chronicle full of memorable historic detail.

IWL is richer for her inspiration. Mountain Home is poorer at the loss of her cheery disposition, ready smile, and expertise.

Edna McGown: Twin Falls Chapter

A grand lady, loving and caring mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend left us on Feb. 6, 2004. Edna was born on Nov. 22, 1906, in Stanley, Idaho, to Ellen Martin and Leslie Niece. She had many fond memories of life in the Stanley Basin and Sawtooth Valley. On Nov. 27, 1924, she married A.W. "Tuff" McGown of Challis and together they hiked the mountains always prospecting for "their" gold mine in the sky. Custer became their home in summer and Challis in the winter. In 1961 Edna and Tuff established the Custer Museum in memory of their son, Art. The museum was later sold to the U.S. Forest Service and it continues to operate bringing pleasure to many people each summer. Edna turned the first shovel of dirt to begin construction of the Challis Interpretative Center. In 1999 she received the "Esto Perpetua" award from the Idaho State Historical Society for her significant contributions to Idaho history.

In her 80's she entertained with a local rhythm band -- B J and Friends -- where she played the maracas. They performed at many nursing homes and senior citizens centers. She was still performing at the age of 94, being the oldest member.

Edna was a long-time member of the Twin Falls Writers League, holding many offices. She encouraged writers to attain goals.

Edna co-authored Stanley Sawtooth Country and Land of the Yankee Fork with Esther Yarber. She wrote The Far Side of the Mountain, a family history about her mother-in-law, Adele Brouillette McGown, a pioneer who migrated to Idaho from Canada. The account included the family's friendship with the famous Chief Joseph and his nephew, "Chuck." She also compiled a cookbook, "Grandma's Old & New Recipes." Along with food treats, the book includes old-time remedies for making a "good toilet soap," homemade lye soap, a no-fail cough syrup, household hints and a little history about the wild flowers and plants used as medicine by pioneers. In 1999 she received the "Esto Perpetua" award from the Idaho State Historical Society for her significant contributions to Idaho history. These four books are still in print and available for sale. Contact Linda Helms, PO Box 303, Jerome, Idaho 83338.

Services for Edna were held Monday, Feb. 16, 2004, at the American Legion Hall in Challis, Idaho, with Fred Coggburn officiating. Interment followed in the Challis Cemetery. The family suggests memorials in Edna's name to the Challis Interpretative Center. Contributions may be mailed to Reynolds Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 1142, Twin Falls, Idaho, 83303.

2003 Memorial

Jennie Brown Rawlins: Idaho Falls Chapter

Jennie Brown Rawlins was born in Ogden, Utah on January 24, 1910 to John and Jeanette Brown. She graduated from Rigby High School as Valedictorian in 1938 and continued her education at Weber State College in Ogden where she attained her education certificate. She was married to Narvel Rawlins, and after his death to Lorenzo Matson. She was the mother of two children: Lane and Barbara.

Jennie wrote: "My children were teenagers, and I had more time to myself so I began thinking that if I didn't try writing I would never know whether I could have succeeded at it or not. So I tried my hand at it. It was the most absorbing thing I had ever done. One day Helen Woods invited me to a meeting of the Writer's League. I went, and I hadn't been so thrilled in a long time. How wonderful it was to be with other people who also loved writing. Not long after this I joined the League, and when they had a poetry contest I entered a poem of mine. The day of the banquet when they announced the winners was one of the most exciting I had had in a long time. My poem had won first place."

Jennie went on to develop her talents as an author and became one of Idaho's most prominent writers.

Her first book, "Talk Topics" was published in 1959. Her second book, "High Button Shoes" was a mostly fictional account of her childhood days on a pioneer farm, and became her most popular fiction work. Sequels, "The Secret In The Cave" and "Tame The Wild Wind" soon followed.

Her years as an elementary teacher had alerted her to the need for a better Idaho History textbook for fourth graders. "Exploring Idaho's Past", which required five years of research and writing, was accepted by the Idaho State Board of Education. It remained a required textbook for fourth grade students for twenty years.

For several years she wrote a twice-weekly column for the Salt Lake City based Deseret News. She was a popular speaker at area schools, colleges, clubs, and Education meetings. Three different times she became the Writer of the Year for the Idaho Writers' League. In 1982 she was included in Who's Who of American Women. A display of her work is featured at the Philo T. Farnsworth Museum in Rigby, Idaho.

Jeannie passed away in Kennewick, Washington on March 14, 2003 at the age of 93. She was working on three books at the time of her death.

Lloyd Anderson Mecham: Idaho Falls Chapter

Lloyd Anderson Mecham was born June 27, 1921, in Logan, Utah. He was a graduate of Utah State Agriculrutal College in Logan, and the University of Washington Dental School in Seattle. He served a mission in 1941 in the Southern states.

In 1949 he married Luana Claire Hyde in the Logan LDS Temple. They raised eight daughters and one son. Lloyd and Lu lived more than sixty years in Idaho and he had a successful dental practice for more than twenty-five years. After his retirement they often wintered in New Mexico.

We of the Idaho Falls Chapter enjoyed his amusing and touching stories with Mexican themes. We were always delighted to see Lloyd arrive at a meeting. His conversational banter alone would have been enough. When he pulled out a manuscript, we knew we were in for a treat.

Lloyd was a hunter and hunting was another frequent story topic. Several of his stories were published in Bugle, the magazine of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, devoted to elk hunting and habitat preservation. After his death, an earlier published story, "Fall," was reprinted along with a tribute by Bob Burgess who said, Lloyd always captured and expressed, "the usual overload of sadness and joy, the fleeting beauty of the sky, sunshine, and clouds, the immediate yet elusive richness and mystery of life."

Ken Marler: Idaho Falls Chapter

Ken Marler was born October 29, 1927, in Pocatello, Idaho. He served in the U.S. Army after WWII. In 1946 he married Nadine Smith in Dillon, Montana.

Ken and Nadine raised their two sons and daughter in Lima, MT, where Ken worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. In Lima he served a term as Mayor and was Commander of the VFW Post. He developed an interest in writing, writing for the Dillon newspaper.

The Marlers moved to Idaho Falls in 1979 where Ken became active in the Idaho Writers' League. He was Chapter President and the State President in 1996 and '97.

Ken too, was an avid hunter. He also had a lifelong interest in model airplanes and was a founding member of the Desert Eagles Model Airplane Flying Club. Before he died, the club named their flying field Ken Marler Field in his honor.

He wrote both poetry and prose. His book, Sometime This Summer, was published. He read widely and insisted that all serious writers must. His booming voice gave forthright criticism of our writing, but the edges of his remarks were always softened with humor. His broad, handsome face and large frame gave him an almost heroic presence.