Edwin Helfer

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great grandfather, Edwin “Ed” Louis Helfer, 85, of Post Falls, Idaho (formerly of Prichard) passed away December 8, 2014 at Kootenai Health of Coeur d’ Alene, surrounded by his loving family. He was born April 27, 1929 in Superior, Montana; Ed was the son of Bert and Elsie (Osborn) Helfer.

Ed grew up in Mullan, Idaho; he attended and graduated from the Mullan High School in 1947. As a young boy, he worked with his father cutting firewood. After High School, he logged with his brother-in-law, Donald McLeod, then worked at an auto dealership in Wallace, Idaho.

Ed and Edith’s life together was a true love story. He met his sweetheart when Edith Christopherson moved to Mullan from Murray, Idaho. As he says it: “The first time I saw her, I knew she was the girl I was going to marry”. They were united in marriage on June 19, 1949 at the Lutheran Church of Mullan. After their marriage, Ed took a carpentry job at the Star Mine in Burke, Idaho. The carpentry training followed him all of his life and he worked a second job building kitchen cabinets, along with other construction jobs. He continued the carpentry work at the Lucky Friday Mine and was instrumental in building many of the current buildings that are there now. Ed changed careers in 1964 and became a State Farm insurance agent for the next twenty-six years. He had a very successful agency and won numerous awards.

Ed had many interests including hunting, fishing, cutting wood, music and drinking a beer around the camp fire. He hunted in the Lochsa, Cayuse Junction, for over forty years. Ed loved working on his property at Prichard, Idaho and it showed. He always said “the harder I work, the better I feel”. Ed also had a great interest in local geology and history. He read many related books and enjoyed sharing his knowledge with family and friends. Ed was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Mullan and a former member of the Wallace Elks Lodge.

Ed is survived by his beloved wife of sixty-five years, Edith Helfer of the family home of Post Falls, Idaho; three daughters Darla (Bill) Configliacco; Diane (Keith) Jutila and Denise (Spike) Angle; nine “crummy” grandkids Bruce (Wendy) McConville, Bryan (Jill) McConville, Tony (Becky) Configliacco, Bob (Amy) Jutila, Shari (Scott) Garitone, Pat (Stephanie) McConville, Sharon (Randy) Johnson, Nick (April) Angle and Sean (Heather) Angle; twenty-five great-grandkids and two great-great grandkids. Ed always joked when family was leaving his house to make sure to take all the “crummy” kids home. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, one sister and one grandson.

Please join us in celebrating Ed’s life on Friday, December 12, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Mullan, Idaho. A gathering of family and friends and a potluck luncheon will be held at the church following services.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 434, Mullan, Idaho 83846 or to the Silver Valley Cancer Resource Center, 204 Oregon Street, Suite J, Kellogg, Idaho 83837.

SHOSHONE FUNERAL SERVICES & CREMATORY KELLOGG, IDAHO is entrusted with funeral arrangements.