Walter John Dreher

Walter (Wally) John Dreher, 86, of Osburn, ID, passed away on August 6, 2023 at Valley Vista Care Center in St. Maries, ID. He was born in Minnesota, the oldest of three sons to Ervin and Arvilla Dreher.

Before coming to Idaho, Wally spent three years in the US Navy, spending most of that time visiting the European countries.

In September of 1961, he married Margaret in Hibbing, MN and moved to Idaho to work as a miner for the Bunker Hill Company. He completed the apprenticeship program and became a maintenance mechanic. After several years with Bunker Hill, he became an employee with Asarco working at the Galena and Coeur mine as well as several months in Arizona.

After leaving the mines, he was employed by Silverwood Theme Park, Wallace School District, and the Silver Mine Tour as a guide for several years.

One of his hobbies was spending time in the garage where he and his son, Rick, spend many hours building a race car and restoring a 1965 Mustang. His younger years were spent hunting and snowmobiling during the winter and riding ATV’s, camping, and vacations with the family in the summer. Wally also spent a few years as assistant Little League coach when Rick played baseball. Wally was a member of the VFW Post 1675 in Osburn, ID.

Wally’s television time was spent watching Gonzaga basketball, Seahawks football, and Mariners baseball. He also liked country music.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Margaret of the family home in Osburn; son, Rick and his wife, Deanna; daughter, Ronda and her husband, Kurt; three grandsons, Logan, Parker, and Tyler; two step-grandchildren, Louis Clausen and Taylor Clausen; a brother, Bob of California; several nieces, nephews, and cousins; and Aunt Geraldine and Uncle Clarence Dreher of Arizona.

Wally is preceded in death by his parents and brother, James.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, August 25, 2023, 11:00 AM at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Wallace, ID. Burial with military honors will be at the Washington State Veteran’s Cemetery in Medical Lake, WA.

To share you special memories of Wally, to sign his online guestbook, or to send floral tributes to the family, one may visit www.shoshonefuneralservice.com. Shoshone Funeral Services, Kellogg, is assisting the Dreher family with arrangements.