Archived Marriage Records
Sean Anthony Leaton
April 8, 1974 to December 10, 2004.
Sean Anthony Leaton was born on April 8, 1974 in Sydney, Australia. He and his family, paternal father, Ron, mom, Diane, and sister, Rarni, immigrated into the United States in 1978. Doug, his dad, joined Diane, Sean and Rarni in 1983.
He attended Challis Elementary School, Challis Junior High, and graduated from Challis High School in 1993 as an honor student. Sean was active in basketball and track, and was awarded an athletic scholarship to attend BSU.
After graduating from high school, he moved to Boise, then on to different cities in Utah and Wyoming, including Salt Lake City, Sheridan, and Toelle. He worked a variety of jobs, from catering at the Red Lion Inn, to working for JCPenney, to waiting tables at various restaurants. A couple of times he moved back home to Challis to rest and stay with his mom and Doug.
His various jobs in the service industry fit him well since he was such a happy people person, whose sense of humor made others around him smile. Like Rarni said, if you turn away for a minute while you were standing in line with him, when you turned around again, he’d be chatting up a storm with a perfect stranger.
He loved his niece and nephew, Brook and Braden, very much, and even spent a majority of his time in Salt Lake taking care of them for Rarni and Mark. He was there for Braden’s birth, and would have been there for Brook’s had he not run out of gas. He eventually made it to the hospital, but only after leaving his front license plate for collateral, and a verification call from his mom to the gas station that they would come back to pay.
The road trips were plenty and many were memorable because of Sean. The one Rarni has plastered into her memory was when Sean held a note against the car window. This was before cell phones and affordable hand held radios. He told his mom to pull up next to the other car, as they drove by... Rarni could see the note, “Pull over, I have to pee.” Rarni also remembered a trip with Sean to Park City. Everyone was dressed more or less to blend in with the crowd even though they were tourists. Not Sean. He popped out of the car with a loud shirt, camera around his neck, tourist hat, shorts, and thongs on his feet...ready to have fun.
Material things were not at all important to him. He’d give his last dollar to a homeless person even if he needed it. He was generous to a fault, at times to Doug and Diane’s dismay. They were pleased with his generosity, but would just shake their head in frustration because he would give his money away before he remembered to pay his car insurance, make the car payment, or any other bills. To him, it was more important and more rewarding to help than to worry about keeping your car. In a sense, he was the one who had his priorities right.
He was a natural athlete in track and field, breaking records without much effort. A beautiful runner, his mom often says as soon as the other hurdlers knew he was running, they pretty much gave up because they knew that the outcome would put Sean in the lead.
He lassoed and rode trees with his little sister when they were young to fill up the 12-hour helicopter shifts that their dad was on for the Forest Service. It was also about that time he had a phobia against public pools because he was sure you could get sick playing in them because people “peed” in it and put their babies with “poopy” diapers in the water. When he was older, he survived a hurricane in Hawaii, and spent an entire summer trying to catch gophers, much like Bill Murray in Caddyshack. He also tried to recharge car batteries with lemon. As the story goes, Sean had the hood of the car open, when Doug peeked under the hood, Sean had slices of lemons laid out on top of the batteries. He told Doug that he read somewhere that you can recharge car batteries with lemon.
The other night, he told his mom and Doug that he was watching his diet because he didn’t want to balloon to 230 pounds again. So, all he had was two burgers, some fries, a salad, a whole can of tuna, a slice of brownie, leftover salmon, and a large bowl of chocolate ice cream.
He came home last Tuesday due to medical problems. He was home again with his mom and Doug...happy, safe, and well fed. He passed away in his parents’ home early on the morning of December 10, 2004. The family will set him free up Leaton Gulch, where his dogs, Dino and Puggy can take care of him.
He is survived by his mom, Diane and his dad, Doug; his paternal father, Ron; sister, Rarni and her husband, Mark and their two children Brook and Braden; a younger brother, Chet; Bob Graham; Grandmas Joan and Ruth, Grandpa Noel, and many cousins, aunts and uncles.
Kristina Wroble
Kristina May “Kris” Wroble, 54, born August 19, 1950, died December 10, 2004, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Kris’s passion for cooking, quilting and horses were second only to her grandkids and family.
Kris is preceded in death by her father, Allen; sister, Roxanna; and son, Baby Maydole.
Kris is survived by her loving husband of 15 years, Charles “Chuck” Wroble of Hamilton; mother, Norma Scarborough of Gibbonsville; son, Levi and spouse Dawn-D of Challis, Idaho; three brothers, Zeb, David and Ben; grandchildren Tristan, Samantha, Beth, Brady, Alex, Phillip and Jade.
Cremation has taken place at the Dowling Crematory.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 19, 2004, at the GIA Building–Gibbonsville Improvement Association (Old School House).
Pastor Rob Robertson of the Calvary Chapel in Challis, Idaho, will conduct the services.
Fredrick T. Ives
October 16, 1917 - December 6, 2004.
Sailor, tinker, rancher, scholar, father, husband, friend...
Fred was a CPO in the Pacific during WWII. He served in the Civil Service repairing the latest combat aircraft for the Navy and Air Force for 28 years while training young servicemen to do the same while developing new methods and designing better parts to make aircraft safer. Many of these young men went on to be very successful in private life after they served their country.
As a rancher on the Salmon River just south of Ellis for 30 years, he loved fishing, hunting, fixing up old equipment; Urbalie, his wife of 61 years; his children Rick and Betty; his five grandchildren and his many good friends.
Of all the places he lived, he loved the Salmon River area the best.
Joseph James Pern, Sr.
Joseph James Pern, Sr., 85, of Salmon passed away at the Hospice Room at Discovery Care Center November 27, 2004.
Joe was born in Butte, Montana, February 15, 1919, the third child and second son of Michael Albert Pern and Mary Agnes O’Sullivan Pern. Mary was known to her family and friends as Mamie.
Joe’s father was a miner and when Joe was 6 months old the family moved to Mackay, Idaho. Joe’s father worked at the White Knob Mine and later at other mines in the area. Five children were born to Michael and Mamie.
When Joe was 8 years old, his father died of miner’s consumption. Times were very difficult for the young widow and her children. The oldest children, though still very young, worked hard to help their mother make ends meet.
On August 6, 1928, Mamie was married to Mr. Orlando White. To this union, Joe’s two half sisters, Anna May and Ilene, were born.
In high school, Joe met a beautiful, vivacious young woman, Wanda Rose Gaver, and on May 27, 1939, they were married.
Their first child, Janice Gay, was born January 6, 1940, but tragically died just 3 months later.
They didn’t stay in Mackay long after that. Joe worked in the mines at Patterson and from there they moved to Wanda’s home town of Salmon.
During this time, three more children, Kay, Sharron, and Sue, were born to the couple.
Soon after Sharron was born, it became evident, because of Pearl Harbor, that Joe would be drafted soon. Due to the war draft there was a great shortage of able-bodied men for employment. Joe and Wanda, with their small daughters and Wanda’s mother and stepfather, decided to travel around and see the country. There was work wherever they went and they had no difficulty getting jobs.
Joe tried his hand at many things such as working on oil rigs and helping build large concrete bunkers viewers stood inside to watch the first atomic bomb test in Nevada.
Finally Joe’s number came up and he was inducted into the Navy September 22, 1944. He took his basic training at Farragut Naval Training Station in northern Idaho. He was assigned to ships duty as a storekeeper third class.
He landed on the shores of Okinawa in a P.T. boat. He had many unpleasant memories of his stay there, such as having to take cover in tombs during attacks and once during a typhoon.
After he was discharged from the Navy on November 15, 1945, he returned home to Salmon and his family.
Joe held various jobs until he was employed by the State Highway Department.
During this time, two more children, Joe, Jr. and Cristine, were born.
Joe took a correspondence course, earning his certificate in radio and TV repair. He became friends with an electronic whiz of that time, Roland Kadletz. A group of experts had come to Salmon to try to find a TV signal to bring TV to Salmon and after much searching they determined that Salmon would have to do without TV because there was no signal there. Joe and Roland couldn’t accept this at all so they spent many hours and days wandering all around the foothills with their little TV set until finally they found the signal just about where the satellite tower on the old dump hill is now. It wasn’t long before a group was formed and TV came to Salmon.
In 1979 Joe retired from the Highway Department and spent his leisure time fishing, mining and socializing.
In September 1998, Joe’s wife Wanda passed away. Around the year 2000, Joe’s health began to decline until November 15, 2004 when he was admitted to Steele Memorial Hospital.
On November 23, he was transferred to the Hospice Room at Discovery Care Center where he died November 27 at 10:30 a.m.
Joe is survived by his son, Joe (Bev) Pern, Jr., daughters Kay Miller, Sharron Simmons, Sue (Fred) Waidely, and Cristine (Charles) Andrews, all of Salmon; his oldest sister, Marie Urie; his two youngest sisters, Anna May (Harvey) Fost of Boise and Ilene Woodridge of Arco; 12 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Wanda; infant daughter, Janice Gay; two brothers, Francis and Raymond Pern; and little sister, Irene Pern. Services were held at the Salmon River Funeral Chapel. A short service was held at the chapel on December 2 with Rev. Bob Perry officiating. Following this service, there was a military service at the Salmon Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mahoney House, 901 Main St., Salmon or Salmon Valley Hospice, 506 Van Dreff or to a favorite charity.
Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Salmon River Funeral Chapel.
Dorothy Floretta Sorensen
Dorothy Floretta Sorensen, 91, of Salmon passed away on January 22, 2005 at the Discovery Care Center.
She was born in Idaho Falls on August 18, 1913, to Clara Elizabeth and Herbert Austin. Dorothy attended schools in Idaho Falls.
In the summer of 1932, she met Axel Kordt Sorensen at a basketball game and they were married on March 25, 1934 at her parent’s farm on Route 5 in Idaho Falls. They farmed on Route 5 until 1945 when they moved to Salmon and ranched on the Big Flat with George and Phebe Austin. They moved to the Big Hole at Wisdom, Montana, in 1950. In 1951, they moved to ranch on Sandy Creek.
In 1957, they retired and moved to a home they had built on the Bar. In 1961, they purchased a ranch on the High Bar where they raised appaloosa horses.
Dorothy was a member of the Riding Salmonettes in the 1940s. Dorothy was an avid golfer and bowled well into her 80s, winning many trophies and patches. She spent many hours at senior citizen center kitchens helping with the meals on wheels. Dorothy was a resident of Discovery Care Center.
Survivors include her two daughters, Lois Ann Shulenberger (Bill) of Challis and Karen Jean Harter (Henry) of San Luis Obispo, California; daughter-in-law Martha Sorensen of Great Falls, Montana. She had nine grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Axel; son, Franklin; an infant son; brothers, George, John, Bill and her twin, Donald; and one sister, Della Olsen.
Funeral services were Wednesday, January 26, 2005 at 1:00 p.m. at Salmon River Funeral Chapel with Father Bob Perry officiating. Burial will be in the Salmon Cemetery, under the direction of Salmon River Funeral Chapel.
Edna Bonita Bricker Hanley
Edna Bonita Baker Bricker Hanley, 95, died at Discovery Care Centre in Salmon on January 8, 2004.
She was born July 1, 1909, in Winthrop, Washington, to William and Hattie Shenyer Baker. When she was 4 years old she moved to Idaho with her mother, father, a sister, and brother traveling by train to Mackay, then by horse and wagon to the East Fork of the Salmon River.
On October 17, 1931 she married David Jesse Bricker. They lived on the East Fork of the Salmon River until 1943 when they moved to Clayton, Idaho. In 1964 she managed the Clayton Hotel and Restaurant before moving to Challis after Dave passed away.
She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and Silver Leaf Rebekahs. She enjoyed volunteering at The HUB and cooking for the senior citizens at the Community Church for many years. She loved to dance and once said “my Dad would rather dance than eat when he was hungry and so would I.”
She was always game for new adventures and made her first float trip on the Salmon River the summer she turned 90 years old. She enjoyed floating the Salmon River to celebrate her birthday each summer for three more years. She loved the East Fork of the Salmon River and would go every chance she got. Family and friends enjoyed many drives and picnics there with her.
She passed away at the age of 95 after living a long life filled with many adventures. She was blessed with lots of family and friends who loved her very much and will miss her greatly.
Survivors include her children, Evelyn (Sonny) Knutson of Anchorage, Alaska, Marvin (Betty) Bricker, Wayne (CoraLee) Bricker, and Ron (Pat) Bricker of Challis; brothers Lawrence (Violet) Baker of Anchorage, Alaska, and Jimmy Baker of Challis; 10 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great- grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Dave Bricker, sisters Wanda Baker, Ada Baker, Bernice Verbeck, and Ella Berrey, brothers Charlie Baker and Fred Baker, infant son J. D. Bricker and son Vernon Bricker.
Family requests donations to Challis EMT’s, P.O. Box 24, Challis, ID 83226. Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, January 14, under the direction of Challis Funeral Home in the Challis Cemetery.
