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Looking Back ... |
A look back at Pace-Kerby
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December 26, 2012 |
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By Jack Flinn |
The Pace-Kerby Insurance Agency was started in
1914 by a young lawyer named Frank Bottum.
O.C. Wilson joined his brother-in-law in the
business in 1916. In 1920, Mr. Bottum left and
the business became the O.C. Wilson Insurance
Agency.
In 1945 the business was purchased by M.D. Pace
and was operated by Mr. Pace as the Wilson
Insurance Agency. In 1947, Robert Pace joined
his father in the business and the name changed
to Pace Insurance Agency.
Don Kerby purchased the interest of M.D. Pace in
April, 1955, and the business name was changed
to the Pace-Kerby Agency. Real Estate was added
to the business at this time.
In July, 1981, Don Kerby retired and sold his
interest to his son, Darrell Kerby.
In 1985, the business purchased the Truesdell
Agency from Joyce Truesdell.
On July 1, 1986, the partnership was
incorporated and the corporate name is Pace-Kerby
& Co., Inc.
The business has operated continuously since
1914 and the real estate business since 1955.
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~ Reader Comments ~ |
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Thanks for your research, Jack. I believe Bottum
would have been O.C. Wilson's father-in-law. O.C.
Wilson was Peter B. Wilson's dad. M.D. Pace was
the former Superintendent of Schools in Boundary
County and when his son, Robert "Bob" Pace, was
shot down during WWII in his fighter plane and
listed MIA his Dad convinced the local bank to
release his son's bank account to him, the
proceeds of which were used to purchase the
insurance agency. When Bob Pace was discovered
alive in a POW camp after the war and after Bob
was released from the Hospital, he found out he
owned an insurance agency. |
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Darrell Kerby |
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By the way, Bob Pace's wife Hazel was his state
side nurse. She was from Anaconda, Montana, and
was serving as a nurse in the army at the
military hospital where Bob was treated after
returning. She would later become the head nurse
at Boundary Community Hospital. Bob Pace and my
Dad both became Bonner/Boundary Realtors of
Year. My Dad later became Idaho's Realtor of the
Year and then president of the Idaho Realtors
Association and he also severed on the Board of
Directors of the National Association of
Realtors. He then was appointed by Idaho
Governor Don Samuelson to serve on the Idaho
Real Estate Commission and later became its
Chairman. Lots of history at Pace-Kerby, with a
great legacy of service. |
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Darrell Kerby |
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Thanks Darrell. I never heard that part about
how Grandpa bought the agency, but it rings true
because it is very similar to what Dad wanted me
to do (save a lot of money) while I was flying
before I got married. Very interesting. |
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Bobby Pace |
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Interesting Darrell! I knew about Hazel but not
about Pop and the insurance agency ... History! |
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Lois Litalien |
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A long history of service to Boundary County. |
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Sharon Smith |
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