Richard Wade Carlson
Boundary
County native Richard Wade Carlson, 52, passed
away on August 17, 2012, at the Kootenai Medical
Center in Coeur d'Alene. Funeral services will
be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 25, in the
Becker Auditorium in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, with
interment following at Grandview Cemetery.Rich was born in Bonners Ferry May, 12, 1960, to C. Warren and Myrna Phillips Carlson. He lived in Moyie Springs and Bonners Ferry. He was a member of the Badger's football and track teams and graduated in 1978. He married his high school sweetheart, Nancy Morice, August 25, 1979.
Rich and Nancy built their home on the north side with the help of their dads, Warren and Don. Two sons completed their family. A favorite activity was camping at Spar Lake. They enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. Rich also shared his love of woodworking and art with his boys.
Rich's first career was with Louisiana Pacific. He was second shift supervisor when he left the company after 24 years. In 2002 he began his career with Customs and Border Protection at the Idaho Port of Entry at Eastport. Rich took on several collateral duties in the commercial area. He exemplified the attributes of a CBP officer, and received awards from both supervisors and peers for his outstanding work. In 2011, Rich served as an acting supervisor at Eastport. He continued to work while receiving chemotherapy treatments and went on medical leave only a few weeks before passing away.
Rich was very involved in the community. He was a hunter safety instructor for the Idaho Fish and Game Department for 17 years. He volunteered in his sons' classrooms, and seeing a need, built several projects for local schools. He and Nancy played co-rec volleyball for many years. He worked on several projects at the fairgrounds. Rich was also involved with the Boy Scouts of America for 17 years and he was a Cub Scout leader and assisted with the Pinewood Derby for Troop 114 and two AWANA youth groups.
Rich was awarded the highest honor given scout leaders, the Silver Beaver.
Survivors include his wife Nancy and son Gregg at home in Bonners Ferry; son Kelly, Mukilteo, Washington; mother Myrna Carlson Watkins, Bonners Ferry; brother C. Wayne (LaVonne) Carlson, Tioga, North Dakota; in-laws Don and Leanna Morice; four nieces and one nephew.
He was preceded in death by his father, C. Warren Carlson, stepfather Willie Watkins, sister-in-law Linda Carlson, and his grandparents.
He loved his family and friends and he will be sorely missed.
Family and friends are invited to sign Rich's book at www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.