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Lewis 'Lew' E. Mace |
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February 28, 1926 ~ June 5, 2017 |
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June 27, 2017 |
In a world where sound is measured by decibels,
even a whisper can become deafening. Dad was a
man of few words, but much laughter and
unlimited smiles. He rarely spoke in company,
but when he had something to say, the room went
silent and even a slight shift in your seat
earned an offside glance.
When Dad spoke, you listened carefully.
On June 5, 2017, at 4:35 p.m. in their Deep
Creek, Idaho, home, surrounded by his family
listening to his son play the guitar Lew had
played since he was 14 years old, this beloved
and quiet man, Lewis E. Mace, 91, breathed his
last and went his way. The silence is deafening.
At Lew and Jean’s request, there will be a
family memorial service for the couple at Jean’s
passing. Inurnment will be at Pinecrest Memorial
Park, Sandpoint, where numerous members of the
Goerkes, Deubel and Mace families have been laid
to rest.
Lewie was born February 28, 1926, in Coeur
d’Alene to Arthur and Mable (Henderson) Mace,
recent immigrants to the United States from
Canada. At six months of age, the family moved
from Coeur d’Alene to Big Sandy, Montana, near
the Henderson family ranches in the Bear Paw
Mountains.
Lew’s four younger brothers, Harold, Harvey,
Lenard and Vernon, were born in Big Sandy, as
was Lew’s love of airplanes, horses and mules.
In the late 1930s, a barnstormer pilot landed in
a field near Lew's home and Lew was the
speediest youngster among many to hand out his
event flyers, thus earning his very first
airplane ride. From that day forward, Lew knew
his ambition was to be a working pilot.
The family was in Troy, Montana, from 1940 to
1942, where the boys were active in sports. Lew
especially enjoyed skating in the huge ice rink
the town maintained. As the eldest son, Lew
delivered the Spokesman-Review and did such a
good job the family was asked to move to
Sandpoint and take over the entire delivery
routes for Bonner and Boundary Counties.
So their father and all five boys delivered
papers with three cars, their horse (in winter,
as Sandpoint didn't plow residential streets!),
numerous bicycles and much footwear.
After Sandpoint High School 1944 graduation, Lew
promptly joined the U.S. Air Force. When World
War II ended, Lew went into the reserves and
returned to Sandpoint.
An evening of fun brought Lew to the local
skating rink where he met Jean, who had been
accidentally tripped and lay unconscious. Lew
rushed to her aid and their love blossomed.
They began skating together and won second place
in the Idaho State Skating Championship. Soon
after, the couple married and Lew used his GI
Bill to attend Farragut College and to finish
earning his private, commercial and instructor’s
pilot ratings.
For all who knew him, there is no need to say
Lew’s life was fully and wonderfully lived.
The young family lived two years in Lincoln,
Montana, where Lew built their first cabin, and
five years in Sandpoint, where Lew worked on the
Cabinet Gorge Dam, for Boyd Stevens Logging and
also spent many weekends playing guitar or piano
in local bars for extra family money.
In 1953, Lew and friend Larry Morrison went to
crop duster school in Yakima, Washington, on to
New Brunswick, Canada, flying slurry on the
Spruce Bud Worm, which was devastating the
provincial forests. After 1954s trip, again to
New Brunswick, Lew was offered the position of
chief pilot, which he turned down as he had
already started his own flying business and was
moving his family of five to Bonners Ferry.
The summer of 1955, Lew and family began
operating Bonners Ferry Flying Service to serve
the farmers of the Kootenai Valley as their crop
duster. Folks remember the Stearman bi-plane Lew
flew as the roar of the engine was unmistakable
as he crisscrossed the districts of the valley
during spray season.
Lew also flew for Blue Mountain Aviation in
Walla Walla, Washington, where he and his family
lived for two years, 1962 and 1963. Lew had seen
the need for an automatic flagman as early as
1960 and spent his spare time developing a
device to attach to the plane and drop markers
as the plane flew across the fields, thus
replacing flaggers.
This prototype was left with Blue Mountain
Aviation in 1963 when the family moved one last
time back to Bonners Ferry to purchase and run
the Rex Theatre for the next 37 years. Lew can
be remembered, too, as the guy with the smile
who took tickets and walked the aisles of the
Rex with his ever present flashlight.
Lew continued to run Bonners Ferry Flying
Service. Many young people, including Lew's
three children and wife, remember the summer
“pre-dawn to dark” work hours. Lew also was the
local flight instructor and worked for the U.S.
Forest Service flying Forest Patrol while
holding down a full-time job as setter at the
Moyie Mill one summer.
Lew was an avid outdoors man. He and Jean were
charter members of the Selkirk Saddle Club. Lew
(Jean once!) packed many times with friends into
the Bob Marshall Wilderness and was a member of
“Gentlemen on Horseback.” He was every inch a
Montana cowboy.
His lists of talents and achievements were
impressive. Lew worked every job in the woods
and mill except truck driver; he was a carpenter
who built several lovely homes, a mechanic, a
splendidly self-taught “by-ear” musician, a
certified master framer for works of art, worked
in real estate and was once a car salesman!
Around 1960, the Forest Service decided to use
light planes to go as first responders against
beginning forest fires. Lew was chosen as the
test pilot because of his experience and
familiarity with the territory, remarking that
fire retardant work was arguably one of the most
dangerous types of flying.
Many of his crop dusting friends, who all had
the greatest respect for one another and the
risks of their profession, lost their lives in
the performance of their jobs.
Lew’s life in Boundary County was going well
and, as most aerial firefighter pilots were
flying out of Lewiston, Lew gradually eased out
of the program.
In 1971, he sold his flying business and retired
from flying.
Lew is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jean,
daughter Judy Mace, daughter Ginger Mace Collins
(Dick), son Jim Mace (Suzanne); grandchildren
Heather Collins Burnett, Holly Collins Grazette,
Chad Mace (Jamie), Jeff Mace (Christine);
great-grandchildren Victoria and Calvin Burnett,
Aliyah Grazette, Matylda and Carter Mace,
Harrison and Adelaide Mace.
Lew was preceded in death by his father, Arthur
Mace; his mother, Mable Stearns (George); Jean’s
parents, Barney & Rose Deubel; and his four
younger brothers.
Lew was a fiercely devoted friend to many.
Special and loving memories of “Opa” live on
within the families of his brothers, cousins,
nieces, nephews and in-laws, both in the U.S.
and Canada, and in the families of the brothers
and sister of his wife.
A great many of their dear friends and family
were able to wish Lew “farewell.”
Donations may be made in celebration of Lew’s
life to: Boundary County Museum, 7229 Main
Street, Bonners Ferry, ID, 83805; or to EAA
Chapter 757, c/o Gene Andrew, President,
Boundary County Airport, 64602 US Hwy 2, Bonners
Ferry, ID, 83805, for the scholarship fund to
help high school students learning to fly. |
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