John Francis Phalen, 79

John Francis Phalen passed away peacefully on Jan. 25, 2007 at his home in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, Feb. 5, 2007 at 11 a.m. in the St. Ann's Catholic Church in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

John was born on July 30, 1927 to Frank E. and Sarah (Reiger) Phalen in Bridgeport, Conn. On July 19, 1947 he married Betty R. Oviatt.

He worked as a machinist for Ingersoll Rand, of Painted Post, N.Y., for 21 years and left to start his own business traveling to fairs, sport shows and livestock shows selling items he made from fur and leather.

On retiring, he and Betty left Hornby, N.Y. in 1991, and moved to a golf resort in Brownsville, Texas, then to Bonners Ferry, Idaho in March of 2000 to be close to their son Seth and his family. Son Frank joined them in July of 2005 to make the family complete. His interests through the years were of riding in rodeos, hunting, fishing and playing golf with his friends at River Bend Resort in Brownsville, Tenn. He developed an interest in the mountain man fur trade ear and participated in many rendyvous reenactments throughout the country.

He is survived by his wife Betty and two son: Frank and Seth, beloved daughter-in-law Joyce, and grandson Ian, all of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, his aunt May Phalen of Cave Creek, Ariz., niece Margaret Arpie of Lawrenceville, Ga., cousins, great nieces, nephews and his good friend John Miller of Milford, Conn., and Lars Eidnes of St. Maries, Idaho. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Margaret.