Ed Fairbrother

Ed Fairbrother of Bonners Ferry Idaho passed away unexpectedly at his Katka Mountain home on June 16, 2011, with his wife Wendy and grandson Nicolas by his side.

A celebration of his life will be held for family and friends at his Katka Mountain home on Saturday, July 23, at 12:30 p.m. until finished.

His family asks that guests bring a potluck dish to share as well as any special stories or memories of Ed. They will be having a variety/talent show in his honor.

Ed’s was a life well lived, he lived and died on his own terms. His life was exactly as he liked it. He didn’t waste much time on regrets and doubts when gratitude was an option. His theme song was “What A Wonderful World” By Louis Armstrong — which he sang and truly felt.

He along with his wife Wendy had spent the past 35 years pouring their heart and souls into their home “ Katka Falls Farm.” To Ed, his home was a piece of Heaven on earth. There was no place he would rather live and die.

Ed was born Feb. 10, 1939, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Edwin William Fairbrother and Ramona Montana Walcott. He and his younger sister Rhonda grew up in a home filled with love and laughter. Ed loved telling stories about his family and his childhood.

Ed recently celebrated 44 years of marriage to Wendy who he acknowledged as the love of his life. Between the two of them they had 9 children, 19 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Ed had a very special love for and relationship with his grandchildren. He had a knack for being “Grandpa.” He loved teaching them about life, nature, their surroundings, their history and about finding what made them happy.

He was an excellent conversationalist and a grand story teller. He would have the children convinced of the fairies that lived in the enchanted forest or of Peter the elf that Santa sent to spy on them to make sure they behaved.

He loved to have lively discussions and his favorite position was that of devils advocate. He was fiercely competitive and would instigate games, competitions and place bets. He was an avid reader and instilled a love of reading in his children and grandchildren.

 They all have fond memories of him reading aloud to them from Patrick McManus or “The Boxcar Children.”

He loved music. He would often dance with Wendy to “You are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker singing along as they danced. He wrote beautifully and with feeling and eloquence in his perfect block print. He loved to joke and kid around and could always be counted on to bring humor to a family gathering.

Ed was the leader of his family. He held this position with pride and strength. He could always be counted on to share his opinions, wisdom and advice. Each of his children and grandchildren were special to him in their own way and he encouraged the things he loved most about each of them.

 He will be greatly missed by friends and family. A man of his size leaves an awfully large hole behind after he is gone.

Ed is survived by his wife, Wendy Fairbrother, of Bonners Ferry, Idaho; his sons: Randy Fairbrother of Sandpoint, Idaho, Donny Fairbrother (Julie) of Vancouver, Wash., Paul Lee ( Laura Jones) of Mission Viejo, Calif., and Michael Fairbrother of Big Lake, Alaska; daughters: Becky Stottlemeyer of Portland, Ore., Natalie Miller (Kirk) of Sandpoint, Idaho; Jennifer Hepinstall of Sandpoint, and Melody Fairbrother of Vancouver, Wash.

He is also survived by his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as his sister, Rhonda Cizek, and her family of Salem, Ore. Ed was preceded in death by his son Rusty Fairbrother and his grandson’s Brian Fairbrother and Daniel Uhnak.