Charles Adon Brittenham, 85

Charles Adon Brittenham, 85, passed away on April 7, 2013, at his home near Moyie Springs, Idaho.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, April 12, 2013, at 10 a.m. in the Bonners Ferry Funeral Home with interment following in the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash.

Charles was born on July 6, 1927 in Orange County, Calif.

Those preceding him in death are his mother Rebecca Marie Brittenham and his father Elmer Lyle Brittenham both born in Chicago, Ill., baby brother Otto Brittenham born in Chicago and sisters Mary Louise Brittenham, Lois Brittenham, Lucille Machado of Oregon, Charles lost a dear stepson (nephew) Ben Jefferies in 2003 from an auto accident. To Charles, he was as his own son and he grieved over his loss.

Charles raised a stepson from his first wife who took on the Brittenham name, David Valenus Brittenham who resides in Texas.

Charles has one living sister, Marietta Belshaw of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Charles and his first wife, who was David Brittenham’s mother, came to Bonners Ferry and Moyie Springs in 1972 to leave the city for these beautiful mountains. They resided on Highway 2 during this time, close to the Montana Border. In 1991 his first wife passed away her at home.

In 1992 Charles married Patricia Lovell of origins of Illinois in Troy, Mont. She previously marred in Illinois and they raised five sons, Phillip Noble of Colorado; Robert Glidewell of Arizona, Thomas Ray Glidewell of Florida; John Gregory Glidewell of Illinois and Lonnie Lee Glidewell of Illinois.

Charles and Patricia were great friends and worked very hard to improve their home on Highway 2.

Their joy and love and dedication to each other were seen by friends and neighbors. Together they shared all they had for those who came their way in need, whether it was food, clothes, a place to stay or work. The little cabin on their property was salvation for many who needed a temporary home. Patricia became a CNA and she and Charles opened their home for the aged and they were cared for as family.

Charles was a very spiritual person and he once sang in the Billy Graham Crusades in California. When he came north he worked with a forest service crew to close 600 miles of forest service roads in Boundary County.

Charles served in WWII era and was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash. While there he was struck by a yellow cab while riding his motorcycle and suffered broken bones and was put in a full body cast for one and a half years. In spite of that he fought back to walk and worked for 26 years in construction with his father.

Before entering the service he worked at age 16 in the Cal ship yards in California. The youngest to be allowed. He and his father worked there at the same time. Charles was responsible in saving the ship yards from blowing up from a gas leak thus sparing several thousand lives. He later worked for Douglas on airplanes for the war effort.

He will be greatly missed. His love of country, service, family most of all his God and his great faith in Christ still emulates his home where he shared with Patricia.

Hunting in the Bob Marshalls Wilderness, also up by the Fraser River area in Canada, fishing all over Idaho, hiking in the mountains, close to heaven” he always said and who can question that who lived in Idaho.

Charles believed deeply in the resurrection and his desire was to be again in Northern Idaho with Patricia. Without the hope of Christ, his forgiving love and his shed blood for us where would we then have that great hope?

Family and friends are invited to sign Charles’s book at www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.