Wayne David Bricker, 90

Sept. 16, 1933 - May 14, 2024

Wayne Bricker was born September 16, 1933 in Douglas, Wyoming, as the 13th of 15 children to Ernest & Bessie Bricker. At 5 or 6 years of age, the family moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, where his father and brother Ernest, Jr., worked on building Farragut Naval Base and an older sister, Mildred, also worked there. He went through all his school years in Sandpoint, graduating in 1951.

After high school, he worked on the Blister Rust with the Forest Service in Priest Lake, the Falls Ranger Station in Priest River and the Cabinet Gorge Dam.

Several “unemployed” friends talked him into joining the Marines on the buddy system. Wayne shipped to a tent at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan as a unit waiting as back up to the Korean Conflict for 15 months. He did several tours of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Wayne returned to Sandpoint and worked on the Noxon Rapids Dam and relocated the railroad around it. Thereafter, he entered the logging business. Many families came from the Sandpoint area to Superior to log for the Superior mill and many stayed. Wayne came in 1958 or 1959 with the Hulquist Brothers and later, Oliver General Contracting, who owned and lived in Oliverville.

He married Billye Ann “Toots” Frey in 1962 and stayed in the area. They just celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. They have two children, Christina and David. They took over the Happy Hollow Ranch at Tarkio when her father became ill in the mid-60’s and have been there ever since. He went from logging to farming and ranching and he served on many local committees.

He is preceded in death by his parents, siblings, Harvard, Miles, Ted, Ernest Jr., Lucille, Marie, Mildred, Betty, Louise, Dorothy, Phyllis and two infants. Survivors include his wife, Billye Ann (Toots), children, Chris Bricker Benson (husband Wayne and his sons, Matt, Dan, Adam) of Tennessee, and David of Kalispell; and brother, Phillip.

A memorial will be held in late summer or fall of 2024 in Superior, Montana.