Obituary of Charles Mairs

Charles Douglas (Doug) Mairs passed away September 2, 2012. Doug was born November 25, 1915 in New Meadows, Idaho, the son of Charles Allen Mairs and Minnie Esther Bohn. It was on Thanksgiving Day and his mother fixed dinner, then went to bed while the doctor and his father had a feast. Doug had one sister, Margaret, and a brother that died soon after he was born. His father was principal at the school in New Meadows and from there they moved to Cascade where he owned the Buick garage. Unfortunately, when the great depression came along too many customers owed the company money and therefore Mr. Mairs couldn't pay his bills so they closed the doors. From there they moved to St. Maries where his father worked for Continental Oil Co. Here is where Doug started school at age 5. He also had a magazine route where he sold many well-known magazines for that day like Saturday Evening Post, Country Gentleman, Ladies Home Journal, and Liberty Magazines. Doug's father began to have health problems so they moved to Boise and Doug went to school, but had to quit at age 14 because his father died and he had to help his mother and sister. He was a good student and hated to quit, but there was no other choice at the time. He got a job at Boise Capitol News as a delivery boy and worked up to apprentice bindery man and later to foreman. In 1939 he went to Washington, D.C. to work in the Government Printing office and attended night school so he could finish his high school education. While studying on December 7, 1941 he learned about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He left the following spring to return to Boise and enlist in the Army. He served in an Ordinance group and then was assigned to the small arms artillery repair section, ending up in General Patton's 10th Armored Division. He crossed the channel one week after the invasion but could still see many signs of the terrible fight that had occurred a week earlier. While in Europe, he was assigned to 3rd headquarters where he served as a Liason Officer, having received a field commission short time before. He traveled through France, Germany, Belgium, Luxenbourg, and Czechoslavakia when the European war ended. He was scheduled to go to the Pacific, but that war ended just as they were boarding the ship. Returning to Boise he went to Ogden, Utah to work at the government printing plant there while waiting to start a printing business with three friends. In fall of 1946 Mountain States Press, Inc. was formed. Doug would be with that company the rest of his working days, always striving to improve and maintain a viable business with 19 employees. In 1982 the business was sold and Doug retired to hopefully spend a lot of time fishing, his favorite pastime. It was in Ogden where Doug met and fell in love with his wife Fae. They were married June 7, 1947 and have had 65 happy years together. Their family was complete when their sons Robert and Terry were born. He enjoyed his retirement years with Fae as they did a lot of traveling throughout the world and the United States. With a home on Lake Cascade and the one in Boise he and Fae were busy taking care of both places enjoying both of them. Doug took much pride in his home and yards. He especially enjoyed planting a garden and sharing the produce with family and neighbors. All his life Doug loved to fish and hunt. He started at a very young age to fish and usually kept his family freezer well stocked with fish to eat. Many hunting seasons for game birds would find Doug in the fields with his dog and family. They would take a portable charcoal stove and cook hamburgers in the field for lunch while enjoying this sport and the great out doors. He also enjoyed skiing and this too was something the family enjoyed together while the boys were still home but Doug never stopped until he was 86 years old. Even participating in downhill racing and receiving first place a couple of times. Doug has been an active and busy citizen of this country and community all his adult life. Some of the Community affiliations in which he participated are: Past officer and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Boise Elks Lodge #310. Member Boise Chamber of Commerce and also the Fetchers club (the duties were to sell memberships to Boise business men). Board member of Better Business Bureau. Past President of Boise Executive Association. Past President Boise Host Lions Club and recipient of Melvin Jones award, the most prestigious honor in Lionism and recently awarded a certificate for 60 years of service. President of Knife and Fork Club. Treasurer of West Boise Sewer District where he served from the time it was organized until 2007. Member of Boise Music Week Board serving from time he retired until present time. With his partner in Mountain States Press he received the Boss of the Year award from Boise Junior Chamber of Commerce. Served on board of Idaho State AAA for fifteen years concluding as the Chairman for several years. In June 2002 received a letter of congratulations from then Governor Dirk Kempthorne for the Certificate of Recognition he received from the French government for his participation in liberating the French people during WWII. Served as an officer in various other organizations to which he belonged; namely, Mountain View Water Users Association, Paradise Cove Homeowners Association and helped with Neighborhood Watch program in his neighborhood. Doug leaves a wonderful posterity of two sons with their wives, thirteen grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren. Each one played an important part of helping him have a happy and full life. No man could have asked for more. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Boise Music Week, Boise Lions Club or a charity of your choice in the name of Charles Douglas Mairs. Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Summers Funeral Homes, Ustick Chapel. A viewing will be held one hour prior. Burial will follow at Dry Creek Cemetery.