Edward Leon Berreth

Edward Leon Berreth, of Weippe, passed away early Tuesday morning June 15, 2021.

He died from a heart condition while held by his grandson, Andy Berreth, en route to the hospital. “Ed” as many referred to him, was more often called “Leon” or “Lee” by those who knew him in his younger years.

He was born to Edward and Marie (Rusch) Berreth on Sept. 23, 1935, in Glasgow, Mont. When he was an infant, the family relocated to the Sanders and later Tensed, Idaho, area where Leon grew up with three siblings in Tensed. He graduated from Plummer High School in 1953, then attended North Idaho Junior College in Coeur d’ Alene followed by Eastern Washington State College (now EWU) to finish his bachelor’s in education. He taught high school industrial education in Weippe from 1960-61 before returning to college to complete a master’s degree in industrial education at the University of Idaho in 1962.

In 1962-63, Leon taught industrial education and drivers education at Wallace High School in Wallace, Idaho, then two years at Mullan, Idaho, and another two years at Elk River. In 1967, Leon moved back to Weippe where he taught at Pierce and Weippe. He helped clear the ground for the new combined Pierce-Weippe High School named Timberline in 1968 and taught there until 1971. Leon then left teaching to work in the booming logging industry of the early ’70s, working much of the next three decades in logging and cedar mill operations. In the early ’80s, he partnered to form the Timber Savers Company, focusing on both salvage cedar product logging and the manufacture of cedar products and later crushed rock. When his sons Jason and Phillip took over mill and rock production operations in the ’90s, he focused more on farming on his Fraser ranch, where he worked up until late 2020 as his health permitted.

On June 2, 1963, he married Michal L. Walton. Leon and Michal moved with his early teaching jobs until settling long term in Weippe in 1967. They had four sons. They divorced in 1975, but Leon and Michal maintained a great friendship as they partnered to provide the best parenting presence for their boys. In November 1978, Leon married Judith Reutzel, whose daughter, Minnie, he accepted as his own. Leon and Judy were together 42 years before they parted with Judy’s death in March 2021.

Leon had a gentle spirit and was quick with a wide smile upon greeting anyone. He loved time with family and friends hunting, fishing and potlucks. He also enjoyed woodworking, mechanics, gunsmithing, gardening, growing trees and beekeeping among many other interests. He was deadly with a gun, and would invariably bring game home with just one shot. He also had an uncanny ability, even at a young age, to take machines apart and get them back together working.

Leon professed his faith in Jesus on what he would call a lucky day for him, Friday the 13th, at about the age of 25 and attended church regularly — he was a steady support to the Weippe Wesleyan Church for many years. Leon believed in telling others about his faith by example and in personal testimony — with his gentle and friendly approach, his witness did not go unnoticed.

He is survived by two brothers, Larry (Chris) Berreth and Stanley (Linda) Berreth; sons Jonathan (Svetlana) Berreth, Phillip (Dawn) Berreth, Charles (Candace) Berreth, Jason (Michelle) Berreth; and stepdaughter Minnie (Mike) West; grandchildren Brittney (Logan) Frederick, Andrew (Megan) Berreth, Emily (Trent) Badger, Rachel Graham, Dalton West and Polina Berreth. He is survived by five great-grandchildren, including Annabelle and Charlotte Berreth, Judah and Aiden Frederick and Gideon Badger.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Marie (Rusch) Berreth; wife, Judith; and sister Lorraine (Gene) Krell.

Services will be from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturday with a viewing at the home of Jason Berreth of Weippe, 407 North Third St., E. This will be followed by a graveside service at 11 a.m. officiated by Navy Cmdr. and Chaplain Carl Rhoads at the Fraser Cemetery (Google Fraser Cemetery, Orofino ID). A potluck lunch and slide show will follow at the Fraser Grange.

Memorials can be made to the Hilltop Heritage Museum, 105 E. First St., Weippe, ID 83553.