- Date Of Birth: April 29, 1938
- Date Of Death: December 17, 2022
- State: Idaho
Alan John Vaterlaus, 84, of Boise, Idaho, passed away on December 17, 2022, from complications after cancer surgery.
Alan was born April 29, 1938, in the little Southern Idaho town of Preston. He joined his siblings Carl, MarJean, Elaine, and Rodney, with Valene coming later. He grew up on a farm and learned early the value of hard work and a job well done. He had a passion for sports, especially baseball. He and his brother Rodney, would throw rocks a long distance trying to hit the barn, dreaming of playing for his lifelong team the Cleveland Indians. His practice paid off and he was able to play baseball and softball for many years. After retiring, he was able to bat and play infield with the Indians on a trip to spring training in Arizona. They said they would keep their eye on him as a relief player.
He attended Utah State University and married JoAnn Wright in 1957. After leaving the university, he began his banking career with First Security Bank in Preston in 1959, staying with them for 42 years, until retiring in 2001.
He had four children between 1958 and 1968, Vicki, Bret J, Jan Christoff, and Kristal Ann. They lived in Idaho Falls, Pocatello, and after several moves and promotions moved to Boise in 1973. These years were filled with many trips to the mountains, hunting, fishing, being a member of the Idaho Ski Patrol, and raising a family.
Later in life, after he and JoAnn divorced, he met his sweetheart, Sheryl Harris Vaterlaus. They were married in 1988 and were blessed with another daughter, Alyson Katie. He and Sheryl loved to travel and Alyson was a good sport on many adventures, including trips to Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii, and Europe. While working at the bank, he developed a love for golf, which he enjoyed with friends. He had a lifelong passion for hunting and everyone knew to find him at Kilgore in November.
For many years he held an annual Grandpa Camp for the grandsons and even some granddaughters. He and Sheryl fed many teenage boys a lot of pizza and loved taking them hiking, boating, and to ride motorcycles. He taught his kids and grandkids how to fish, hunt, ski, drive, and push through hard things.
In his retirement, he remained busy and active and was a full time Papa to his youngest grandchildren, Kyden and Saylor. He loved his annual golf trips with friends to Las Vegas, fishing at Polly Beamis Ranch, and his latest obsession, watching son-in-law Casey racing his sprint car at Meridian Speedway.
