- Date Of Birth: September 10, 1921
- Date Of Death: June 28, 2017
- State: Idaho
Wally Lancaster, 95, passed peacefully at an Emmett care facility on June 28, 2017 of natural causes attended by immediate family and health care providers. Dad was born September 10, 1921, a middle child, on a farm near Galva, Kansas, to Francis Gertrude Hall and James Lay Lancaster. His family moved to Loveland, Colorado, seeking refuge from the 1934 dust bowl.
After graduating from high school, he married Mary Alice Hall and enlisted in the Army Air Corps at Lowery Field in Denver, Colorado. Three months after his son was born in 1943, he was stationed in England and Germany joining the Greatest Generation during WWII. Wally was selected to witness the horrendous Nazi death camp near Dachau, Germany, as a member of the U.S. Military. He returned home in late 1945, utilized the GI bill to attend Colorado A&M (now CSU) in Fort Collins, and graduated in forestry to become the first of his family to earn a college degree.
Wally’s forgiving nature and willingness to adapt are expressed in his favorite saying when tough things happened, “that’s the way ‘er goes”, and he would shrug his shoulders and keep moving forward.
Wally’s background in farming and livestock led to retirement in 1976 on a small farm near Star, Idaho. They began raising registered Limousin cattle and became active in the Idaho State Limousin Association. Enjoying success and growth (MaryAlice loved the calves), they moved to a larger farm along the Payette River west of Emmett with a wide variety of wildlife from bald eagles to river otter.
Wally was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Mary Alice in 2002, mother, father, eight siblings, and many special friends. He is survived by his son Jim (Sandy), cherished nieces and nephews, long-time friends, and memories from an amazing life of living, working and traveling the world. “Cheerio”, Dad. We are grateful for the care and guidance provided by Dr. James Thomson, the care providers who became friends and the devoted friends who brought messages of hope and love.
