Obituary: Allbee, Chester W.
Age 88
ALLBEE,
Chester W.
“Chet”
Our well-loved husband, father and grandfather Chet Allbee, born March 7, 1924 in Lightning Flats, Wyoming to Elsie and Frank Allbee, passed away on March 16, 2012 in his home in Spokane.
The family of 8 moved to Sandpoint, Idaho when Chet was 12 years old.
He graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1942 and married Alice Hadley a week later.
(They would have celebrated their 70th anniversary in May.
)
Chet was drafted in 1943 and became an armor gunner on a B24 bomber in the South Pacific during World War II.
He attended two years of University of Idaho at Farragut upon returning.
Chet was a born salesman, spending many years behind the meat counter as a butcher at various grocery stores, entertaining customers with jokes and recipes.
He changed careers in 1965 to sell turf equipment to golf courses, school districts, cemeteries and parks.
Then he worked at Wandermere Golf Club in Spokane, maintaining their equipment for 6 1/2 years before retiring to spend his remaining years taking care of his own yard and garden, and being a devoted grandfather.
Chet was preceded in death by his son Terry in 1998 who died of Leukemia.
He is survived by his wife Alice and his daughter Karlyn Boppell (Chuck) in Rancho Mirage, CA.
Chet is also survived by 5 grandchildren: Todd Boppell (Elise) in Santa Ana, CA, Tauni Broennle (Ernie) of Oviedo, FL, Tami Haught (Dion) in Spokane, WA, Dr. Tiffany Thompson (John) of Tustin, CA, and Travis Allbee (Suzanne) in Seattle.
There are also 12 great-grandchildren who have loved and enjoyed Papa Chet and driving the golf cart in the yard with him.
Services will be held Saturday, March 24 at 2:00 PM at Hennessey Funeral Home on Division.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Horizon Hospice, 123 W. Cascade Way, Suite E, Spokane, WA 99208, or Whitworth University Athletic Dept., Golf Team, 300 W. Hawthorne Blvd., Spokane WA 99218.
Please visit Chet’s tribute and leave a condolence at www.hennesseyfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to: