Rathdrum Artist A Best Kept Secret

FOR THE RECORD: (April 26, 1995): Two winners in the Regional Spelling Bee at Harrison, Idaho, were misidentified Saturday. Molly Rosenbusch is a third-grader at Spirit Lake Elementary School. Taryn Nichols attends Betty Kiefer Elementary School.

‘Somebody’s dream, something unique - different than the average house.” Lynette Battles and her husband read this advertisement in the Los Angeles Times. It was for the old Milwaukee Railroad depot in Rathdrum.

Lynette and her husband had searched the West for just the right home. This was it. In 1977, the depot designed by Spokane architect Kirkland Cutter became Lynette’s home.

Since then, she has gained national recognition as an artist - and become one of Rathdrum’s best kept secrets.

Lynette’s fascination with art began early. At age 3, “It was almost magical to see a picture appear as I watched the negro houseboy at our Missouri home drawing sketches,” she said.

Her art studies didn’t turn serious for decades, not until World War II was over. A series of crises - fire, flood and divorce - spurred her on. Still, her career didn’t take root until she moved to Rathdrum.

Her studio is the ticketing room of the old depot.

“I don’t sketch before I begin to paint. I don’t know who will appear until I start painting. People are the subject of my art, with an occasional still life or landscape,” she said.

Sometimes Lynette works in series: The Fisherfolk, An Ethnic Series; Movie People; and, most recently, The Prairie. Most of her paintings are oil, a few are pastels.

She has won more than 60 prizes.

One of her award-winning pieces, “Prairie Grandmother - From Russia With Love,” was inspired by the late Barbara Nagle, a matriarch of Rathdrum. “Prairie Grandmother” went on display last fall at Corbin Mansion in Spokane, also designed by Cutter.

Lynette’s search for “just the right home” was the beginning of her career. She had no idea she would someday live in a railroad depot designed by a famous architect and see her paintings hung in a gallery designed by that same architect.

Sometimes even our wildest dreams come true.

Rathdrum Pride

Bryan Klingaman, a 10-year-old who attends Betty Kiefer Elementary School, has three Hoop Shoot Championships under his belt: local, state and the Pacific Northwest. He’s heading to Indianapolis for the National Hoop Shoot next weekend. The Elks Club sponsors the annual event. National winners will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Betty Kiefer student Leif Geringer came home the winner from this month’s North Idaho Chess Championships held at Cocolalla.

Molly Rosebausch, a first-grader from Spirit Lake, won first place in the recent regional Spelling Bee at Harrison, Idaho. Three of the four winners are from Lakeland School District, including Megan Thompson and Taryn Nichols-Thompson, both of Garwood Elementary.

At John Brown Elementary School on Friday, Barry Porath, Ara Mudge, Brett Beldon, Bryan Keil, Alyssa Garner, Pamela Elderedge, and Bryce Gill won the PTO’s “Jammin’ Journal” writing contest. Students wrote their ideas for taking care of the earth.

Rathdrum City Police officer Bob Wall is signing off after 15 years of service to the community. Drop in on his retirement party at City Hall, 2 p.m. on April 29.

George Willoth, CARE officer at Lakeland Schools, is working to start an Explorer Scout post in the Rathdrum area. Possible projects for the Explorers include planting fish in mountain lakes, building and maintaining nesting boxes for geese and other birdlife.

ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: Kay Younkin grew up in Australia and moved to North Idaho two years ago. She’s grown roots in Rathdrum and for the last 18 months has written the Kootenai Courier, a monthly covering Rathdrum and Hayden.