Ed Cresto, 90

Charles Edward "Ed" Cresto, 90, of Mountain Home, died Saturday, Jan, 31, 2004, at the Elmore Medical Center Nursing Home.

Memorial services will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, at Good Counsel Hall in Mountain Home. Cremation is under the direction of Summers Funeral Homes, McMurtrey Chapel in Mountain Home.

Ed was born in Mackey on Feb. 17, 1913, the son of Joseph and Katherine Cresto (both immigrants to the United States).

He grew up in Mackey on his father's ranch, graduated from Mackey High School and attended two years of college at the University of Idaho. While at the U of I he was a member of the boxing team and the track team. Ed was very athletic and his love for sports was an important part of his entire life, his family noted.

He married the love of his life, Bessie Frost, in Mackey, in July 1936. They have had 67 happy years of life together, his family said. The union brought fourth two daughters and a son, Kay, Donna, and Jay, seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

"Ed was a man of much ambition and was a positive and forward thinker," his family said. "He was unafraid to try any and all avenues and opportunities that presented themselves in life.

"He was a devoted family man and spent countless hours involved in family activities and following the adventures of his children as they grew up.

"He loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing and camping."

Ed's work in life included "the Department of Defense" in Ogden, Utah during the war, a dairy milk route in Blackfoot, and a fruit and produce-trucking route in Mackey (from Pocatello to Salmon).

A move to Challis in 1945 brought a grocery store, a dry goods and clothing store, a motel, a river guide for a stretch of time, a milk and bread route and a job as Custer County Assessor.

He did spend a few years in Boise at which time he was an Ada County Assessor and owned a mobile home park in Mountain Home.

His community and civic life included being a volunteer fireman, ambulance driver, softball coach, boy-scout leader, mayor, city councilman, instrumental in rural electrification (REA) to Challis and North Custer County, and instrumental in the development of the Challis Golf Course. Challis was always his "home" and he loved the community.

"He was always available and doing everything he could to make it a better place to live," his family said.

After retirement he spent 20 years of winters in Southern California and summers in Challis. He and Bessie were "Snowbirds". Illness in 2001 brought an end to the California winters and necessitated a move back to Mountain Home to be near his doctor. He lived with diabetes for nearly 50 years and was eventually overtaken by the disease.

Ed is survived by: his wife of 67 years, Bessie; three children; Kay Piva of Challis, Jay and Kay (Giampedraglia) Cresto of Mountain Home, and Donna and Ken Behnk of Boise; sister Josephine Bitton of Reno, Nev.; seven grandchildren and 15 great- grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Bud Cresto, a sister Bess Morris, a granddaughter and great-granddaughter.

Memorials may be made in Charles' name to the Challis EMT, P.O. Box 24, Challis, ID 83226.