Chester Thomas Riedinger

Chester Thomas Riedinger, 88, of Clarkston, died Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013, at home in Clarkston from cancer.

Chet was born July 3, 1925, in Ferdinand to Fred S. and Rose R. Nau Kuther Riedinger. He spent his early years on the family ranch in Ferdinand. The family moved to Clarkston in 1937, where Chet attended Holy Family School. He graduated from Clarkston High School in 1943.

Chet enlisted in the U.S. Navy after high school graduation. He served in naval intelligence during World War II and was stationed on Oahu in Hawaii. Chet intercepted the coded message of the Japanese surrender on his duty ship in 1945.

Upon his return from service, Chet worked for Safeway Grocery in Clarkston from 1946 to 1953, and for Payless Grocery in Clarkston from 1953 to 1958, where he learned the grocery trade.

In 1951, Chet met his future wife, Jannette R. Ward, at a Lewiston bowling alley. On May 2, 1952, Chet and Jan were married in Dayton, Wash. Together, they raised three children. Chet and Jan celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary earlier this year.

Chet and Jan bought the Economart Grocery in the Lewiston Orchards in 1958, which is now the site of the Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul stores at Fifth Street and Preston Avenue in Lewiston. Chet prided himself on customer service, often delivering groceries to customers who were unable to patronize the store in person. He also delivered fresh produce to several neighborhood schools. Chet also built and operated the Clearwater Ice plant, which provided ice for the construction of Dworshak Dam, and set up the first ice dispensing machines with bagged ice in locations throughout the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley.

Throughout his life, Chet was known for his outgoing personality and joking ways. He loved to fish and spent time in the outdoors, once winning the steelhead fishing derby. He was an avid rock hound, teaching his children and grandchildren to look for agates and other collectible rocks. Chet enjoyed driving vacations, and invited many friends and relatives along. He and Jan took many wonderful trips together. Chet enjoyed spending winters in the Palm Springs, Calif., area over the past decade, where he made new acquaintances from all over. Throughout his life, he enjoyed collecting antiques and flower and vegetable gardening.

In June 2012, Chet was selected to take the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., to view the World War II Memorial, accompanied by his son, Paul. It was his first trip, at 87 years old, to our nation's capital, and he was awed by the sights.

Chet was a member of Holy Family Church and a past member of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a past member of the Twin City Twirlers.

Chet leaves behind his wife of 61 years, Jan, at their Clarkston home; along with their three children, Beckie Wiemer, Patti Roberts and her husband, Ron, all of Clarkston, and Paul Riedinger of Lewiston. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Heather Anderson and her husband, Dan, of Sumter, S.C., Christian Thompson and his wife, Jillian, of Clarkston, Joel Hearne of Clarkston, Brittney Thompson of Lewiston, and Jody Roberts and his wife, Lleia, of Juliaetta. Chet is also survived by eight great-grandchildren, Kirsten and Joshua Wood, Sara Anderson, Jocelyn and Payton Thompson, Caleb Hearne, and Samantha and Jamie Roberts; Chet's brother, Cliff Kuther, and his wife, Eleanor, of Clarkston; and brother-in-law Thomas Faerber of Uniontown.

In addition to his parents, Chet was preceded in death by one brother, Richard Kuther, and sisters Audrey Polumsky and Shirley Faerber. He was also preceded in death by grandsons Kelly Hearne and Lee Roberts.

Funeral Mass for Chet will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Holy Family Church in Clarkston, with Father Root officiating. Burial at Vineland Cemetery will follow.