Remembering friend Irene Shafer

I lost my Hungry Horse source and a good friend. The community will miss a cheerful, helpful, knowledgeable, longtime volunteer.

Irene Shafer passed away at her home early Sunday morning after battling cancer, first diagnosed in April.

Vaughn and Irene Shafer, wed 65 years ago, have been popular owners of Hungry Horse Corral. They continued to make the hungry horse figures first designed by the late Morris Blake, a Montana Highway patrolman. The distinctive hungry horse stands at the left of the shop.

Vaughn is the unofficial mayor of Hungry Horse and his wife was definitely the first lady. She retired from Columbia Falls Post Office and had previously been a clerk at Hungry Horse Post Office. He is a retired Anaconda Aluminum Co. employee and an ardent Cubs and Navy supporter.

Vaughn's Navy experiences included training at Farragut in Idaho and World War II service in the South Pacific.

Irene will be a hard act to follow as director of both Hungry Horse water board and volunteer fire department. She was always intensely interested in both organizations, working long hours of dedicated service. She was firm when dealing with delinquent water users and helped to enforce water board rules and objectives. Community support for Hungry Horse Community Club, Canyon School and the VFW Post and Auxiliary were among other areas of civic activities, including financial donations and behind the scenes assistance by Irene and Vaughn.

We did not see each other often, but Irene and I spent many hours each week discussing and cussing area political and other issues via telephone. Sometimes it was just a laughing call with a late joke but were always timely.

I could always count on Irene to assist when there was a question, whether for a news story or just to refresh my memory.

Shafers have formed friendships with innumerable Hungry Horse visitors through the years. Many return annually for vacations and always include a stop at Hungry Horse Corral to visit with Irene and Vaughn.

I am certain that topics for our conversations would have been the long lost piston of the Steamer F.F. Oakes. My column Jan. 8, 2009, was a repeat from one written several years ago.

It made a long column, but original letters written by E. J. Mathews, manager of the Northern International Improvement Co. were copied in their entirety. Recipient of the letters was J. E. Gaylord, president, at Butte City. First letter, dated May 24, 1892, reported Mr. Talbott had left the day before heading to coal mines, with A. S. Lanneau in charge. Five days later, a communication dated May 29, 1892, reported the boat was having a hard time of it, followed by May 31, 1892 news that the boat had been seen by Canyon Creek. Wreck was described in a June 3, 1892 letter.

Several months ago Charmaine Davall called me with the accurate story of retrieving the large piston from the Steamer F.F. Oakes.

Her husband, Don Davall, Claude Brooker from Brooker's Body Shop and Gary Thacker, Thacker garage and service station, were those she remembered getting the heavy, unwieldy piston with large pipes from its longtime resting place.

Those watching the move behind the store included Moe and Alice Davall, Don's parents.

Unfortunately, the actual year the adventure took place is not remembered. The men took the piston to a spot in the yard behind Davall Merc. where it remained for years. Charmaine, an ardent gardener, wanted to use the spot to create another flower garden. Besides, she was tired of hitting her knees on it.

At that time, Charmaine called Gary Stempin asking if the Steamer F.F. Oakes piston could be moved to property owned by the City of Columbia Falls. There again, actual date was not notated.

We were both shocked when learning this historical part of our Columbia Falls history was being considered for movement to the Central School Museum in Kalispell. It seemed pouring a slab of concrete and putting the piston with appropriate plaque by Nucleus Avenue in uptown Columbia Falls would be a much better place for a final resting place.

Charmaine knew first hand how heavy and awkward the piston was when moved behind their store. We both wondered how much heavy equipment would be required for another move.

We were told the piston would be placed upstairs in the Museum. Apparently the informer said it would be taken there by elevator. Another person I spoke with thought it was only 10 inches long.

I attended Central School when in seventh and eighth grades. Seems to me the building was old then. I recall concrete steps leading to the main entrance and long flights of steps to the second story.

Seems to me Steamer F.F. Oakes has been sunk again.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident and columnist for the Hungry Horse News.