More detail on this person: Bob Sterling Falen,
70, of Soda Springs, passed into eternity on
August 16, 2015. Bob was born on June 17, 1945 in
Ontario, Oregon to Kenneth M. Falen and Barbara
Jean Draper Falen. The family moved to Hailey, ID
in 1946.
After relocating to Pocatello in 1955, Bob
attended Greenacres Elementary and Franklin Jr.
High. He graduated from Boise High School after
another family move. Bob then returned to
Pocatello to attend Idaho State University,
graduating in 1969. Bob married Janice K. Ferguson
in 1966 and they had two children, a daughter,
Heidi Kay and a son, Jansen Wesley. Bob and
Janice were later divorced.
Bob and Mary Evalyn Crowley were married in 1987
while Bob was serving in the Army at Fort Rucker,
Alabama.
Bob was a career military officer. He began his
military service with the ISU ROTC. He served in
Vietnam as a helicopter gunship pilot flying the
armed version of the Huey (uh-1c) logging over 800
hours of combat mission flight time. He completed
his 1 year combat tour in May of 1971, returning
to the U.S. to be assigned to the 1st infantry
division. Later that year he began a series of
transitions to become qualified in new aircraft,
which over the next 20 years included: the Oh-58
Kiowa, Oh-6 Cayuse, Ah-1 Cobra, and the Ah-64
Apache. Bob also held a commercial fixed wing
pilot license.
At the time of his military retirement in 1991, he
had accumulated approximately 10,000 hours of
flight time. Bob had a second career working for
several aircraft manufacturers, including the
Lancair Corp., Columbia Aircraft Co., and the
Cessna Aircraft Company. He decided in 2008 to
"actually retire" and he and Mary returned home to
Idaho.
He continued his dedication to his fellow warriors
by serving as Commander of the Soda
SpringsVeterans Honor Guard for several years.
An active person with many interests, Bob was a
seasoned outdoorsman and marksman,
accomplished USPSA/IPSC and cowboy action
shooter, certified firearms instructor, scuba
diver, alpine skier, writer, and wood and
leatherwork craftsman.
Bob is survived by his wife, Mary of Soda Springs,
ID; daughter, Heidi (Michael) Falck of Federal
Way, WA; son, Jansen (Leslie) Falen of Kingston,
WA; stepdaughters, Dawn (Ron) Young of Warner
Robbins, GA, and Sherry Griggs of Hartsville, SC.
He is also survived by 12 grandchildren, Adam
(Chalene) Holze, Mckenna Pangan, Brandy
Pangan, Bailey Pangan, Nic Falck, Mason Falen,
Elli Falen, Ashley (Austin) Tobiasz-Harris,
Garrett (Kelli) Hoard, Emily Young, Ryan Young
and Breanna Griggs; 5 great-grandsons, Silas
Holze, Levi Holze, Gatlin Harris, Jaren Hoard, Jax
Hoard; and one great-granddaughter, Rosalie
Salinas-Lucci; half-sisters, Rosie Nicholson of
Carrolton, TX, Kendra Falen and Shelly Mccoy of
Boise, ID. Bob was preceded in death by his
parents, half-sister, Mary Jo Higbee, and stepson,
Bradley Dorriety who passed away in 2006.
The family would like to express their sincere
appreciation to the doctors, nurses and staff of
Caribou Memorial Hospital in Soda Springs, ID, the
doctors and staff of Portneuf Cancer Center in
Pocatello, ID and to Alliance Hospice for the care
and compassion they extended to Bob and the
family during this difficult time.
Visitation with the family will be held on Friday,
August 21, 2015 from 6-8 pm at Colonial Funeral
Home, 2005 S. 4th Ave. Pocatello, Idaho 83201,
208-233-1500. Graveside services will take place
on Saturday, August 22, 2015 at 1 pm at the
Bellevue Idaho Cemetery in Bellevue, Idaho with
full Military Honors.
Condolences can be made to the family online at
www.colonial-funeralhome.com
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/11/2023
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