IDA ALBINA (BACCA) WOLHETER

Ida Albina (Bacca) Wolheter, 83, of Potlatch, Idaho, passed away on June 3, 2022, of advanced Parkinson’s disease at Ladow Court Assisted Living in Garfield, WA.  A graveside memorial service will be held on Friday, June 17, 2022, 2:00 PM at Freeze Cemetery with the Reverend Lee Nicholson officiating.

Ida was born on July 8, 1938, to James and Amelia (Odorizzi) Bacca at Potlatch, ID.  She was the youngest of five siblings, Louie, Annie, Nora, and Alice.  The family lived at Onaway, ID where she attended elementary school through the 4th grade and then Potlatch schools, graduating in 1956.  The following year, she attended Kinman Business College at Spokane, WA.

Ida married her high school sweetheart, Johnnie Wolheter on June 2nd, 1957, at Potlatch, ID where they planted their roots and became lifelong residents. Johnnie operated Johnnie’s Barber Shop and Ida was employed at Crites-Moscow Growers and then Latah Federal Credit Union. In January, 1970 they were blessed with a son, Steve, and Ida was able to dedicate her time to being a stay at home mom until he began grade school.  In 1977 she became employed at Potlatch Elementary School as their Secretary until her retirement in 2000.

Ida was an active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and her community.  She had a love of running, which prompted her to organize and participate in the yearly Fun Run on Potlatch Days and to compete in numerous Bloomsday runs at Spokane, WA over the years. And even though she couldn’t tie a knot herself, she volunteered to be Steve’s Cub Scout leader of Troop 318 when no one else would do it.  Ida enjoyed planting and tending to flowers in her yard, conning Johnnie into going on bike rides with her, chatting (and sometimes napping) on her front porch, and crocheting and quilting with friends. Ida also loved playing cards. For years she met her Pinochle group of ladies to play on one Thursday night each month.  Johnnie and Steve always looked forward to the conversation the following morning because she would fill them in on all of the gossip that she learned (although she would never refer to it as gossip)!

Ida was an avid sports fan.  She and Johnnie had yearly season tickets to WSU Cougar basketball games and there was hardly ever a day that she did not have some type of sports playing on the tv.  Many times though, she was caught rooting for the wrong team when she would ask what color her team was wearing!  She loved Gonzaga, Duke, the Mariners, and of course Sunday afternoons were set aside for Seahawk football, causing a bit of contention with the Cowboys fans in their house.

She and Johnnie loved camping and traveling with friends and she looked forward to trips with her sisters.  However, once her grandsons came along, Johnnie had a very hard time dragging her away from them.  He accused them of robbing him of vacations during his retirement!   Hollice and Jack became her world, and there was not an activity or event they participated in she would miss.

Ida and Johnnie were able to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on June 2, 2017, prior to Johnnie’s passing in November of the same year. And although the declaration of Ida's death wasn’t officially made until the early morning on June 3, there was comfort in knowing that she took her last breath to forever be with Johnnie in the final hour on June 2, which would have been their 65th anniversary. 

Ida was preceded in death by her husband, Johnnie, her parents, James and Amelia, and her brother, Louie.  And most recently, her sister, Alice Hoffman of Rosalia, WA, who passed away unexpectedly just a few days following Ida.

Ida is survived by her son, Steve Wolheter (Joyce Carpenter) Potlatch, ID, two sisters, Annie McNett, King City, CA, Nora Bruya, Langley, WA, two grandsons, Hollice and Jack Wolheter, Joyce’s daughters, Cassie, Brookelyn, and Taylor Carpenter, numerous nieces and nephews and many close friends who were like family to her.

Memorials may be given to the Ladow Court Assisted Living Facility, 308 West California Street, Garfield, WA 99130.

Kramer Funeral Home of Palouse, Washington is caring for the family. Online condolences may be left at www.kramercares.com.

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