David Lee Wahlen, 72, of Aberdeen, ID, passed away Thursday, May 5, 2022 in Idaho Falls, ID.
David was the first of seven children, born in American Falls, ID, on Oct. 21, 1949 to Floyd Chester Wahlen and Orva Marie Broadhead Wahlen. The Wahlen family home was located in Sterling, ID. David and his six siblings, Susan, Kim, Jan, Wendy, Val, and Eric, were raised in love and laughter on the family farm. His siblings were his first friends and he remained devoted to them throughout his life.
David started school at Grandview Elementary and was a proud graduate of Aberdeen High School, where he served as the student body president. David continued his education at Ricks College and Brigham Young University. While at BYU he was introduced to the love of his life, Colette Vest. They were married in the Salt Lake City Temple for time and all eternity on May 23, 1973.
David farmed for 27 years in the Aberdeen, Springfield and Pleasant Valley areas and was a founding member of Pleasant Valley Potato. Later in life he began a new venture by starting the trucking company, Western Flyer.
He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving as a missionary in the Japan Central Mission, in the bishopric, as bishop, in the YSA branch presidency, as a temple worker, and as a housing missionary in the Idaho Pocatello mission.
He was Sterling, Idaho’s first Eagle Scout and remained dedicated to the scouting program throughout his life. He was a graduate of Woodbadge and loved spending time leading his local scout group as scoutmaster. He inspired, encouraged, and led many others to achievement and personal growth within the scouting program. David was honored and humbled when he received the Silver Beaver Award for his many years of service and personification of scouting ideals.
David enjoyed serving in the community, coaching little league basketball, baseball, JV girls basketball and serving on the Aberdeen-Springfield canal board and the Aberdeen school board.
He loved sports and enjoyed playing first base in church leagues and for Wahlen Farms in the Aberdeen City softball league.
To know him was to love him, to be known of him was to be loved.
David is survived by his wife, Colette; siblings, Kim Wahlen of Aberdeen, Susan (Mel) Markham of Huntington Beach, CA, Jan (Dave) Baker of South Jordan, UT, Val (Lori) Wahlen of Aberdeen, Wendy Wahlen of Long Beach, CA, and Eric (Ralene) Wahlen of Aberdeen; siblings-in-law, Randy (Kris) Vest of Winnsboro, TX; Bonnie (Neal) Smith of Riverton, UT; Robin (Gene) Peterson of Lehi, UT; Merri Lyn (Dan) Gotter of Syracuse, UT; children, Ryan (Traci) Wahlen of Aberdeen, Amy (Kirk) Walton of Eagle, ID, Tracy (Zeid) Louza of Sandy, UT, Bradley (Jessica) Wahlen of Rigby, ID, Devin (Alicia) Wahlen of Clovis, NM, Kirk (Brittany) Wahlen of Aberdeen, Cory (Lindsey) Wahlen of San Luis Obispo, CA, Ty (Saranie) Wahlen of San Luis Obispo, CA; 30 grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents Chet and Orva Marie Wahlen; parents-in-law Dean and Jean Vest; sister-in-law Connie (Kim) Wahlen; brother-in-law Henry (Bonnie) Hansgen.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, at the Lakeview LDS Chapel in Springfield, ID. Family will meet with friends and relatives from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 13, and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday prior to funeral services at the church. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Hawker Funeral Home in Blackfoot.
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