Thale Varden Seal was born in Rupert, Idaho April 18th
1940 to Thale Seal Sr. and Melba Brown
Seal. He was raised in the Rupert area and graduated from Minico High School in
1958. When Thale was young he loved music. He sang in a quartet while in high
school and then joined the army.
I can’t even count how many times grandpa has told us about
his family’s trips to Pocatello and how they had to reverse the car over the
pass in order to get back home.
In 1963 Thale married Margie Best. Together they had three
children Rusty, Darla and Rodney. They lived in Soda Springs where he worked
for Kerr Magee, drove truck and was in partnership at the B & T Café. All
of his children remember gathering in their basement every Sunday morning for
church.
Grandpa was a man of many talents; one of his true loves was
his radios. When he first started with amateur radio he did everything to get
as much power as he could. Then FCC knocked on his door, and told him that he
needed to either get a license or get rid of the radio. Needless to say he got
his HAM license. With the radio call name of WB7CWB, which many of us know by
heart. He continued his passion for radio.
In 1978 Thale and Margie moved to Hawaii where he worked as
a chef and a truck driver. Margie preceded him in death in 1979. At which time
Thale and his children returned to Soda Springs.
In 1980 Thale married Shirley and their family doubled in size.
Now they had a family of 6 teenagers they were the next Brady Bunch. It was probably
a good thing that some of them had already moved out on their own.
Thale continued to add hobbies to his list. He traded snow
machines for motorcycles and hunting for fishing, as long as he had a boat. He
may have decided not to hunt anymore but he still had his share of run-ins with
wildlife. We still remember napping in the motor home only to be rudely awakened
by a moose in the middle of the road. And we can’t forget the deer who attacked
their motorcycle.
Grandpa’s interest took them from Soda to Denver and eventually
to Billings. Where they purchased a house and made a home. Grandpa worked for
the cable company which he eventually retired from in 2000. Work was not something
grandpa took lightly. He expected the best out of himself and worked hard to be
the best wherever he worked. After retirement they began their many journeys to
visit children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and the rest of the USA.
Grandpa met many friends through his hobbies and travels.
Grandpa was dependable and willing to go the distance for
us, even if it included 3000 miles and 4 hours of sleep. He’s picked us up when
we’ve been hitch hiking, broke down, had a flat tire or needed help moving.
Grandpa had a way of taking us to our limits with everything
from Kris’s fish stories, Larry’s Coke and dog biscuits to fingerprints on his
truck and TV screen. Some days I thought he liked to make me cry. A few months
ago he told me I was right he said he was making me tough.
Grandpa could do anything and he’s done most everything. A
short list included boating, fishing, farming, trucking, fishing; he worked on
small engines and radio towers. He was a carpenter and a road tripper. He
remodeled and recorded. He was a photographer and a great cook. He rode four
wheelers and taught some of us how to shoot a gun. He was a snowbird and had an
Iron Butt.
Grandpa has taught each and every one of his a life lesson. Whether
it is: Not settling for anything but the best, Working hard to achieve great
things in life that things don’t always come easy and that we could always
count on him to come to our rescue no matter what.
This summer while having a heart to heart with grandpa he
told me he was the richest man in the world. I kind of laughed and asked why?
He said it was because he had his family that loved him and cared about him and
that was better than all the money in the world.
As a wonderful Husband, Father, Grandfather and
Friend he will always have a special place in each of our hearts. He is dearly
loved and will be greatly missed
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