Douglas Everett Myler passed away peacefully on November 1, 2020.
Doug met the love of his life, H. Wyone Kelly, at a dance at the Deleta roller skating rink and dance hall in Pocatello when they were both 16. After courting for one and a half years, they were married on Doug's 18th birthday, May 29, 1951.
Soon after their marriage, Doug and Wyone bought a very small trailer and spent most of the next 7 years traveling all over the western United States, where Doug worked on large structural steel projects. In 1952 Linda was born, followed by Terry in 1954. Terry and Linda both traveled with Doug and Wyone. During that time they purchased a building lot at 556 Randolph, Pocatello, Idaho, and began digging the basement for their new home. They built the home, with their own two hands and some help from friends and family. As they saved enough money for building materials, they worked on it a little at a time. It was totally paid for and complete in 7 years. They were proud of it and the other 2 houses they built without incurring any debt.
Wyone had observed friends whose children had all grown up and saw their lives weren’t very fulfilling, so she wanted more kids. Doug and Wyone were delighted to welcome Jerold Douglas in 1964 and Anne Marie in 1970.
Doug was born during the Great Depression and said that when he was growing up his dad worked for almost nothing. By necessity, his parents were very frugal. Dad didn't have a football or a baseball mitt and he lived in the tiniest house on the block. Coming from humble beginnings contributed to his desire to succeed. Doug worked very hard all his life to achieve success and provide for his family.
Doug was born with a talent for building. He and his friend built a solid two story clubhouse with discarded scrap lumber from neighborhood trash when he was about 7-8 years old. Doug, with some help from family and friends built 3 homes without hiring contractors. He also built much of his son’s home. Doug was 65 when he began his last home on Beth and Monte Vista in Pocatello. Most people told him they thought he didn’t have a chance of doing that at his age.
Doug didn't learn to read during his 8 years in school. He says the first-grade teacher often ridiculed him and put him in the corner with a “dunce hat.” Later in life it was discovered that Doug had an eye condition which made it difficult to focus on the words on the page. With the help of Wyone, he went back to school at ISU at age 40, learned to read and was able to pass the GED test.
When Doug was 13 years old, he saved up the money for a car and went in with a friend and bought a 1934 two-door sedan Ford. He kept it at his friend’s house so his folks wouldn't know he had it--he didn't have a driver's license yet. There were very few cars in Pocatello at the time. He said, “You could have been laying down on Center Street in Pocatello and went to sleep and nobody would have ever run over you.”
Doug began working at Eddie's bakery when he was 13, boxing bread and pushing it up the rollers into a big semi-truck. That same year, he set pins at the bowling alley. At 15, Doug was working as a bellboy at the Whitman hotel, when he met a group of ironworkers who were guests. They took a liking to him and offered to recommend him for a job at FMC. He lied about his age to get the job and thus began his 26 year career as an ironworker.
He soon showed his talent, intelligence, and hard work and was made boss over many jobs. Ironwork was grueling and dangerous. Doug and Wyone moved their trailer house all over the western United States for Union jobs. At one job in Death Valley California he had to weld in a tank where the temperature was 117 degrees. One building he worked on in California was 47 stories high! On one job in Wyoming, he saw a fellow worker fall to his death. He was proud that he never had a worker get hurt on any of the jobs he ran. Doug retired from ironwork at age 41 and began a career as the Bannock County Building Inspector/Official where he spent 28 years. During his 2 careers, he began farming in the Crystal, Idaho area. His farm is still in operation as sage grouse habitat. He also taught welding at the ISU Vo-Tech.
Wyone passed away on March 29, 2018. Doug is survived by their children: Linda Myler Palmer Bleazard Walker of Blackfoot and recently from Rexburg; Terry Myler (Julie), West Jordan, Utah; Jerold Myler (Shauna), Pocatello; Anne Myler Preston (Sam), Blackfoot, Idaho. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren.
Doug remained very active throughout his life. He loved to ride his bicycle, and often logged 20 miles or more a day. He was a good roller-skater and still skated when he was in his late 60s. He was always up for an adventure. Doug and Wyone loved to travel and go camping in their fifth-wheel trailer.
Doug loves people. He has many friends and makes friends of strangers wherever he goes. I’m sure he has begun to make new friends in Heaven already.
We wish to thank Dr. Travis Nielsen and Sadie at IMMC, and all of the workers at Brookdale Assisted Living Center for the compassionate care he received. We also wish to thank all of Doug’s friends at Brookdale, particularly Arlene Foley who was a bright light and companion during his time at Brookdale.
A viewing will be held at Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 North 15th Avenue, Pocatello, Idaho, Friday, November 6, 2020 from 11 a.m. until noon. There will be a short graveside service at the Rockland, Idaho, cemetery at 2 p.m. that afternoon.
Please follow all guidelines for masks and social distancing. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.cornelisonfh.com
208-232-0542
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