In Memoriam
Darwin Dodds died of natural causes at the V.A. Hospital in Boise on June 4, 2008 at the age of 89.
Dar was born in Meridian, Idaho on May 2, 1919 to J.M. (Mack) and Amy L. Dodds. After moving to Boise where his father became an Ada County Commissioner, Dar graduated from Boise High School in 1937. He worked for Morrison-Knudsen building an airport on Wake Island where he was among those taken prisoner by the Japanese. After spending four years as a P.O.W., he returned to Boise in 1945 where he met and married Laura Reynolds.
Dar worked as a radio announcer for KDSH, KIDO and KBOI in Boise. He and Bruce Whitehead hosted an early morning show called “The BRU-DAR Show” on KBOI. Dar later worked for WGTO in Cypress Gardens, Florida and for KSL in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also worked in television and did commercials for advertisers on radio and television. With his wonderful speaking voice and great sense of humor he made a great radio personality.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Laura, his son Anthony Dodds (Tricia), daughter Shanna Jones (Brent), his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sister Evelyn Valenti and many nieces and nephews.
He was a very loving man, wonderful husband and a devoted father and grandfather. His terrific sense of humor and humble spirit saw him through a lot and he never complained. He enjoyed fishing, playing the drums, singing, harmonizing in a barber-shop quartet and spending time with his grandchildren and his Wake Island “buddies”. He wrote several songs and made a record about Wake Island.
He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. He was our “hero”.
The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at the V.A. Hospital for their loving care over the past few years.
A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, if you wish, a donation to a Veterans’ charity of your choice would be appreciated.
