James Chadband

1927 - 2016

My husband was the finest man I have ever known! He passed away May 29, 2016.

James Frank Chadband was born in Orcut, Calif., on March 15, 1927. He was orphaned at the age of 7; his parents, along with a sister, were killed in a car accident. Chad was raised by his 19 year old brother until he was in high school. He lived with his older sister through high school and then joined the Army.

Chad was always, as a child and an adult, a fine athlete in both track and football. He loved all sports. After serving in the Army for two years, a friend who was in Moscow talked him into coming to the University of Idaho as a walk-on for the football team. He made the team right away and played with the Vandals for four years! He was and is a Vandal through-and-through and was named as one of Idaho's all time best athletes!

He served in the Army two years before going to college. After graduation, he married Connie Baxter, and they had two great sons, James Craig and Cory Haims. He taught school for a year, coached at University of Idaho for a year and then worked for General Electric in Boise for six years.

Chad decided he wanted his own business, so with the help of the S.B.A. and G.E., he opened his first furniture store in Pocatello. Years later, he opened other stores in Blackfoot and Idaho Falls.

We were married in 1975, and what a great ride we have had! He helped me raise my three sons, Greg, Chris and Kurt Marshall. Brave man! We had five sons, and what an adventure it was. My boys love him dearly, and they have always had great respect for him.

Chad was always a leader and a Republican all the way. He served two terms in the Idaho House of Representatives until we decided to spend our winters in San Carlos, Mexico, where we built a great home on the Sea of Cortez. We spent 15 years wintering there and then moved to Tucson, Ariz., for medical care. We loved Tucson and the Arizona Wild Cats basketball team. We stayed there in the winter for 20 years.

Chad was president of both the Idaho Falls and Pocatello chambers of commerce and was active in community affairs, plus being on the board of directors for the Idaho Youth Ranch and the Development Workshop in Idaho Falls.

He is survived by five sons, their wives and children, J.C. Chadband (Chase and Ragan); Cory and Debra Chadband (Jennifer, Ryan and their twins, Sloane and Sullivan); Katie and Phil (new baby, Harris, soon to arrive); Greg and Michelle Marshall (Isabella, Apple Rose and Amanda); Chris Marshall (Simone); Kurt and Bobbi Marshall (Taylor and Makenzie); and especially me, his wife, Karen Chadband.

What a glorious life we had together, and I will miss him terribly.

A celebration of Chad's life will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 11, on the patio of Cottonwood Grille 913 W. River St., in Boise.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, do something wonderful for someone you love!

Thank you to all the hospice nurses who treated Chad. St. Luke's was wonderful and our new VA hospital is outstanding!

Be proud, Boise, of our VA!