John C. Traughber

John Charles Traughber passed away at home Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011, after a long and difficult battle with chronic pain.

John was born April 24, 1957, in Pocatello to Charles Percy Traughber and Elsie Lipscomb Traughber. His brothers are Paul Dennis (Mary Anne) Traughber of McCall and Tim Alan (Dawn) Traughber of Arco.Sherlene Harper fell madly in love with him, and they were married March 12, 1981, in the Idaho Falls Temple. They have five children: Carla Traughber (Peter) Simon of Creston, British Columbia; Charles Paul Traughber of Idaho Falls; Phillip Traughber and Wyatt Traughber, both of Arco; and Shannon Traughber (Case) Gamett of Moore, Idaho. John also has three grandchildren, Harper John Simon, Ethan William Simon and Adelle Dani Simon.

In his youth, he was an avid athlete who excelled in basketball, football and track. He always was an enthusiastic outdoorsman who dearly loved fly-fishing with his dad and brothers, and he loved teaching his sons and daughters to hunt and fish. John wanted nothing more than to take his family camping and teach them all aspects of the outdoors. He loved shooting sports, was an excellent marksman and was a certified NRA instructor.

Johnny was an active member of the LDS church, where he served as bishop of the Arco Ward and in many other capacities of serving and loving his fellow man.

He was involved in the community, from a basketball coach to serving three terms as a Butte County commissioner. Two of the projects he was most proud of were implanting the wood project for needy families and the development of the all-terrain vehicle trail systems in Butte County.

John was a proud, hardworking business partner with his brother Tim at John's Auto Electric, where he was the shop foreman and ASE-certified master truck and car technician, spending many nights and weekends running a tow truck and fixing everything from cars to tractors throughout the Lost River Valley for many residents and stranded travelers.

He was an outstanding man who loved his family, friends and community. He served all of us at the best of his abilities for as long as he could until a terrible disease took him from us. The family thanks you for your love and support both during his illness and in the future.

We urge in lieu of flowers that our friends and family give donations to Lost River EMTs, P.O. Box 503, Arco, ID 83213; or to Lost Rivers Hospital, 551 Highland Drive, Arco, ID 83213.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, at the Arco LDS Ward Chapel, with Bishop Dean Andersen conducting. The family will receive friends from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at Anderson Family Funeral Home, 2555 N. Highway 93 in Arco, and for one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in Lost River Cemetery.