M
arshall Mend’s name surfaced recently when a press release announced his and Doug Cresswell’s resignation from the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations after decades of service. It reminded me of the good man he was.

    Mend, a co‑founder of KCTFHR in 1981, handled the sale of our Coeur d’Alene home about 25 years ago. Introduced by my friend Keith Erickson, he urged us to buy and explained the benefits of ownership. We found a four‑bedroom house in Sanders Beach listed at $119,000, later reduced to $109,000. Through Mend’s office we offered $107,500, but a cash buyer beat us. When the deal fell through, Mend called to ask if we still wanted the house. “The cash dried up,” he said. We re‑made our offer and closed. The house fit our five kids and dogs, became the backdrop for graduations, birthdays, countless basketball games, campfires, TV nights, garage projects, snow shoveling, roof replacement, and fence rebuilding. A bustling home was a blessing—morning school runs, bedtime routines, chaotic yet peaceful dinners, tears, laughter, fights, hugs, all gifts from God.

    Occasionally, Mend and I ran into each other, always pleased to hear we still lived there. As the years passed, the children left, and we became empty nesters—just Marianne and me. We now have separate rooms; the guest room sits unused, the family room holds my workout gear. Nights can feel too quiet; I’ve never liked silence. We consider downsizing to reduce yard work, but Marianne loves gardening, so we’ll stay.

    Reflecting on that house, Mend’s smile, respect, and kindness remain part of our story. He helped us find a place to root after moving from Seattle to Priest River, Forks, Sagle, and finally Coeur d’Alene, giving us a sense of belonging—true home.