Paul Allen Frentress

Paul Allen Frentress, 92, of Centerville, Idaho passed away July 6, 2019 at home.

Allen was born 12/11/1926 in Caldwell, ID to Paul and Hazel (Piersall) Frentress. In 1932 Allen and his parents moved to Idaho City, ID so his father Paul could work the Idaho Canadian dredge, worked building the highway to Lowman, and working for the Depression-era Works Project Administration putting water lines. Allen had the best time growing up in Idaho City, ID. He could sit out on the porch with the old-timers, and listen to their history; where they spit tobacco juice, sometimes taking a chance on getting spit on while retrieving the nickels dropped through the cracks in the walkway. Where for 10 cents a movie you could go to the Old Weigel on Saturday nights. He would trip passersby with sticks in the boardwalk, ride sleds behind the milk delivery, catch snakes, steal cigars, play the penny slot machines. At age 10, Allen started driving and delivered groceries to the miners up on Spanish Fork Ridge working for the Mercantile (driver's ed course Allen would say.) While Allen's father helped build the Idaho Canadian dredge, Allen and his friends would ride their bikes and watch it work; and Allen worked on it after World War II ... until it tipped over one day. Allen attended school in Horseshoe Bend. However, there was no high school, so Allen stayed with his uncle in Nampa and went to Boise with everyone else.
Allen enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Jul 1945. He threatened to lie about his age, so his mother consented. He went to Saipan and Okinawa earning a presidential unit citation there and in Japan. Married Patricia A O'Brien Aug 17, 1946  in Caldwell, ID; later divorced Mar 11, 1960. In their fourteen years of marriage they had sons Matthew and Mark. While working at Bach's Photo studio he was introduced by a friend to Barbara (Turner) Wiker, they were married Dec 18, 1961. At which time Allen took over as father to Curtis and Dennis Wiker. During their marriage, Barbara and Allen had a son Duane Allen. 

Allen worked at Bach Photography Inc., Boise Basin Mercantile, Ballou-Latimer drugstore in Boise, and retired from the Transportation Department after 30 years of keeping the Idaho City highway cleared and repaired. Allen loved spending time with his parents and Barbara at Lake Coeur d’Alene where his uncle Charlie lived. His second favorite place was Dworshak reservoir; where he introduced his family members to a fun and good times on the reservoir. In 1956, his parents moved and retired to Centerville, ID, where Allen lives today next to the house his dad built. He and his wife, Barbara, moved there to take care of his parents, who died in the 1990s. Allen and Barbara celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2011. After seven months of driving his wife daily to Garden Valley or Boise for chemotherapy . She died April 18, 2013, after 29 days in intensive care. She was a baby, only 72. 

Without his dog Zoey, Allen would have given up, but with family and good neighbors looking in on him and a tree to drink a beer under, Allen continued to live a good life.  

Allen was preceded in death by; his parents Paul and Hazel, wife Barbara, son Duane Allen and Brother-in-law Wayne Turner

He is survived by Sons: Matt Frentress, and Mark Frentress(Debbie) Curtis Wiker (Debra) and Dennis Wiker (Debbie).

Grandchildren: Stephanie, Preston, Kimberly, Jesse, Theresa, Trudi and Michael.

Great Grandchildren: Averie, Danielle 

Brother-in-laws: Jerry Turner(Lee) and Larry Turner(Denny)

Nephews: Kiley(Laura),Tori and Dustin(Debbie)

We will send Allen off remembering him riding his Side-by-side (ATV) with Zoey always by his side.  Allen will be missed by his family and friends.

There will be a Celebration of Life held at the Centerville Community Center on August 3, 2019 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.