Constance (Connie) R. Salesky

Constance (Connie) R. Salesky was born in Springdale Gardens in the winter month of February on Feb. 19, 1931, on the south side of Priest River the youngest daughter of Con and Beatrice Wear.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John; her parents; her sister, Marie Woods Rodney; and her brother, Leonard.

She grew up enjoying all the summer and winter activities that involved life on the Pend Oreille River, which ran in front of the family home. She told stories about summer swimming and winter sledding with other neighbor kids who lived nearby, and she often said how lucky she was to grow up in North Idaho.

Connie attended schools in Priest River and graduated from Priest River High School in 1949 along with 28 of her classmates.

Directly out of school she worked for the Pend Oreille County Prosecuting Attorney's office in Newport, Washington. She was also a part-time secretary for the Pend Oreille Abstract Co.

Connie often credited the late Katherine Thompson, a faculty member at the Priest River High School for the secretarial skills she learned in Thompson's commercial classes.

In 1952 she received a letter from a friend working for the Forest Service in Juneau, Alaska, telling her about the plentiful government jobs up north. With the lure of good wages and with a spirit of adventure, she applied for and was hired by the Bureau of Public Roads in Juneau. She eventually took on a second job working part-time for the Alaska Communications System in Juneau.

Connie was on vacation in Priest River when she became reacquainted with her future husband, John, who was also in town from his job on the Bering Sea. They both returned to their respective jobs in Alaska and a year later they were married on October 3, 1954.

In 1957, their son Craig was born, followed by two more sons, John and Scott. After the boys were older, Connie went to work for the Priest River Times, owned and published by Olive Woods and her sister, Marie.

After the newspaper was sold in 1976, she became active with the Priest River Library group and in 1982 she was hired as the first paid librarian for the city of Priest River. She took extension classes in computer science from North Idaho College to facilitate her job as city librarian.

The Priest River Library eventually became part of the state library system which required more of her time than she was willing to give and a few years later she resigned her position.,

In 1994, she was asked to join the staff at the Bonner County Historical Museum in Sandpoint where she helped with historical exhibits of Sandpoint and surrounding communities and along with other members published a popular museum newsletter.

Connie was a life member of the Order of the Eastern Star and was one of many who served as Worthy Matron of the organization.

Connie worked on the Priest River Election Board for many years where she served as an election judge and a trustee for city and county elections.

Connie passed away on Dec. 12, 2021.

She is survived by her sons, Craig, John and Scott Salesky; her daughters-in-law, Kris and Judy; her grandchildren, Josh (Kendra) Salesky, Amber Salesky Jensen (Tyrel), Erin Salesky Bray (Ian) Max and Kaylee Salesky, Sydney Salesky, John P. Salesky, Kody and Kameron Salesky, Knox Bray, and Eleigha and Tatum Jensen.

She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

As Connie has requested, funeral services will not be held. Friends and family may, If they wish, give to a scholarship fund at the Priest River High School.

It's not what you've lost that counts, it's what you do with what’s left.