
Obituary of Lick Anderson
James Stanley “Lick” Anderson (79) longtime St. Maries, ID resident passed away at Kootenai Health on January 24, 2025. He was born to Stanley and Margaret Anderson on August 11, 1945, in Berkeley, CA. Lick grew up in Pleasant Hill, CA and attended school there. He left high school early to go to work, pursuing his lifelong dream of mechanic and machine work.
Right out of school, Lick went to work for Jim Davis building Top Fuel Dragsters, at this time he was also working for Bob Monroe (the boss who gave the nickname Lick). It came about because Lick liked to smoke, but cigarettes were too expensive, so when the guys at work discarded their butts, Lick would take the rest of the tobacco from them and roll his own. In 1967 Lick was going to be kicked out of California for drag racing, so he moved to Coeur d’ Alene, ID. He went to work for Yacht Harbor building and maintaining boats. During this time, he ran into the “Bug Doc” Dave Hunter, and Dave gave him a job in St. Maries, where he moved in 1971.
Lick was probably one of the most talented guys you could meet. He had a passion for working on engines and building custom Harley’s. He even invented lowering kits for Harley’s that became popular worldwide. In the early 1990's, Lick purchased the old Ken’s Custom Body Shop, and established High Side Custom Machine Shop, using his thirty plus years of experience customizing bikes, including his favorite “Dynaho,” which he built for his then long-time companion and girlfriend, Cathy Valley.
He used to brag to his friends that where his living room is now, once stood a D-8 CAT that was being painted. Aside from running machine shops and building custom bikes, Lick made and fixed pool cues, built and maintained a fleet of golf carts, and managed the St. Maries Golf Course Pro Shop for a few seasons.
One evening at Joe’s Bar, Lick met his beloved wife Suzie, and he knew right away he was going to make her his wife. She didn’t know him, but with the blessing of Joe Martin, she took her first date with Lick to the boat races. They were smitten with each other from day one. Lick was a romantic, and he would sweep Suzie off her feet. The couple married on Christmas Eve of 2018.
Lick was a member of the Eagle's and Elk's Lodge, the NRA, and the St. Maries Golf Course. He loved playing pool and even played in a tournament right before he went into the hospital. When he was able, he rode his motorcycle, unicycle, and played golf; however, working on and building motorcycles was his greatest joy. He was a social butterfly and didn’t know a stranger, and when he wasn’t out and about doing all the things he loved, you could find him at home watching Perry Mason.
Lick is survived by his wife Suzie at their home in St. Maries; daughter Lana Jean Self of Kellogg, ID; siblings Kathleen Jones of Walnut Creek, CA, Thomas Anderson (Loree Meeks) of Punta Gorda, FL, and John Anderson (Carol Spears AKA Wilt) of Sisters, OR; grandchildren Lateesha George of Kellogg, Shayla Anderson of Smelterville, and Sara Self of Osburn, ID; great-grandchildren Kayloni Spray, Treslie Coe, Bentley Miller, and Leo Miller; and 2 nephews Christer Jones and Jason Jones. He is preceded in death by his parents.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, February 7, 2025, at 2:00 pm at the Eagles Lodge in St. Maries, ID. A gathering of family and friends to share a meal will follow at the lodge.
Memorial Service
138 South 8th Street | St. Maries, Idaho | 83861
P (208) 245-2611 | F (208) 245-4221 | www.hodgefuneralhome.com