Obituary of George A. Wine
George A. Wine (85) longtime resident of St. Maries, ID passed away on March 22, 2025, with his loving family by his side. He was born on August 17, 1939, in Longview, WA. Growing up, George’s family moved around the Bovill, Emida, and St. Maries areas. He attended St. Maries High School but left at the age 16 to go to work with his grandpa logging up John’s Creek.
At the age of 17, George enlisted in the US Army and served in the 101st Airborne as a Parachutist and Sharpshooter. He was honorably discharged after serving 3 years and returned to Emida, ID. George married the mother of his 3 children Gayle, and they made their home around Plummer and Worley. George worked for the local farmers, and the Pacific Crown Mill in Plummer. After 17 years, George and Gayle divorced, and he remained in Plummer.
In 1977 George was blessed with the love of his life Deanna Fry. The couple joined their lives together and moved all over the U.S. George took jobs in Arlington, WA, Prairie City, OR, Denver, CO, and St. Anthony, ID where he either built Planer mills from the ground up or supervised them. Taking a break from the lumber industry, George and Deanna moved to Washtucna, WA where George went back into the fertilizer business. In 1991 the couple returned to St. Maries, and George went to work as the Planer Supervisor for Regulus Stud Mills, Inc. He had an impressive career in the industry, retiring from Regulus in 2006.
Later in life George and Deanna found themselves raising their two granddaughters. He was smitten by those girls and did anything and everything for them. He wanted them to have horses, so he built a horse stall and tack room and drove the girls all over to their Omaksee’s. Family was incredibly important to George; he bought his cabin on Thorn Creek specifically for his family to use for gatherings. He was a simple man who enjoyed his 4-wheeler or sipping Pepsi and Black Velvet on his back porch watching the animals and world go by. George loved fishing for Blueback and made many memories on Lake Coeur d’ Alene, Chatcolet, and Dworshak. He was a Jack of all Trades and a collector of many tools. He enjoyed collecting electric tools, hand tools, manual tools, and more tools.
George is survived by his wife Deanna at their home in St. Maries; daughters Sherri (BJ) Kuester of Black Diamond, WA and Shauna (Kelly) Everhart of Post Falls, ID; 9 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren with 1 on the way. He is preceded in death by his parents; siblings Doris Hamberger and LeRoy Wine; and sons Steve Wine and Thom Wine.
At George’s request there will be no formal services.
