William Trueba

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
William Trueba

CMSgt. William A. Trueba, 76, USAF retired, passed away on Oct. 25, 2009, of complications following lung surgery in a Boise hospital.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 4-7 p.m. at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. Funeral services will be held Friday, Oct. 30, at 1 p.m. at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.

Bill was born in Barre, Vt., on June 18, 1933, to Emilio and Daisy Trueba.

He spent his childhood in Barre. He attended Spaulding High School and upon graduating in 1952, enlisted in the US Air Force.

Bill had many assignments worldwide and survived the crash of a B-47 bomber in Misawa, Japan, in 1954, in which he was badly burned and injured. Bill was a Vietnam veteran and among his many awards were the Bronze Star forGallantry and the Vietnamese Cross of Valor. He retired from the Air Force after 20 years as a chief master sergeant.

Bill married Maxine Hamilton of Mountain Home in 1955. Together they had nine children: Kenneth, Howard, Bill, Michael, Raoul, Vincent, Paul, Patrick and Katherine. He had 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Bill took great pride in the successes and accomplishments of his childrenand grandchildren.

After his retirement from the Air Force, Bill completed his degree work with a BFA from Boise State University and a Masters Degree from the College of Idaho.

Bill worked for Edgemeade of Idaho as a counselor, and then did a stint with the U.S. Postal Service until he was hired by the Mountain Home School District. He taught English for five years, served as high school vice principal for eight years and as junior high principal for another eight years, retiring in 1996.

After his retirement, Bill lost his left leg due to a rare blood disorder.

In 1988 he married Gail Corlett of Farmersburg, Iowa, and they had 21 busy and happy years together.

Bill was an accomplished artist, primarily a watercolorist, and was a member of the Idaho Watercolor Society. Bill loved music, traveling, cooking, painting and playing golf. He enjoyed dinner parties with friends and times spent with his family. And he loved his dear dog, Bijou.

Bill was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Knights of Columbus, Elks, VFW, the American Legion, TREA and the NCO Club.

Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Gail, six sons and one daughter and their families, his older brother, Raoul Trueba and wife Faye, of Pennsylvania, his step-sister, Hester Paterson and her husband, Gordon, of Vermont, his cousin, Maggie Connolly and her husband, Robert, of Meridian and many distant cousins, nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, sons Howard and Michael, and his first wife of 32 years, Maxine.

Bill would like to express his heartfelt thanks to the many friends and loved ones who helped see him through both the good times and the bad.

Memorial donations may be made in his name to the American Cancer Society, Greater West Division, 2120 1st Ave North, Seattle, WA 98109 or the Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037.