Carolyn Ann Mecham

Carolyn Mecham, 77, of Sandpoint passed away Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014 at Life Care Center. Memorial services for Carolyn will be conducted 1:00PM, Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at Coffelt Funeral Chapel, with Pastor Chad Wilks, officiating. Private inurnment will take place in Pack River Cemetery. Carolyn Mecham was born Carolyn Ann Jacobson, the oldest daughter of Alvin and Vivian Jacobson, on July 14, 1937 in Sandpoint, Idaho. She grew up on their farm on Colburn Culver Road with her sister Cathy and brother Carl. She loved riding her horse, Trigger, and often rode him to school, the Pack River School (now Northside School), just a mile from their home. She and her brother and sister and friends spent a lot of their time in the summer swimming in the Pack River. When Carolyn was 14, she got polio and spent the next year in Boise recovering. It left her weaker, but she was not one who ever complained or spoke about it. In 1956 she married Lyle Mecham and their son Tim was born to them in 1958, and then Cheryl in 1960. Soon afterwards they moved to Kansas City for Lyle to go to Railroad School, and then after moving a few more times with the railroad jobs, ended up raising their family in Beach, North Dakota. After retiring, they moved back to Sandpoint. Carolyn had many good friends in Sandpoint and in Beach and one of her favorite things was getting together for coffee with them. She also enjoyed sewing and crafts of all kinds. She enjoyed spending time with her family. Her two grandsons, Aron and Paul Otremba were her delight and she was very proud of them. She spent as much time with them as she was able. When the boys were young, she and Lyle would bring them to North Dakota for week or two in the summer, from Spokane, Washington. Carolyn was preceded in death by her father, Alvin Jacobson; mother, mother Vivian Jacobson; brother: Carl Jacobson; and son, Tim Mecham. She is survived by her husband Lyle; daughter: Cheryl and son-in-law: Dan Otremba; 2 grandson: Aron Otremba and his wife Kaatri; Paul Otremba and his wife Doni and their daughter Vivian; her sister: Cathy Byars; several brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law; nephews and nieces. Everyone that knew her said she was kind and loving, generous and admired her attitude of never complaining of her disability and illness. Her friends and family will greatly miss her.