Charles James McCollister, 92, known as Charlie "Red," passed away Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, at Royal Plaza Care Center in Lewiston. Red was born July 5, 1917, in Gooding, Idaho, to Hiram Franklin McCollister and Martha Elizabeth Lincoln McCollister. The family soon moved to the Clearwater River area.
After attending grade school in Lenore, Red graduated from Peck High School in 1936. From 1936 through 1941, Red worked for the U.S. Forest Service, did highway construction, grain elevator construction and some farming. In 1941, Red went to work in the woods for Potlatch Forests Inc. He began driving the dozers that were replacing horses to skid logs, and then became a cross-cut sawyer. Red rose through the ranks to saw boss, skidding boss and camp foreman. He served as logging production superintendent at Headquarters at the time of his retirement in 1982.
In 1943, Red met June Huffman, from Cleveland, Ohio, when she spent six weeks working as a flunky in the cookhouse at Camp 54. June and Red were married on May 10, 1944, in Lewiston, and enjoyed 65 years of married life. From 1947 to 1950, Red took a break from the woods, and he and June lived on their ranch on Canyon Creek Road, north of Orofino, farming and raising cattle. They had three children, a son, Jim, and daughters Patty and Sandra.
In 1950, Red returned to work for Potlatch. This was also Red's first year on the Clearwater River log drive. He soon became the foreman of Camp T and the foreman of the log drive.
The 90-mile log drive down the Clearwater from the river logging camps on the North Fork to the Lewiston mill made news every spring. Red became the iconic lumberjack. In 1962, Red appeared as the foreman of the log drive on the television show, "To Tell the Truth." Red and other members of the log drive crew were featured in Walt Disney's movie, "Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar," in 1967. Red also contributed to and appeared in "The Last of the Log Drives," a documentary. Red had a knack for telling stories with humorous understatements, a reputation as a person who was good to work for, and an appreciation of history in the making. His friends teasingly called him "The Legend."
During retirement, Red and June enjoyed traveling near and far. They often wintered in Yuma, Ariz., and were members of the Good Sam Club. Red and June also enjoyed trips to Mexico, Alaska, Canada and China, always learning new things about the cultures and economies.
Red was a wonderful family man. He is survived by his wife, June, at home in Lewiston; his son, Jim McCollister of Orofino; his daughter, Patty Pabst and son-in-law Rob of Camas, Wash.; and his daughter, Sandra Goffinet and son-in-law John of Orofino. Red's grandchildren are Meridee Pabst and husband Dave Hajek of Washougal, Wash., Alison Pabst of Seattle, Matt Finlayson and wife Emika of Vancouver, Wash., and Ross Finlayson of Bellevue, Wash. Red's three great-granddaughters are Lily and Jayla Finlayson and Lainey Hajek. Red is also survived by his sister, Bonnie Delaney of Spokane, and several nieces and nephews.
Red was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Mattie McCollister, and a sister, Elsie Onstott.
Cremation has taken place, with a private memorial service planned for the future.
The family extends thanks to all of the old-timers who stopped by to visit Red and to the family, friends, neighbors and caregivers who offered comfort and assistance.
