Walter Pidge Jean Truax

Passed away peacefully at home with his daughter Mary by his side. Born to Jacob Walter and Pearl Webb Truax in Bismarck, North Dakota, he attended schools in Minnesota and graduated from White Bear Lake High School where he lettered in football and basketball. Pidge served five years in the U.S. Army in World War II in both the Pacific and European Theaters and was awarded several medals including the Silver Star and Bronze Star. In 1944 he married his high school sweetheart Helen Huelster. After serving his country he and Helen moved to California where they lived in Riverside, Coalinga, and finally settled in Bakersfield. In 1966, Jean opened his own business, Truax Optical Service. Upon graduating college, his daughter Mary joined him in business. After retiring at the young age of 81, when he was not busy with his Lion's Club activities he spent his time golfing and wandering about antique stores. Following in his father's footsteps, Jean was an avid homing pigeon flyer for many years that lead him to be tagged with the nickname "Pidge" when he joined the Bakersfield Breakfast Lions Club in 1968. During his years in the Lions Club he held every club office several times, but he never held the office of secretary/treasure. The Bakersfield Breakfast Lions Club awarded Lion Pidge the John Joplin Award for distinguished service in Zone 3. Lion Pidge served as District 4-A2 Zone Chairman, Deputy District Governor (Southern Region), and served as District Governor in 1986-87. He also served as District Photographer for 6 years, holds a Grand Master Key for bringing in 50 new members, and was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellow for distinguished humanitarian services. This last year he was the top seller for the Christmas Candy fundraiser in the Sports Lions Club and instrumental in collecting used eyeglasses for Lion's In Sight . He and his wife Helen enjoyed traveling the world attending many Lion's International Conventions. The Bakersfield Sports Lions Club honored Pidge as a Lifetime Member of Lion's Club International. He was also a lifetime member of the VFW. Dad was a dedicated member of Lion's Club and as you can tell very involved at all levels. What amazed us was that his age barely slowed him down. In the last couple of months he could be found out in front of Von's handing out poppies with the VFW, white canes for the Lion's White Cane Day and even ringing the Salvation Army bell with his fellow Lions. Besides Lions and the VFW he enjoyed other past times over the years. He and Jack Sampson started T.S. Apiary, a hobby of bee keeping that got totally out of hand and turned from a hobby into a small business. In 1974 he was out moving bee hives with a full leg cast on. When his daughter Mary got a horse he did too and their favorite times were getting up before sunrise on Sunday mornings and riding from Rancho Rio stables to J's Coffee Shop on what is now Buck Owens Blvd. After Mary moved out he and Helen enjoyed taking off for the month of September and going up north to salmon fish. During their 51 years of marriage Pidge and Helen raised Jeanne Truax Owens, John Kendall Truax, and Mary Truax Jackson. Pidge was preceded in death by his parents Jacob and Pearl, his wife Helen, his son John and his sister-in-law Gloria Truax. He is survived by his brother Ralph Harold Truax, niece Gayle Jacobson, daughters Jeanne Truax Owens and Mary Truax Jackson, son-in-law H. Lee Jackson, grandchildren Diane Truax (Joe), Jean-Marie Pascale-Parra (Rafael Parra), John Jacob Pascale (fiance Allison), Samuel Pascale, Jeffrey Owens, Chance, Korbyn, Harley, and Jordan Jackson, like-a-granddaughter Sandra Marie Rodriguez, step-grandchildren Denise Nilsson (Lars) and Stoney Jackson (Odemaris), great-grandchildren Cameron, Ethan, Noah, Lizzy, Lilli, Annika and Rachel. He will also be missed by his great-grand puppy Ruby who lit up his Christmas. Services will be held Friday, February 11th at Hillcrest Memorial Park Chapel at 1:00p.m. followed by a graveside service. Visitation will be 4:00-8:00p.m. Thursday, February 10th. In lieu of flowers, Pidge requested that tax deductible donations be made to the Lions Student Speaker Foundation. Lions 4th District Student Speaker Foundation, Inc. C/O Lion Al Ohrmond 331 Spur Trail Avenue Walnut, CA 91789