Louis Raymond "Bud" Molle, 86 , of Island Park, ID, passed away March 21, 2014 at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center of a ruptured aortic aneurysm.

He was born on October 5, 1927 at Los Angeles, CA to Edward and Carrie Poulsen Molle.

Bud grew up in San Pedro, CA and after the passing of his mother just before WWII the family moved to Wilmington, CA. He graduated from Phineas Banning High where he had excelled in football, baseball and track. There is where he earned his nickname "the tiger". He later played football for the San Pedro Athletic Club and tried out for the St. Louis Cardinals.

During WWII many kids worked on the docks because the adult men were off to war. At 14 years of age he pulled nails out of lumber for Banning. He worked nights, attended school during the day and participated in sports in the afternoon. When asked about his schooling he always stated "I majored in girls and lunch."

During his summer vacation between his 11 ^th and 12 ^th grade, at 17 years of age, he joined the Merchant Marines. He was assigned to a T-2 tanker, the "Coyote Hills" and was off of the Philippines when the atomic bomb was dropped. When returning to San Francisco his crew transported men from the Battan Death March. After the war and graduation from high school he was drafted into the army.

Bud worked as a Longshoreman, loading and unloading ships, as a winch driver and a crane driver. He retired in 1967 due to a back injury at 39 years old. The Longshore Hook (cargo hook)

used to handle cargo carries the family name "the Molle Hook."

After retirement he and his family spent 5 years traveling, hunting and fishing throughout the West. In 1973 the family landed in Island Park Idaho where they built a cabin in the heart of fishing wonderland. Many new life long friendships were made while fishing and hunting. The annual antelope and sage grouse parties were a favorite time. Bud loved the outdoors and lived for lunch on the tailgate.

He was a International Bunker Trap Shooter who received an invitation to shoot in the finals at St. Louis. The winners of that shoot made the United States Olympic Team that went to Montreal in 1976.

His favorite sports, football and baseball were recognized with his favorites Staubauch, Mantle and Jeter.

In 2000 he had a 7 bypass heart operation. Even that did not stop him from spending time in the outdoors. When asked about his health his response was "I'm in my prime."

He was a member of ILWU, International Longshoreman's & Warehousemen's Union local 13 in Southern California and also the Long Beach Casting Club.

Bud is survived by his second wife, LeAnn Molle; sons, Louis Raymond "Bud" (Karen) Molle II and Etienne Francois "Frank" Molle; granddaughters, Danielle Teal Marie Molle, Tara Ann Molle, Mallory Lorraine Molle; brother, Edward Gus (Pat) Molle; sister, Jeanne Wass; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Carrie Poulsen Molle; his step-mother Ruth Molle; his first wife, Lois Lorraine Molle; daughter, Carrie Lorraine Molle; uncles, Louis Victor Molle and Raymond Molle.

His wishes were cremation with a private gathering of family. A time of memories will be shared later at the annual sage grouse party.