Richard Labrum Custer

Richard Labrum Custer (82) passed away at the Boundary Community Hospital in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Private arrangements will be held. Richard was born on July 16, 1926 in Hollywood, California to Richard Edwin and Lillian Loraine (Labrum) Custer. He attended grade schools in Southern California and attended high school at Big Bear Lake, California. Richard started his working career with the U.S.F.S. on the Big Bear Lake District in 1942 working on fire crew’s in 1942, 1943, and 1944. On October 12, 1944 he joined the US Army Serving in Italy from April 1945 to August of 1946. He was discharged from the service in November of 1946. He started working for the California Division of Forestry in 1946 and worked for then in San Bernardino and Orange Counties until June of 1955 as an Assistant State Forest Ranger to accept a position as Assistant Fire Chief with the City of Ontario California Fire Dept. In 1963 he became Fire Chief and continued working until December 31, 1978 when he retired.