Ernest "Skip" LohseMarch 31, 1953 - March 2, 2014Ernest "Skip" Lohse passed away early on March 2, 2014 as a result of a bacterial infection. He was married 35 years to his wife and best friend Dotty Sammons. Skip and Dotty are the parents of three children: Sam, Keith, and Gretchen. Skip was born on March 31, 1953, in Willows, CA, the only child of Ernie and Dorothy Lohse. Skip and Dotty met in graduate school at the University of Utah and married in 1978. A Professor of Anthropology at Idaho State University, Skip and his family came to Pocatello in 1989. Skip was an avid field archaeologist, working on digs in Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and Washington, as well as Western Samoa. He also worked at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in the early 1980s on the multi-volume Handbook of North American Indians series. He was happiest when he was working with his hands, either in the field or tirelessly in his woodshop at home where he made most of the family's furniture. His appreciation for craft was apparent when, as Interim Director of the Idaho Museum of Natural History, Skip worked with Shoshone-Bannock artists and craftsmen to host the Native American Art Shows, creating friendships that lasted until the present. Similarly, Skip had a great passion for teaching and served as a Professor at ISU for more than 25 years. Skip was completely dedicated to his students. He saw his role as an instigator of thought rather than as a lecturer. Many of his students became hooked on archaeology after Skip not only showed them how to flintknap, analyze artifacts, or excavate meticulously, but also challenged them to apply that knowledge to understanding all cultures, including our own. He acquired a reputation around ISU for being honest and forthright in his views, regarding both how students should be taught and the mission of the University. Skip was an accomplished athlete in his younger days, participating in varsity track, football, swimming, and basketball in high school and at Chico State University. As his children grew up, Skip became a dedicated youth sports coach, and he coached a variety of youth teams at different levels in both soccer and basketball for the Portneuf Valley Soccer Club and Pocatello Parks and Recreation.Above all else, Skip was a passionate and determined man, who inspired his children and students to explore their interests to the fullest and make the most of their gifts. He could be found every morning walking the hills above the ISU disc golf course with his family and dogs, then relaxing with a dry cappuccino. He is and will continue to be missed by his family, friends, and colleagues. He is in all our hearts, poking around in the deserts and canyons of the Intermountain West, taking on a new woodworking project, and closely watching the adventures of his family. Skip was preceded in death by his father Ernie Lohse Sr., and his beloved grandparents, Eileen and Bud. He is survived by his mother Dorothy, wife Dotty, and children Sam, Keith and Gretchen. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Skip's name to the Pocatello Recreation Team Sports Department, sent to: City of Pocatello, Attn: Brian Lowman, PO Box 4169, Pocatello ID 83205-4169.