Thor Eide Memorial Fund

Thor N. Eide, age 35, passed away on Thursday, November 16th in John Day, Oregon.  
He was born June 18, 1982, in Shakopee, Minnesota to Robert “Bob” Eide and Susan Nokleby. 

The loss of Thor is felt far and wide, from Alaska to Flordia. His fiance, Carol is traveling to hold memorials in Oregon, Juneau, Prince of Wales and other locations to be determined. This fund is to help offset her travel expenses and the cost of the memorials, with remaining funds going to an education fund for Thor’s niece, Asanti Eide.

Thor was engaged to Carol Mahara of Thorne Bay, Alaska.  He is also survived by both of his parents, his two brothers, Buck and Bjorn, his niece Asanti, and maternal grandparents Arnold and Eileen Nokleby.  Preceding him in death were his paternal grandparents Richard and Lois Eide, and his uncle Steven Nokleby.

Thor graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2005. He began his career with Fish and Wildlife at the MNDNR in International Falls, Minnesota.  He worked as Fish Biologist for the US Forest Service in Thorne Bay, Alaska and was on a temporary assignment in Prairie City, Oregon at the time of his passing.

Thor was an avid outdoorsman who had a great thirst for adventure.  He loved boating, fishing, rafting, hunting, snorkeling, fat-bike riding, scuba diving, skiing, sledding, and traveling.  He could commonly be found out on the water either boating or packrafting to some new island or cove to go fishing and camping.  Embarking on multiday hunting or fishing trips was a normal occurrence for him.  He often invited others to join in on his trips and always shared any fish or wild game that he collected.  Thor was full of witty remarks and quick to fire up the grill with some freshly caught fish or game.  

Thor was smart, resourceful, and great at improvising out in remote locations.  He could operate and fix nearly anything with a motor in it.  At work, Thor was frequently involved in monitoring fish populations, conducting stream restoration projects, and increasing spawning habitat for salmon species.  Thor always seemed most comfortable on the water and as a boat operator, he was unshakable, always keeping his cool no matter how hairy the situation got.   As a coworker, he often volunteered to help others complete their projects and never complained no matter how wet, cold, or muddy he got.  As a friend, he was reliable, had a great sense of humor, and always looked out for others.  Whether he was hunting bison, moose, caribou in the Interior or fishing for salmon and halibut somewhere in Southeast, Thor always seemed at home in the wilds of Alaska.  Thor truly embodied the spirit of Alaska and embraced every opportunity to get outside and experience it.