Preston J. Bither, Jr., a retired local banker, died on Saturday, December 12, 2009 of natural causes. A Rosary will be held at 5:00 pm, Sunday, December 20, 2009, at St. John's Chapel. Requiem Mass will be celebrated at 1:00 pm, Monday, December 21, 2009 at St. John's Cathedral with burial following at Terrace Lawn Memorial Gardens. Services are under the direction of Cloverdale Funeral Home. Preston was born in San Francisco, Calif. On July 29, 1926, the only child of Anne V. Crowley and Preston J. Bither, Sr. Raised in Redwood City, Calif., he attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Grammar School there graduating in June 1940, and then went 4 years to Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, Calif, graduating in June 1944. In July of 1944 he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve and served in the American and Asiatic- Pacific theaters during World War II. He was honorably discharged in June, 1946 as a Petty Officer Second Class. In March of 1951 he married Claudine E. Arburua, daughter of Joseph M. Arburua and Eleanor Kehoe of San Francisco. Together they raised six children: Joseph P. (Rick), Mary T., Lawrence P., Daniel J., Claudia A., and John M. (Jack). Claudine passed away on September 28, 2005. Preston enrolled at Santa Clara University in September of 1946 and graduated with a Bachelor of Commercial Science in June, 1950. He started his 33 year banking career with Bank of America in San Francisco in July of 1950. Eventually this brought him, with his family, to Boise in September of 1963 as the Vice President of the Bank of Idaho. He later attended and graduated from the Pacific Coast School of Banking at the University of Washington in September, 1968. He served until Sept. 1, 1983 when he retired as Executive Vice President of the First Interstate Bank of Idaho, with responsibilities for Data Processing Operations and general responsibility for Personnel Administration and Branch Operations statewide. Preston belonged to St. John's Cathedral Parish since 1963, and was a member of the American Legion Post #136, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #63 (10444) in Boise for many years. He also belonged to the US Naval Institute and the Navy League of the US, and was a plank owner in the USS MISSOURI (BB63) Memorial Association in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He is survived by his six children, three of whom live in the local area; Larry, Dan and Claudia; Jack of San Jose, CA; Mary of Portland, Oregon; and Rick near Zurich, Switzerland. He is also survived by 8 grandchildren. The family suggests that memorial gifts be made to St. John's Cathedral, 8th and Hays Sts., Boise, or a favorite charity. Condolences for the family may be submitted online at CloverdaleFuneralHome.com. Published in Idaho Statesman on December 20, 2009