08/25/08 Cancer takes the life of Bill Mendenhall

Bill Mendenhall was surrounded by his family when he died in his home last week from the affects of cancer. Mendenhall was the president of Market Quest which was affiliated with the Idaho Farm Bureau to provide members with market information and planning. He was also with AgriSource in Burley and marketed Idaho grain for Farm Bureau members domestically and in Mexico. Farm Bureau's Gary Fuhrman remembers Mendenhall as a friend and colleague. FUHRIMAN "And he had the personally where he could visit extremely well with people. Through Bill's knowledge of the grain industry and things of that nature we worked together in putting together a pretty good market for wheat down into different parts of Mexico." Fuhriman says Mendenhall recently went to Mexico with Governor Otter's trade mission and it was apparent that the cancer was taking its toll. A this year's marketing seminars Mendenhall couldn't attend but did give his advice via telephone conference calls. FUHRIMAN "Everybody that knew him all over the state of Idaho really appreciated Bill and what he was doing." If you didn't find Bill Mendenhall in the office or out in the field you could find him on the golf course, including annual outings with some old high school friends. Idaho agriculture has lost a friend and so did I with the death of Bill Mendenhall. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott