June 17, 2021
by Hazel Quam
Soai Dwight Ikesakes Talbot was born in Koror, Palau in 1964.
He is the son of Singichi Ikesakes and Martha Uwai Ikesakes and older brother to his sisters, Valerie and Valyne.
He moved to Susanville, CA in 1984 to attend college and married his college sweetheart, Candi. They have two daughters, Hazel and Ariel, and he earned his most recent title of grandpa when his grandson, Weston Quam, was born in December 2019.
Soai worked for the United States Forest Service for over 30 years serving in various roles including years of being a member and leader of the Lassen Hotshot Crew fighting wildland fires and helping with recovery efforts on the ground for the Space Shuttle Challenger in 2003 and Hurricane Katrina in 2008.
Soai enjoyed being outdoors, particularly golfing and fishing, and loved being with family and friends. If you spent time with him, you know that he loved telling stories and having fun especially if it included cracking jokes and playing pranks.
He loved meeting and talking to people and was always helping others. His kindness not only extended to anyone he met, but also to the animals in his life. If you knew Soai, you were family and he would do anything for family.
The outpouring of support and love our family has received is a testament to the incredible man Soai was. We will miss his big heart, sense of humor, and genuine kindness.
He is the son of Singichi Ikesakes and Martha Uwai Ikesakes and older brother to his sisters, Valerie and Valyne.
He moved to Susanville, CA in 1984 to attend college and married his college sweetheart, Candi. They have two daughters, Hazel and Ariel, and he earned his most recent title of grandpa when his grandson, Weston Quam, was born in December 2019.
Soai worked for the United States Forest Service for over 30 years serving in various roles including years of being a member and leader of the Lassen Hotshot Crew fighting wildland fires and helping with recovery efforts on the ground for the Space Shuttle Challenger in 2003 and Hurricane Katrina in 2008.
Soai enjoyed being outdoors, particularly golfing and fishing, and loved being with family and friends. If you spent time with him, you know that he loved telling stories and having fun especially if it included cracking jokes and playing pranks.
He loved meeting and talking to people and was always helping others. His kindness not only extended to anyone he met, but also to the animals in his life. If you knew Soai, you were family and he would do anything for family.
The outpouring of support and love our family has received is a testament to the incredible man Soai was. We will miss his big heart, sense of humor, and genuine kindness.