Obituaries
Raymond Kimmes Apache Junction, Ariz.
Service for Raymond Henry Kimmes, 80, is planned for 2 p.m. today at Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, Wash.
Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Palouse.
Mr. Kimmes died Tuesday at home in Arizona, where he had lived since 1993.
He was born in Perham, Minn.
In 1950 he moved to Parma, Idaho, and worked for Amalgamated Sugar Co. and for a road construction company. He moved to Palouse in 1970 and worked for Washington State University as a custodian until he retired in 1982.
He was a member of the Nazarene Church.
Survivors include his wife of 18 years, Mabel Kimmes; three sons, Ernest Lawrence of Rogersville, Mo., Larry Kimmes of Gooding, Idaho, and Randy Kimmes of Coeur d’Alene; two stepsons, Eugene McLain of Palouse and Dennis McLain of Colton, Wash.; three daughters, Sharon Smith of New Plymouth, Idaho, Patricia Groves of Fruitland, Idaho, and Sandy Kimmes of Moscow, Idaho; one stepdaughter, Diane Chapman of Boise; one brother, Loren “Bud” Kimmes of Bemidji, Minn.; 12 grandchildren and three stepgreat-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Palouse Senior Citizens Club or the Palouse Emergency Medical Technicians.
Ralph Bitter Worley
Visitation for Ralph William Bitter, 66, will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Yates Funeral Home of Coeur d’Alene. Service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will follow at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.
Mr. Bitter, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday at Kennewick General Hospital in Kennewick, Wash.
He grew up in Spokane and attended Spokane Lutheran School. He later moved with his family to a farm near Worley and graduated from high school there. He went on to attend the University of Idaho for two years and married Audrey Miller in 1950. They made their home in Worley.
He was a member of the Coeur d’Alene Eagles Lodge, past president of the Idaho Wheat Growers Association, past board member of the Worley School District and was on the board of directors of the Rockford Grain Growers Association.
Mr. Bitter was also a charter member of Christ the King Lutheran Church and enjoyed square dancing and fishing.
He was preceded in death by a sister.
Survivors include his wife, at home; two daughters, Diane Perdue of Spokane and Sharon Stewart of Cheney; a sister, Mary Cronk of Hayden Lake, Idaho; and five grandchildren.
Memorials may be sent to the Christ the King Endowment or the American Heart Association.
Marie Holzapple Spokane
Service for Marie Viola Holzapple, 79, will be at 2 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Burial will be in Corona Del Mar, Calif.
Mrs. Holzapple died Wednesday.
She was born in Baronville, Ill., and had worked as a bookkeeper.
She had lived in Spokane for 12 years.
She is survived by one son, Randy Holzapple of Spokane, and five grandchildren.
Wallace Rudd Spokane
Memorial service for Wallace E. “Wally” Rudd, 73, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home.
Mr. Rudd died Tuesday.
He was born in Kellogg.
He graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School and served in the Navy.
He had lived in the Valley since 1967 and retired in 1981 from Chevron USA after 35 years.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Eileen; one son, Jay Rudd; one granddaughter and one grandson.
He was a member of Spokane Footprinters, Elks Lodge, Spokane Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars Chapter 1435 and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 5.
He was also a member of Kootenai Masonic Lodge 34 in Coeur d’Alene, Spokane Valley Scottish Rite, El Katif Shrine Temple, and the Spokane Valley Shrine Club and was a charter member of the Harlequin Pranksters and Blue Mountain Shrine Club.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders in care of Scottish Rite Temple, 1105 W. Riverside, Spokane WA 99201.
Bertha Pederson Spokane
Memorial service for Bertha (Frank) Pederson, is planned for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Graveside inurnment will be held later at Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla.
Mrs. Pederson, 84, died July 28.
She was born in Walla Walla and moved to Spokane in 1929.
She graduated from Deaconess School of Nursing and was a volunteer with the American Red Cross, Spokane County Medical Society Auxiliary and Lutheran Social Services.
Her husband, Dr. Harold Pederson, died in 1985.
She is survived by one daughter, Gina Dowe of Spokane; two sons, Robert and Harold Pederson Jr., both of Spokane; one grandson, Todd Pederson of Livermore, Calif.; two sisters, Elaine Davison of Walla Walla and Rose Robinson of Eugene, Ore.; and one brother, George Frank of Walla Walla.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center Foundation, 1124 Columbia St. Ly-120, Seattle, WA 98104-2092.
Vernon St. Marie Spokane
Burial Mass for Vernon J. St. Marie, 80, is planned for 11 a.m. today at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Otis Orchards. Burial will follow at the St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. St. Marie, a 44-year Spokane resident, died Tuesday.
He was born in Stillwater, Minn.
Mr. St. Marie worked at Kaiser Aluminum in Trentwood and retired in 1982.
He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and Elks Lodge 2328 and was a World War II Navy veteran.
Survivors include his wife of 11 years, Beatrice St. Marie; one son, James St. Marie of Reno, Nev.; three daughters, Mary Thompson of Dallas, Jean Olsen of San Benito, Texas, and Carol Michelbook of Moses Lake; five grandsons and five granddaughters.
Louis Iksic Jr. Irby, Wash.
Service for Louis Iksic Jr., 64, will be at 2 p.m today at Heritage United Church of Christ Chapel in Odessa, Wash. Burial will be at Bohemian Cemetery in Odessa. Strate Funeral Home of Odessa is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Iksic died Tuesday in Spokane.
He was born in East Pittsburgh, Pa.
He joined the Air Force when he was 18 and was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base. He was discharged in 1954 and later graduated from Eastern Washington University.
Mr. Iksic taught at Marlin (Wash.) High School for four years and then taught in Odessa for 26 years.
He began farming with his sons in 1976 and became a full-time farmer after he retired from teaching.
He was a member of the Odessa Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Marlin Gun Club, the National Farmers Union and the Washington State Officials Association.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Lois; two sons, Mark and Tim Iksic, both of Irby; five daughters, Martha Bemis of Chimacum, Wash., Tamara Watson of Fayetteville, Ga., Amy Rodman of Ephrata, Wash., Molly Jelic of Milton, Wash., and Julie Iksic of Spokane; one brother, George Iksic of Monroeville, Pa.; one sister, Helen Topetcher of Monroeville; and 13 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Union Gospel Mission.
Gainard Staley Spokane
Service for Gainard L. Staley, 85, is set for 2 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Spokane Memorial Gardens. Mr. Staley died Monday.
He was born in Reubens, Idaho.
Mr. Staley had lived in Spokane for 36 years and worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for 33 years. He retired in 1975.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Viola Staley; one son, Chester Staley of Bremerton; and two grandchildren.
Kenneth Straight Spokane
Family graveside service for Kenneth Robert Straight, 83, is set for today at Greenwood Memorial Cemetery. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A lifetime Spokane resident, Mr. Straight died Monday at home.
Before he graduated from North Central High School, he began working for Western Soap Co. as a box boy. He worked for that company for 48 years and retired in 1976 as vice president and purchasing manager.
He was a ham radio operator, W7OC, and made the American Radio Relay League DXCC Honor Roll in 1993 for having contacted 325 countries as an amateur radio operator.
His wife, Dorothy Straight, died in 1983.
Mr. Straight was a member of Masonic Lodge 96 and the Scottish Rite. He had been a Cub Scout den leader.
He is survived by his companion, Lucille Suriano of Spokane; one son, Kaye Straight of Pullman; one daughter, Gail Riebe of Renton, Wash.; 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Roy Hime Spokane
Service for Roy W. Hime, 82, will be at 3 p.m. today at Sunset Mausoleum at Fairmount Memorial Park. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hime, who died Wednesday, was born in Wooster, Ohio. He was a meat cutter in the Spokane area and had lived in Spokane for 59 years.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Helen Hime; one son, John Hime of Spokane; one daughter, Jackie Baggen of Renton, Wash.; three brothers, Robert Hime of Phoenix, Merle Hime of Bellevue, Ohio, and Glenn Hime of Venice, Fla.; one sister, Thelma Balock of Bellevue; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
, DataTimes