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Obituaries

W. Phillip Blessing Coeur d’Alene

Service for W. Phillip Blessing, 77, is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at St. Thomas Catholic Church. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Blessing, who died Sunday, was born in Harrison, Idaho.

He worked in logging in the Coeur d’Alene and St. Joe National Forests and then began working at the Post Falls Lumber Co. in Post Falls in 1946.

In 1964 Mr. Blessing purchased the lumber company, which merged with Georgia Pacific, later to become Louisiana Pacific. He retired in 1985.

Mr. Blessing was a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus and past president of the Intermountain Logging Association.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Norma (Crowley) Blessing; two sons, Bob Blessing of Coeur d’Alene and Bill Blessing of Boise; a daughter, Linda Koep of Coeur d’Alene; a sister, Julie Kinsolving of St. Maries; two brothers, Chet Blessing of Harrison and Fred Blessing of Veradale; and nine grandchildren.

Memorial gifts may be made to Hospice of North Idaho.

Betty Jane Gaber Deer Park

Funeral Mass for Betty Jane Gaber, 67, will be celebrated at 11 a.m. today at St. Mary’s Presentation Catholic Church in Deer Park followed by cremation. Lauer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Gaber died Sunday. Born in Wickenburg, Ariz., she moved to Deer Park 50 years ago.

She was a longtime employee of the URM egg processing plant and she also owned Deer Park Ceramics.

Mrs. Gaber was a member of St. Mary’s Presentation, was a former member of the Garden Spot Grange and the Loon Lake (Wash.) Moose Lodge Ladies Auxiliary.

Survivors include her husband, Albert; a daughter, Judy Ovenell of Ellensburg; a son, Jerry Gaber of Spokane; a sister, Alice Purdy of Deer Park; and four grandchildren.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Deer Park Ambulance or the Deer Park Hospital Auxiliary.

Ervin Reiber Spokane

Graveside service for Ervin H. Reiber, 82, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Hazen & Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Reiber, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Friday.

He began working for Union Pacific Railroad in LaCrosse, Wash., in 1937 and retired from the Union Pacific in Kellogg in 1973.

He was a member of the Railroad Oldtimers Club and was a former member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge in Kellogg.

His wife, Cecile (MacIntosh) Reiber, died Feb. 1. Survivors include a daughter, Janice Kaye Baker of Spokane; four brothers, Delbert Reiber of Walla Walla, Victor Reiber of Palouse, Wash., Lester Reiber of Viola, Idaho, and LeRoy Reiber of Twisp, Wash.; two sisters, Berneice Dormaier of Spokane and Erma Tolbeck of Fallon, Nev.; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Scotty Garden Coeur d’Alene

Memorial service for Scotty Michael Garden, 23, is planned for 1 p.m. today at the Church of God in Coeur d’Alene. Coeur d’Alene Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Garden died Friday. Born in San Jose, Calif., he moved with his family to Coeur d’Alene in 1978.

Survivors include his wife, Carrie Rupinski; a son, Christopher Scotty Garden; a daughter, Jennifer Rose Garden; his parents, Michael and Cherylyn Garden of Coeur d’Alene; his grandparents; one niece and two nephews.

Robert Strand Spokane

Memorial service for Robert J. Strand, 74, is planned for 1 p.m. Friday at Fairmount Memorial Park followed by a gathering at N4605 Maple.

Mr. Strand, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Thursday.

He served in the military during World War II, then worked for the Spokane Police Department for 39 years.

His wife, Anita Strand, preceded him in death. Survivors include two sons, Bob and David; a daughter, Kristin; a sister, Margaret Hoover; four grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

Memorial gifts may be made to Hospice of Spokane.

Lamar Homberg Odessa, Wash.

Service for Lamar D. Homberg, 62, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Heritage United Church of Christ Sanctuary in Odessa, followed by burial at the Odessa Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Homberg, a lifetime Odessa resident, died Saturday. He was a wheat farmer.

He was a member of the Heritage United Church of Christ, the Lincoln Electric board of directors, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, the Odessa Grange, the Odessa Union Co-Op and was a past Odessa school board member.

Survivors include his wife, Marlene (Scrupps) Homberg; a son, Brian Homberg of Odessa; two daughters, Lizann Hink of Kittitas, Wash., and Ellen Holman of Lamona, Wash.; his father, Samuel Homberg of Odessa; two sisters, Patricia Kissler of Odessa and Judith Schmidt of Spokane; and seven grandchildren.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Odessa Emergency Medical Technicians.

Louise Prom Spokane

Vigil service for Louise E. Prom, 77, was Tuesday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today at the church, followed by burial at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Prom, a homemaker, died Sunday. Born in Greencreek, Idaho, she moved to Spokane 45 years ago.

She was a member of St. Francis Assisi Catholic Church.

Survivors include her husband of 32 years, Walter Prom; a son, Christopher Achen of Ann Arbor, Mich.; two daughters, Claire Achen of Sacramento, Calif., and Dorothy McMurtery of Spokane; two brothers, Vincent Uhlenkott and Clem Uhlenkott, both of Clarkston, Wash.; and four grandchildren.

Memorial gifts may be made to Catholic Charities, W1023 Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201.

Earl Waring Spokane

Service for Earl A. Waring, 73, is planned for 11 a.m. today at ShermanKnapp Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be held later.

Mr. Waring, a World War II Army veteran, died Thursday. Born in Edwall, Wash., he moved to the Newport area more than 50 years ago.

He and his wife, Pearl, owned Kelly’s Tavern for over 40 years.

Mr. Waring was a member of the Newport Eagles Aerie and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Mrs. Waring died in 1987. Survivors include a daughter, Linda Waring of Marysville, Wash.; a stepdaughter, Phyllis Rogers of Spokane; a stepson, James Whittman of New Castle, Del.; his mother, Mabel Holmes of Port Townsend, Wash.; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Eugene Poulin Sr. Spokane

Private burial service for Eugene D. Poulin Sr., 82, will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Poulin, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Friday.

He served in the Army during World War II, then was a painter for Leland Trailer Co. He retired in 1974.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Vera (Wakely) Poulin; two sons, Michael Poulin and Eugene Poulin Jr., both of Spokane; two sisters, Delma Becker of Portland and Virginia Nann of Cornelius, Ore.; a brother, Zane Poulin of Vancouver, Wash.; four grandchildren and two greatgranddaughters.

Susie Mullett Spokane

Service for Susie Mullett, 80, is planned for 3 p.m. Thursday at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be at the Pines Cemetery.

Mrs. Mullett died Sunday. She was born on Whidbey Island, Wash., moved to Deer Park in 1942, and to Spokane 50 years ago. She was a homemaker.

Her husband, Walter Mullett, died in 1993. Survivors include a son, Victor Mullett of Spokane; two daughters, Vivian Bart and Vera Haag, both of Spokane; three sisters, Florence Hunt of Deer Park, Helen Glassner of Salem, Ore., and Frances Cristoe of Seattle; two brothers, Charles Verhaag of Spokane and Dutch Verhaag of Kettle Falls, Wash.; seven grandchildren and eight greatgrandchildren.

Linda Shafer Wellpinit, Wash.

Service for Linda M. Shafer, 51, was Monday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home South and was followed by a graveside service at the Presbyterian Cemetery in Wellpinit. A gathering followed at the Spokane Tribal Longhouse in Wellpinit.

Mrs. Shafer died last Wednesday. Born in Spokane, she lived most of her life in Wellpinit.

She worked as a horse trainer, was a member of the Spokane Tribe of Indians and the Washington State Breeders and Thoroughbred Association.

Survivors include a daughter, Christy Doyle of Spokane; a son, Lennie Howard of British Columbia; her mother, Iva Rajewski of Wellpinit; four brothers, Robert Carl Rajewski and David Edward Rajewski, both of Canada, Max Ronald Rajewski of Wellpinit and Jimmie Brikles of Missoula; four sisters, Nancy Hill of Reardan, Wash., Shirley Matier of Canada, Ann Dahl of Wellpinit and Iris Cantlon of Spokane; her grandmother and four grandchildren.

William McIntyre III Spokane

A reception in remembrance of William Augustus “Billy” McIntyre III, 45, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1474 in Spokane.

Mr. McIntyre died Feb. 7.

He was born in Monterey, Calif., and served in the Army in Vietnam. He was highly decorated, having been awarded three Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also was Soldier of the Year.

He moved to Spokane in 1980 and graduated from Spokane Community College.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Eagles Lodge.

Survivors include his wife, B. Monty McIntyre; his mother, Evelyn McIntyre of Spokane; and one nephew and many friends.

Memorial gifts may be made to benefit Vietnam veterans and sent to the William McIntyre Memorial, Post 1474, E3004 Queen, Spokane, WA 99207.

George Forbes Spokane

Service for George A. Forbes, 84, is planned for 3 p.m. Friday at Church of the Nazarene First.

Mr. Forbes, who died Friday, was born in Spokane. He managed hotels in Spokane and Pullman and owned a hotel in Sandpoint. He retired from the Ridpath Hotel in 1972.

Mr. Forbes was a member of the Spokane Country Club, was a former Rotarian and a former member of Elks lodges in Spokane and Sandpoint.

Survivors include his wife, Helen; a son, George G. Forbes of Lake Oswego, Ore.; two daughters, Sandra Krieger of Bellevue, Wash., and Mary Patricia Cheng of Seattle; a sister, Catherine Allen of San Rafael, Calif.; a brother, Gordon Forbes of Laguna Beach, Calif.; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Magdalene Pfitzer Spokane

Service for Magdalene Pfitzer, 90, will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Glad Tidings Assembly Church followed by burial at Riverside Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Pfitzer died Sunday. Born in Russia, she moved to Spokane 42 years ago. She was a homemaker and a member of the Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church.

Survivors include four sons, Larry Pfitzer and Art Pfitzer, both of Spokane, Bernard Pfitzer of Seaside, Ore., and Alex Pfitzer of Omak, Wash.; five daughters, Christine Blair, Edna Doty, Esther Hansen, Gladys Pfitzer and Deloris Taylor, all of Spokane; a sister, Emma Blumer of Broken Arrow, Okla.; 21 grandchildren, 36 greatgrandchildren and seven great-greatgrandchildren.

Memorial gifts may be given to Glad Tidings Assembly Church, E4224 Fourth, Spokane, WA 99202.

Harold Shafer Spokane

Service for Harold R. Shafer, 82, is planned for 11 a.m. Monday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.

Mr. Shafer died Sunday. Born in The Dalles, Ore., he moved to Spokane 54 years ago. He was a railroad welder before retiring in 1975.

Mr. Shafer was a member of the Old Time Fiddlers and the Folk Life Hall of Fame.

Survivors include two daughters, Ardella Bailey of Newport, Wash., and Ada Powell of Spokane; two sons, Ray Shafer of Elk and Loren Shafer of Coulee City, Wash.; 25 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Howard Marshall Spokane

Graveside service for Howard E. Marshall, 75, is planned for 1 p.m. today at Blue Mountain Cemetery.

Mr. Marshall, who died Sunday from complications of pneumonia, was born in College Place, Wash. He served in the Army during World War II.

He later moved to Spokane and drove truck for Consolidated Freightways for 37 years. He was awarded for over 3 million miles of accident-free driving.

Survivors include his wife, Mildred; three sisters, Grace Yokopenic of Spokane, Lorene Fleming of Pasco and Frances Pinas of Chicago; and a brother, Cecil Marshall of Walla Walla.

Elmer Repp St. John, Wash.

Service for Elmer Theodore Repp, 76, was Monday and was followed by burial at the St. John Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Repp, a lifetime St. John resident, died Thursday.

He graduated from St. John High School and served in the Army during World War II.

Mr. Repp operated a service station until 1966, when he began farming. He retired in 1978.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church and the American Legion. He also was a volunteer for the St. John Fire Department.

Survivors include his wife, Audry Repp.

Memorial gifts may be made to the St. John United Methodist Church, the American Heart Association, or the Cancer Society.

Peggy Hobbs Newport, Wash.

No service is planned for Peggy Lee Hobbs, 51, at her request. Private burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Hobbs died Saturday. Born in Harvey, Ill., she moved to Newport in 1976.

She was a homemaker and a member of By Grace Through Faith Church.

Survivors include her friend and companion, Donald G. Hobbs; two daughters, Tammy Lynn Castillo and Melia Pelican, both of Spokane; a son, Todd Wagoner of Spokane; her mother, Leona Crawford of Lansing, Ill.; a sister, Jean Simmons of Lansing; and two grandchildren.

Jeanette Schlepp Spokane

No service is planned for Jeanette H. (Heathman) Schlepp, 77, at her request. Private entombment is planned. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Schlepp died Saturday. Born in Tekoa, Wash., she moved to Spokane 60 years ago.

She was a homemaker and a charter member of the Valley Suburbanite Association.

Survivors include a son, Skip Schlepp of Spokane; three sisters, Jeanelle Virgo of Spokane, Dorothy Stone of Poulsbo, Wash., and Eileen Taylor of Woodinville, Wash.; and two brothers, Harry Heathman of San Diego and Michael Heathman of Chelan, Wash.

Bates Coffield Spokane

Private family service is planned for Bates Leroy Coffield, 72. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements

Mr. Coffield, who was born in Goldendale, Wash., died Friday. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II and moved to Spokane 50 years ago.

Mr. Coffield began working for Western Fruit Express in 1945. He later retired from that company. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Survivors include his wife, Erma Coffield; five sons, Gary Coffield, Larry Coffield and David Coffield, all of Spokane, Glen Coffield of San Jacinto, Calif., and Bates Coffield Jr. of Plano, Texas; a sister, Rose Swanson of Portland; and nine grandchildren.

Lila Mae Victor Spokane

Memorial service for Lila Mae E. Victor, 94, is planned for 3 p.m. Thursday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be at the Pomeroy (Wash.) Cemetery.

Mrs. Victor died Sunday. Born in Oakesdale, Wash., she moved to Spokane in 1936. She was a homemaker.

She was a member of the Baptist Church and the Spokane Church of Religious Science.

Her husband, Earl Arthur Victor, preceded her in death. Survivors include a daughter, Erleen Amelia Rose Victor Russell of Spokane; and a sister, Evelena Miller Du Rette of Woodburn, Ore.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Spokane Church of Religious Science, P.O. Box 11876, Spokane, WA 99211.