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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituaries

Frederick Peterson Spokane

Memorial service for Frederick L. “Fred” Peterson, founder and publisher of The Outdoor Press, is planned for 2 p.m. today at North Hill Christian Church. Cremation and burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Peterson, 69, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Tuesday.

He graduated from North Central High School in 1943 and from Whitworth College in 1947. He served in the Army during World War II.

He began working for The Spokesman-Review and the Spokane Chronicle in 1948 on the sports desk and eventually became the executive sports editor. He left the newspaper in 1958 to work with a friend who had started The Outdoor Empire weekly newspaper, which was later known as The Fishing and Hunting News. He founded The Outdoor Press in 1966 and continued to be involved until last year.

Mr. Peterson was a member of the Sons Of Norway, the National Rifle Association, the Outdoor Writers Association of America, the Shadle Lions Club, the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club, the Spokane Rifle Club and North Hill Christian Church, where he taught Sunday school.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Gwen Peterson; two sons, Fred Peterson II of Spokane and Chris Peterson of Seattle; and two granddaughters.

Memorial contributions may be given to North Hill Christian Church.

Martelle Wark Coeur d’Alene

Graveside service for Martelle I. Wark, 89, is planned for 1 p.m. Friday at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens. Yates Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Wark died Wednesday at Sunset Terrace Nursing Center. She was born in Birnamwood, Wis.

She graduated from high school in Harrison, Idaho, and she and her husband settled in Coeur d’Alene in 1951. They purchased the Madson Box Factory, which they operated until 1966.

She was a member of the Church of the Nazarene.

She is survived by one son, Joseph Wark Jr. of Dalton Gardens, Idaho; one daughter, Marjorie Cox of Coeur d’Alene; six grandchildren, 11 greatgrandchildren, and two great-greatgrandchildren. Her daughter, Betty Wood, also died Wednesday.

Betty Wood Coeur d’Alene

No service will be held for Betty J. Wood. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Wood, who died Wednesday, was born in Kellogg. She was 67.

She was a nurse and lived in Oregon before she moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1983. She worked as a nursing supervisor at Pinewood Care Center in Coeur d’Alene and retired in 1990.

She is survived by two sons, Dennis Wood of Albany, Ore., and James Wood of Coeur d’Alene; one sister, Marjorie Cox of Coeur d’Alene; one brother, Joseph Wark Jr., of Dalton Gardens, Idaho; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Her mother, Martelle Wark of Coeur d’Alene, also died Wednesday.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, North Idaho Cancer Center, 700 Ironwood Dr., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.

Stephan Hintyesz Spokane

Vigil service for Stephan Hintyesz, 63, is planned for 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Mary Queen Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mr. Hintyesz, who died Wednesday, was born in Romania.

He had lived in Spokane for 41 years and had worked for Armour Meat Packing Co. and Artistic Iron Works.

He was a member of Mary Queen Catholic Church, the GermanAmerican Society, the Meat Cutters Union and the United Steelworkers Union.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Anna Hintyesz; one son, Stephen Hintyesz of Spokane; one daughter, Anne Guhlke of Spokane; three sisters, Theresa Hintyesz of Phoenix, and Anna Hodateck and Annelise Beyer, both of Germany; and one grandson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

William Pfeifer Bellevue, Wash.

Memorial reception in remembrance of William D. Pfeifer, a former Spokane resident, is planned for 2 p.m. March 11 at Green Funeral Home in Kirkland, Wash.

Mr. Pfeifer, 74, died Monday.

Born in Portland, he served in World War II and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University in 1954. He received a master’s degree in special education from Eastern Washington University.

He used his musical training to teach at Lakeland Village from 1954 until 1958. He also spent 18 years developing programs for the mentally disabled in Spokane School District 81.

He was the principal at Hillyard School and Garland School for the mentally retarded before he transferred to the Bellevue School District’s department of special education in 1970. He retired in 1979 and worked in condominium management in Oregon and Bellevue.

Mr. Pfeifer was a music arranger and jazz performer in Spokane for more then 25 years and had performed for many years with the Jim Baker Orchestra at the Davenport Hotel.

He also was the musical director of the Sound Recording Co. in Spokane between 1960 and 1970.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Afton; one daughter, Susan, and two sons, William Jr. and Bob, all of the Seattle area; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Gordon Wagoner Spangle

Memorial service for Gordon A. Wagoner will be held at 1 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home.

Mr. Wagoner, a retired Liberty School District counselor, died Tuesday. He was born in Burke, Idaho.

He graduated from North Central High School in 1941 and worked for Boeing at the beginning of World War II. He later served in the Army Air Corps during the war. He received a bachelor’s degree from Whitman College in 1950.

He taught in the Bonners Ferry (Idaho) School District for three years and in the Edmonds (Wash.) School District for 12 years before he came to the Liberty School District as a counselor in 1974. He retired in 1983.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Leila Wagoner; two daughters, Evelyn Bieber and Debora Lang; three sons, Donald, Ted and Tim Wagoner; one brother, Wesley Wagoner; one sister, Jeanne Crosby; and three grandsons.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane, W1325 First, Spokane, WA 99204.

Acta Gilbert Spokane

Memorial service for Acta Gilbert, 85, is planned for 1 p.m. Monday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home.

Mrs. Gilbert, who was born in Lamont, Wash., died Tuesday.

She had lived in Spokane for 35 years and worked at the General Store Decorator Service for many years. She was also site manager for Mead Farwell Senior Center and helped organize Parents without Partners at Mead.

She is survived by her husband, Stanley Gilbert, at the home.

Otto Ostgren Spokane

Graveside service for Otto Edwin Ostgren, 94, will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at Riverside Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Ostgren, who was born in Sweden, died Sunday. He had lived in the Spokane area since the 1920s.

He worked in the logging industry in Montana, Washington and Idaho and retired from Boise Cascade in 1968.

He was a member of the Vasa Lodge and Salem Lutheran Church.

His wife, Martha, died in 1960. He is survived by one daughter, Karen Leifker of Minot, N.D.; and two grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Salem Lutheran Church.

Herbert McAvoy Coeur d’Alene

Service for Herbert D. McAvoy, 74, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Burial will follow at Forest Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.

Mr. McAvoy died Tuesday at Kootenai Medical Center.

He lived most of his life in Coeur d’Alene and was a cattle rancher and farmed south of Coeur d’Alene.

He is survived by his longtime companion, Annie Melvin.

Donald Finley Kettle Falls, Wash.

Service for Donald Wilbert Finley, 59, is planned for 1 p.m. today at the Colville Stake Center, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Burial will follow at Meyers Falls Cemetery in Kettle Falls. Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Finley, who died Tuesday, was born in McKeesport, Pa.

He served in the Air Force and then attended Whitworth College and received a degree in physics. For two years he taught school in Northport, Wash., and for 17 years he taught at Kettle Falls High School, where he was also a counselor. He received his master’s degree in counseling from Eastern Washington University in 1977.

Mr. Finley was a member of the Colville Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Washington Education Association and was a former Kettle Falls mayor. He was the scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 965 and was the Stevens District commissioner for the Boy Scouts. He was also a 4-H leader.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Annabelle Finley; two daughters, Cynthia and Marianne Finley, both of Cheney; two sons, Duane Finley of Kettle Falls and William Finley of Colville; his mother, Helen Finley of Cape Coral, Fla.; one brother, Kenneth Finley of Cape Coral; one sister, Cindy Patterson of Elizabeth, Pa.; and four grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kettle Falls Scholarship Fund.

Ike Echelbarger Spokane

Service for M. Howard “Ike” Echelbarger, 75, is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.

Mr. Echelbarger, a 71-year Spokane resident, died Tuesday. He was born in Middle River, Minn.

He had worked as a shipping and receiving clerk for Sears.

He was a member of the Audubon Park Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite Bodies, the El Katif Shrine, the Elks Lodge, the Eagles Lodge and the Caravanners Club.

Mr. Echelbarger is survived by his wife, Norma; one daughter, Sharon Berger of Spokane; four sisters, Mary Rogers of Sacramento, Calif., and Pearl Graham, Betty Sloan, and Minnie Craig, all of Spokane; one brother, Chet Echelbarger of Spokane; three grandchildren and seven great-greatgrandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children or Hospice of Spokane.

Claude `Ed’ Crooks Spokane

No service will be held for Claude “Ed” Crooks, 82, at his request. Inurnment will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Crooks, who died Monday, was born in Worthington, Mo.

He graduated from Eastern Washington University with a master’s degree in education and served as an educator and elementary principal in the Spokane School District. He had lived in Spokane for 70 years and was retired.

He served in the Marine Corps during World War II.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cancer Patient Care.

Clarence `Bud’ Gibbons Spokane

No service will be held for Clarence Hazen “Bud” Gibbons, at his request. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Gibbons, 83, a former Elk resident, died Sunday. He was born in Thornton, Wash.

He farmed in Elk and had resided in Spokane since suffering a stroke.

Mr. Gibbons served in the Army during World War II and was a former rodeo rider.

He is survived by two sisters-in-law, Buelah and Rachel Gibbons.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Wishing Star Foundation.

Ellen Norelius Spokane

Memorial service for Ellen R. Norelius, 73, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Pines Mausoleum. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Norelius, who died Feb. 7, was born in Spokane.

She operated Sig’s Tavern in Opportunity and had worked for the Red Cross during World War II. She was an officer with the Angus Cattle Association.

She is survived by one son, Alan Sigmon, and two daughters, Bonnie Beitey and Carol Hood, all of Spokane; 10 grandchildren and 14 greatgrandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association.

Clyde Brown Spokane

Service for Clyde M. Brown, 74, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Burial will be at Fairmount Memorial Park.

Mr. Brown, who was born in Texas, died Wednesday.

He and his family moved to Spokane in 1960 and he worked as a crane operator for Kaiser Aluminum in Mead.

He served in World War II and was a member of First Church of the Open Bible.

Mr. Brown is survived by his wife of 47 years, Vi Brown; and three daughters, Maurita Bailey, and Kerma and Karla Brown, all of Spokane.

Florence Ledbetter Spokane

Graveside service for Florence Lee Ledbetter will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the International Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery in Rosalia.

Mrs. Ledbetter, 93, died Wednesday. She was born in Plaza, Wash.

A homemaker, she had lived in Spokane for 19 years.

Her husband, Wallace Ledbetter, died in 1979. Her survivors include one daughter, Geraldine Wood of Spokane; one son, Harold Ledbetter of LaCrosse, Wash; six grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one greatgreat-grandson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association, N1322 Ash, Spokane, WA 99201.

Martha Vetsch Chewelah, Wash.

Memorial service for Martha Vetsch, 91, is planned for 1 p.m. today at St. Joseph’s Long Term Care in Chewelah. Graveside service will follow at 2 p.m. at Chewelah Memorial Park. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Vetsch, a 46-year Chewelah resident, died Monday. She was born in Waverly, Wash.

A homemaker, she was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Chewelah and the church’s Mary Martha Guild.

Her husband, Tony Vetsch, preceded her in death. Her survivors include two sons, Lester and Lyle Vetsch, both of Chewelah; three grandchildren and eight greatgrandchildren.

Donald Murdock Spokane

Memorial service for Donald C. Murdock, 76, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sunset Mausoleum Chapel at Fairmount Memorial Park. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Murdock, who died Tuesday, was born in Cresbard, S.D.

He had lived in Spokane for more than 46 years and was a support enforcement officer for the state of Washington.

Mr. Murdock was a member of the Western Square Dance Center. He was a World War II Navy veteran.

He is survived by his wife, Martha; one brother, Gordon Murdock of Camas, Wash.; and one grandson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children.

Anthony Johnson Spokane

Memorial service for Anthony Paul Johnson is planned for 2 p.m. today at Grace Harvest Fellowship. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of cremation services.

Mr. Johnson, 54, died Tuesday. He was born in Missoula and had lived in Spokane for 52 years.

He graduated from Rogers High School and served in the Navy. Most recently he worked at Northwest Flooring.

He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades Union Local 269.

Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife of 35 years, Anna Johnson; five daughters, Priscella Inman of Coeur d’Alene, and Sherry Ann Turner, Toni Hicks, Paula Kelp and Laura George, all of Spokane; one sister, Lorraine Williams of Missoula; one brother, Harold Johnson of Deer Park; and 13 grandchildren.

Archie Bennett Spokane

At his request, no service will be held for Archie T. Bennett, 81. HennesseySmith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Bennett, who died Sunday, was born in Cumberland, Md., and had lived in Spokane since 1948.

He worked as a bartender and was a member of Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union Local 400. He was also a member of St. Patrick Parish and the Hillyard Senior Center.

His wife, Mary Bennett, died in 1991.

He is survived by one son, Frank Bennett of Spokane; one daughter Mary Ford of Milwaukie, Ore.; one brother, William Bennett of Charleston, W.Va.; and two grandchildren.