Obituaries
Howard Stingle Spokane
Memorial service for Howard A. Stingle, 84, is set for 3 p.m. Saturday at Hamblen Park Presbyterian Church. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Stingle, who was born in Spokane, died Friday.
He attended Lewis and Clark High School and graduated from Washington State University in 1932 in electrical engineering. He was a member of Delta Sigma Zeta fraternity.
He later received a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Idaho.
He worked for Washington Water Power Co. for 13 years. During World War II he served at Galena Army Air Depot, now Fairchild Air Force Base, as construction engineer in charge of utilities.
Mr. Stingle then worked as building and grounds superintendent for School District 81. He taught electrical engineering at Gonzaga University and worked with a partner in an engineering consulting firm.
He retired in 1983.
He was active in the Electrical Engineers Organization, the Associated Engineers, the Washington State Society of Professional Engineers and the Chamber of Commerce. He also taught Sunday school.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Grace; one son, David Stingle of Utah; one daughter, Susan Stingle of California; four grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hamblen Park Presbyterian Building Fund or the Hawthorne Manor Bus Fund.
Otto Juds Spokane
Memorial service for H.K. “Otto” Juds, 87, is set for 6 p.m. Friday at the German American Club, 25 W. Third. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of cremation.
Mr. Juds died Sunday.
He was born in Germany, where he worked as a coal miner. He immigrated to the United States in 1928.
Mr. Juds worked in New York City as a butcher and settled in Spokane in 1948. He opened Juds’ Market, now Sonnenberg’s Market, and operated it from 1949 until his retirement in 1969.
He was a member of the German American Society and the Concordia Choir and was a founding member of the Luebeck Sister City Foundation.
His wife, Anita, died in 1988.
He is survived by one son, John Juds of Coeur d’Alene; one daughter, Judy Oliver of Spokane; one sister, Hilda Kulak of Kelowna, British Columbia; two grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the German American Society.
Gladys Evers Spokane
At her request, no service will be held for Gladys Evers, 90. Burial will be at New Tacoma Cemetery in Tacoma. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home of Spokane is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Evers, who was born in England, died Sunday.
She worked for Pierce County for 32 years and retired in 1975.
Mrs. Evers, a graduate of Whitworth College, was a member of the Toastmasters.
Her husband, Joel Evers, died in 1957.
She is survived by one daughter, Yvonne O’Leary of Winterhaven, Fla.; one grandchild, two greatgrandchildren and numerous greatgreat-grandchildren.
Chris Johnson Spokane
Service for Mary Christina “Chris” Johnson, 20, will be at 10 a.m. today at Fourth Memorial Church. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Johnson, a junior at Gonzaga University, died Monday of bone cancer.
She was born in Spokane and lived in Nine Mile Falls.
She graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School in 1992 and attended Girls State, a legislative school for high school juniors, and the Governor’s Legislative School, while in high school.
Ms. Johnson attended Fourth Memorial Church.
She is survived by her mother, Patricia Johnson, at home; her father, Charles Johnson of Spokane; and her grandparents, Erna Wilson of Spokane, and Charles and Mary Johnson of Olympia.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Coalition of Responsible Disabled, 908 N. Howard No. 10, Spokane, WA 99201.
Burt Severson Spokane
Service for Burt E. Severson, 81, will be at 2 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Park.
Mr. Severson, died Monday.
He was born in Cow Creek, N.D.
He moved to Spokane 45 years ago and operated the Perry Street Shoe Shop from 1950 to 1957. He then worked in construction, and in building maintenance at the Paulsen Building and Sacred Heart Medical Center. He retired in 1989.
Mr. Severson was a member of the Manito Masonic Lodge and the Shriners.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Virginia Severson; one son, Ronald Severson of Portland; and two sisters, Stella Debryen of Lynden, Wash., and Blanche Egelston of Bellingham.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Emily Balzer Spokane
Memorial service for Emily A. Balzer, 81, is set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Manito Presbyterian Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of cremation.
Mrs. Balzer, a longtime Spokane resident, died Friday.
She was born in Chester, Mont.
She was raised in Seattle and moved to Spokane in 1960. She was an assistant librarian at the Manito Library from 1964 through 1979, when she retired.
Mrs. Balzer was a member of the American Association of University Women, the Spokane Figure Skating Club, the Friends of the Library and Manito Presbyterian Church.
She is survived by one son, Lee Balzer of Beaverton, Ore., and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Bernice Murray Spokane
Graveside service for Bernice I. Murray, 89, is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Murray, who had lived in Spokane for more than 54 years, died Sunday. She was born in Fayette, Ark.
Her, husband, Alex, died in 1990.
She is survived by twin daughters, Lois Harry of Spokane and Louise Rossworn of Thousand Palms, Calif.; four grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.
Alfonso Gembala Spokane
No service will be held for Alfonso M. “Al” Gembala, 74, at his request, Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Gembala died Monday of a heart attack.
He was born in Loop, Neb.
He farmed in Nebraska and moved to Pullman in 1956. He was a building inspector in Pullman for five years and then operated Gembala Plumbing and Heating in Pullman for eight years.
He retired in 1980 due to a stroke and moved to Nine Mile Falls in 1985. He had lived in Spokane since 1991 and had been a resident at Regency Care Center for the past 19 months.
Mr. Gembala was a World War II Air Force veteran.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Kay; one daughter, Carla Lungo of Spokane; two sons, James Gembala of Newport, Wash., and Garry Gembala of Anchorage, Alaska; one stepdaughter, Carol Ledferd of Lynnwood, Wash.; one stepson, James Clark of Galt, Calif.; three sisters, three brothers and 10 grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Regency Care Center, 44 E. Cozza Drive, Spokane, WA 99208.
Norman Magnuson Spokane
Memorial service for Norman J. Magnuson, 73, is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Salvation Army Chapel. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Magnuson, who died Saturday was born in Little Fork, Minn.
He hadlived in Spokane for more than 60 years and worked in construction for oil companies.
He was a World War II Army Air Corps veteran and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 51.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lucy Magnuson; one daughter, Cheryl Nickerson, two sons, Norman and Ed Magnuson, and two sisters, Olga Klassen and Elverna Hunt, all of Spokane; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army or Cancer Patient Care.
Mary George Chewelah, Wash.
Cremation was held for Mary George, 106. No service is planned, at her request. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. George died March 1.
Born in Eustis, Neb., she had lived in Alberta and in Bellingham, where she attended Washington Normal School and received second- and third-grade teaching certificates.
She had lived and farmed in the Chewelah area for the past 74 years.
Mrs. George is survived by one sister, Jesse Erikson, Alberta; three sons, William of Petersburg, Alaska, Del of Spokane and Eugene of Chewelah; eight grandchildren, 15 greatgrandchildren and five great-greatgrandchildren.
Memorials contributions may be made to the St. Joseph Hospital LongTerm Care Unit or the Chewelah Public Library.
Celia Ferger Spokane
At her request, no service will be held for Celia Ferger, 95. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ferger, a 70-year Spokane resident, died Sunday.
She was born in Collinsville, Mo., and moved to Spokane in 1925. She worked for the Davenport Hotel in the housekeeping department and at the Desert Hotel as a banquet server for 35 years.
She was a foster grandparent at Lakeland Village and with the Head Start program. She retired in 1987.
She is survived by two daughters, Marie Atabelo and Phyllis Hamilton, and one son, Glenn Ferger, all of Spokane; eight grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Lowell Thompson Bothell, Wash.
Memorial service for Lowell Arthur Thompson, 77, is set for noon at Sunday at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.
Mr. Thompson died Jan. 24 in Seattle, where he had been living in a nursing home for the past few years.
He was born in Pullman.
Mr. Thompson graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and Spokane Junior College. He served as a sergeant in the National Guard.
A 65-year Spokane resident, he had worked for Darigold Farms for 37 years.
He was a member of the Manito Masonic Lodge and the Order of the Arrow in the Boy Scouts. He was a Sunday School teacher and lay minister at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.
Mr. Thompson is survived by his wife, Beverly Thompson of Bothell, Wash.; one daughter Sandy Rodgers of Kirkland, Wash.; one son, Craig Thompson of Vancouver, Wash.; one sister, Jane Price of Vancouver; 11 grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.
Lloyd Stokes Spokane
Memorial service for Lloyd Stokes, 87, is set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Christ Lutheran Church. Burial will be in North Dakota.
Mr. Stokes died March 1. He was born in Cathay, N.D., and farmed there until the end of World War II.
In 1946 he moved to the Spokane Valley and worked for Kaiser Trentwood. He retired in 1970.
He was a charter member of Christ Lutheran Church and the Spokane Valley Retirement Center. He was a member of the Spokane Retreiver Club and was involved with the founding of Balfour Park.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Helen Stokes; one son, Robert Stokes of Spokane; one daughter, Janet Wilson of Friday Harbor, Wash.; one brother, Arnold Stokes of Carrington, N.D.; three sisters, Minnie Overbeck and Melba Bichler, both of Spokane, and Elaine Burleson of Yuma, Ariz., and four grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Christ Lutheran Church or the Spokane Valley Retirement Center.
E.J. Messmore Sandpoint
Service for E.J. Messmore, 71, is set for 11 a.m. today at Coffelt’s Moon Chapel, Sandpoint. Interment will be at Pinecrest Memorial Park, Sandpoint. Coffelt Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Messmore died Sunday in a Spokane hospital.
He was born in Burbank, Calif., and moved with his family to Westmond, Idaho, in 1930.
He married Lenore Wilson in 1947, and they lived in Sandpoint.
Mr. Messmore worked as a carpenter during construction of Farragut Naval Base, Bayview, Idaho, and served in the Army during World War II.
He opened EJ’s Auto Supply in Sandpoint in 1971.
Mr. Messmore was a member of the United Methodist Church in Sandpoint.
Survivors include his wife, Lenore, of Sandpoint; one son, Delar Messmore of Coeur d’Alene; two daughters, Janice Starke of Spokane and Shirley Walson of Sandpoint; his father and stepmother, Fulton and Velma Messmore of Sandpoint; one sister, Freda Fournier of Sandpoint; and two grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to United Methodist Church, Sandpoint; the Lupus Foundation, Spokane; or the Wilson-Messmore Scholarship Fund, Panhandle State Bank, Sandpoint.