Obituaries
William Holzer Spokane
Masonic graveside service for William C. Holzer, 77, is set for 10 a.m. today at Holy Cross Cemetery. Memorial Mass will be at 1 p.m. today at St. Anthony Catholic Church. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Holzer, a longtime Spokane resident, died Sunday.
He was born in St. Ignatius, Mont.
Mr. Holzer graduated from the University of Idaho in 1942 and worked in civil service with the Army Engineers. He served in the Army during World War II.
Following the war he became an Air Corps supply officer in Edmonton, Alberta, again with the civil service. One year later he opened Kootenai Building Center for Northwest Timber Co. in Coeur d’Alene.
He moved to Spokane two years later as a salesman for North-Robbins Plywood Inc. He worked in Billings, Mont., for a short time before returning to Spokane, where he worked as general manager of supply for the company now known as Georgia-Pacific Corp.
He belonged to the Spokane North Rotary Club, Elks Lodge, Hillyard Masonic Lodge, and the International Order of Hoo-Hoo, a timber workers’ organization.
His wife, Bernice, died in 1992.
He is survived by one son, Vern Holzer of Spokane; and one sister, Lillian Boughton, and one brother, Fred Holzer, both of Coeur d’Alene.
Memorial contributions may be made to the North American Trauma Foundation in care of Washington Mutual Bank.
Victor Brady Mead
Memorial Mass for Victor C. Brady, 75, was held Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Colbert. There was private inurnment.
Mr. Brady, who died Sunday, was a lifetime resident of Spokane and an Army veteran of World War II.
He was owner of Garland Furniture until 1972 and then worked for Sears Roebuck & Co. until retiring in 1984.
Mr. Brady was a member of St. Joseph Parish in Colbert, the Knights of Columbus, the North Spokane Rotary, the Elks Lodge and the Garland Avenue Business Association.
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Irene Brady; three sons, Michael, Patrick and Greg Brady, all of Spokane; one daughter, Dawn Brady-Neal of Spokane; five stepdaughters, Mary Tappe of Kennewick, Rene Johnson of Spokane, Robin Wharton of Bothell, Wash., Jamie Sue Crouch of Mead and Tracy Pleiss of Spokane; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Elizabeth “Betty” Jacobsen Spokane
Funeral Mass for Elizabeth “Betty” Jacobsen, 93, will be at 8 a.m. today at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
A homemaker, Mrs. Jacobsen died Monday.
She was born in Cologne, Minn., and had lived in Spokane since 1907.
Her first husband, John Whelan, died in 1967.
Her second husband, Carl Jacobsen, died in 1989.
She was a member of St. Aloysius Parish and the Altar Society.
Mrs. Jacobsen worked as a telephone operator and was on the Spokane County Election Board.
She is survived by one daughter, Patricia “Allie” Boyle of Spokane; one stepson, Robert Whelan of St. Maries; one sister, Leona Sweet of Spokane; nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Irvin Motycka Spokane
Graveside service for Irvin Lawrence Motycka, 75, was Monday at Riverside Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Motycka, who died Friday, was born in Odessa, Wash.
He worked as a laborer in construction and was a 20-year Spokane resident.
Mr. Motycka was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1435 and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 6.
He is survived by three sisters, Iona Mayewski, Jauelanne Ferry and Marlene Yarbrough, all of Spokane; and one brother, Albin Motycka of Davenport, Wash.
Gladys Crogveek Spokane
Graveside service for Gladys E. Crogveek, 92, will be at 11 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Crogveek, who was born in East Luther, Ontario, died Friday.
She had worked in a medical office as a receptionist and had lived in Spokane for 40 years.
She is survived by two sisters-in-law, Mildred Polikowsky of Spokane and Rose Crogveek of Oelwein, Iowa.
Katherine Humphrey Seattle
Memorial service for Katherine M. Humphrey, 97, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Magnolia Presbyterian Church in Seattle. Bleitz Funeral Home, Seattle, is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Humphrey, who died Saturday, was born in Scotland and came to the United States when she was 14.
She had lived in the Midwest and moved to Washington state when she was in her 20s. She and her husband, William Humphrey, lived in Spokane for nearly 50 years. She moved to Seattle in 1973, following his death.
She is survived by one son, Martin Humphrey of Yakima; one daughter, Barbara Miller of Ocean Shores, Wash.; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Deacons of Magnolia Presbyterian Church or the Easter Seal Society.
Elma Billow Spokane
Graveside service for Elma Faye Billow, 83, is planned for 11:30 a.m. Friday at Nezperce (Idaho) Protestant Cemetery. Uhlorn Funeral Home in Cottonwood, Idaho, is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Billow, who was born in Nezperce, died Tuesday in Spokane.
She graduated from high school in Nezperce in 1929 and worked at the Nezperce Drug Store from 1928 until 1933. From 1950 until 1956 she was an executive secretary for the Nezperce Herald, and from 1957 until 1972 she was an executive secretary in the Lewis County agents office.
She moved to Spokane from Nezperce in 1977.
She was a member of Christian Bible Church and Spokane South Hill Bible Church, the Order of the Eastern Star and Cama and Margarieia bridge clubs.
Her husband of 61 years, Lyle Billow, preceded her in death. She is survived by one son, David Billow, and one daughter, Linda Svoboda, both of Spokane; one brother, Donald Johnson of Spokane; one grandson, four granddaughters and two great-granddaughters.
Roberta Hansen Springdale, Wash.
Service for Roberta E. Hansen, 64, is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Hansen, who died Friday, was born in Homedale, Idaho.
An art teacher, she had lived in Springdale for 18 years and in Spokane for 14 years. She taught in Deer Park, Springdale and Chewelah, Wash.
She was a member of the Chewelah Assembly of God Church.
She is survived by her husband of 44 years, James Hansen; one son, Joe Hansen of Springdale; one daughter, Judy Persall of Spokane; two brothers, Gene Bacon of Lincoln City, Ore., and Roger Bacon of Rathdrum, Idaho; two grandsons, one granddaughter and one stepgrandson.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Tri County Association of the Arts in care of Jackie Franks, 3521 Highway 231, Valley, WA 99181.
Germaine Ericson Spokane
Memorial service for Germaine Ericson, 97, is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Private graveside service will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Ericson, who was born in France, died Friday.
A 75-year Spokane resident, Mrs. Ericson retired as a cafeteria manager for Spokane School District 81 in 1960.
She was a member of Beacon Chapel.
Her husband, Clarence, died in 1962.
Survivors include two sons, Jerry Ericson of Fort Collins, Colo., and Donald Ericson of Spokane; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Beacon Chapel.
Ruel Merrill Spokane
Private service was held Sunday for Ruel Dee Merrill, 70. Inurnment will be at Fairmount Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Merrill, who was born in Pocatello, Idaho, died Saturday.
He graduated from Pocatello High School and received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Idaho, where he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity.
He received a master’s degree in education administration from Idaho State University.
Mr. Merrill served in the Navy during World War II and in the Air Force during the Korean War.
He was a teacher and school administrator for 20 years and taught in Payette, Idaho, and Chewelah, Wash. He also worked for Field Enterprises in Ontario, Ore.
He was a principal in Craigmont, Idaho, and Deary, Idaho, and was as superintendent of schools in Elk, Wash., for nine years before serving in in Worley, Idaho, and Kootenai County.
He served in the Idaho Legislature from 1967 through 1970, representing Clearwater and Nez Perce counties.
While in the Legislature he secured a recreation district for Elk River, Idaho. R.D. Merrill Park in Elk River was dedicated in his name.
Mr. Merrill was a member of the Elks Lodge and the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Idaho. He retired to Spokane in 1980.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Cleo Merrill; one son, David Merrill of Tacoma; two stepsons, Martin Dirks of Seattle and Michael Dirks of Spokane; one sister, Mignon LaFontaine of Gilbert, Ariz.; his stepmother, Fay Merrill of Eugene, Ore.; three grandchildren and 11 stepgreat-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Salvation Army.
Willis Dawson Vancouver, Wash.
Memorial service for Willis F. Dawson, 82, is planned for 11 a.m. Friday at Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, Wash. Private inurnment will be at Thornton (Wash.) Cemetery.
Mr. Dawson, a wheat farmer in the Rosalia, Wash., area for 70 years, died Monday in Vancouver, where he and his wife, Verna, were staying with their daughter.
He was born in Thornton.
He was a worthy patron of the Rosalia Order of the Eastern Star, a member of the Rosalia Masonic Lodge, daddy for the Rosalia Rainbow Girls and a member of the Spokane Scottish Rite.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years; three daughters, Elsie Ann Johnston of Camas, Wash., Linda Lea Dailey of Sierra Vista, Ariz., and Mary Lou Rattenbury of Puyallup, Wash.; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Juanita Cole St. John, Wash.
Graveside service for Juanita P. Cole, 87, is set for 2 p.m. Friday at St. John Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Cole, who was born on a farm between LaCrosse and Dusty, Wash., died Tuesday.
She and her husband, William Cole, farmed in the Lancaster, Wash., area until he died in 1957. She then moved to Spokane for a few years and later moved to St. John. She had lived in the Tekoa (Wash.) Care Center for about one month.
She was a member of the Catholic Church and the Wheatland Grange.
She is survived by one son, Don Cole of St. John; one brother, Emil Barr of Vancouver, Wash.; one grandson, two great-granddaughters and two great-great-grandsons.
Lucile Rock Spokane
Memorial service for Lucile Bernice (Kuhl) Rock, 79, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Riplinger Funeral Home.
Mrs. Rock died Sunday.
Born in Ovando, Mont., she moved to Spokane with her late husband, Roy Kuhl, in 1942.
She and her second husband, Thomas Rock, moved to Vancouver, Wash., where she lived until 1983, when she returned to Spokane.
Mr. Rock preceded her in death.
Mrs. Rock, a cook, worked at the Naval Supply Depot, Felts Field Cafe, Orchard Center Elementary School, Millwood Grade School and West Valley High School.
She was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1435 Auxiliary and the Rebekah Lodge.
She is survived by one son, Dennis Kuhl of Spokane; two brothers, Joe Brunett of Great Falls, Mont., and Emery Brunett of Laramie, Wyo.; four sisters, Dorothy Powell of Seattle, Sara Anderson of Adrian, Ore., Mary Heath of Spokane and Mildred James of Deer Lodge, Mont.; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
James Littlefield Spokane
At his request, no service will be held for James A. Littlefield, 80. Burial will be private. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Littlefield, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Tuesday.
He went to work for Union Iron Works in 1931 and retired as a machinist from the Coeur d’Alene Co. in 1975. He was a member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers for 59 years.
Mr. Littlefield served in the infantry from 1933 until 1936 and was in the 161st Infantry of the Washington National Guard.
His wife, Adeline, died in 1990.
He is survived by one son, James Littlefield of Spokane; one daughter, Janine Little of Tacoma; one sister, Rosemary Bottjer of Spokane; two granddaughters and two grandsons.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Joanne Deoneseus Everett
Service for Joanne Deoneseus, 62, was Monday at Evergreen Funeral Chapel in Everett.
Mrs. Deoneseus, a former Spokane resident, died March 22.
A homemaker, she was born in Valley, Wash., and had lived in Everett for the past nine years.
She is survived by five sons, Michael Thompson of Des Moines, Wash., Richard and Randy Thompson, both of Kent, Wash., and Chris and Greg Thompson, both of Yelm, Wash.; three daughters, Kathye Slagg of Kent, Carole Armendariz of Spokane and Patricia Thompson of Puyallup, Wash.; one brother, Ed Newton of Spokane; 22 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Edward Thom Ritzville, Wash.
Service for Edward C. Thom, 89, will be at 11 a.m. today at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Ritzville, followed by vault interment at Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery. Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Thom, who died Sunday, was a lifetime Ritzville resident.
He owned and operated a dairy with his brother, Walter, for 10 years from 1930 to 1939. For over 40 years he lived on the Thom farm, where he raised wheat and cattle. He also drove a school bus for the Ritzville School District for about 17 years.
Mr. Thom was a member of Emanuel Lutheran Church and the Marcellus Grange.
He is survived by his wife, Lucille Thom; one daughter, Edlu Thom of Friendship, Md.; one son, Verlyn Geriene of Deming, N.M.; one brother, Peter Thom of Sandpoint; 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Emanuel Lutheran Church.
Richard Pickett Spokane
Service for Richard Pickett, 51, was Wednesday at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. There was private inurnment.
Mr. Pickett, who died Saturday, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y.
He had lived in Spokane since 1979 and had worked for Xerox for 26 years.
Mr. Pickett served in the Navy from 1961 to 1964.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley Pickett; two sons, James and Richard Pickett, both of Nine Mile Falls; three daughters, Carrie, Wendy and Shelley Pickett, all of Spokane; his parents, Milton and Grace Johnson of Nine Mile Falls; two brothers, Jesse Pickett of Twentynine Palms, Calif., and Kenneth Christopher of Spokane; and one sister, Jill Carlson of Arlington, Wash.
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