Obituaries
Kathleen Conley Spokane
Memorial service for Kathleen Conley, 72, will be at 2 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North.
Mrs. Conley, who died Monday, was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
She owned a beauty shop and had lived in Spokane for 42 years. She also worked with troubled teens through the Salvation Army and operated a licensed receiving home.
She is survived by two daughters, Penny Renner and April Fiechtner, and one son, John Lancien, all of Spokane; one sister, Gloria Skogie, of Minneapolis; three grandsons and one great-granddaughter.
Dorothy Leonard Spokane
Service for Dorothy Anna Leonard, 88, will be at 1 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home with burial at Spokane Memorial Gardens.
Mrs. Leonard, a 55-year Spokane resident, died Saturday. She was born in Colville, Wash.
She worked as a housekeeper in the hospital industry and was a member of Golden Harvesters Community Bible Chapel.
She is survived by two sons, Richard and Robert Leonard, both of Spokane; one sister, Frances Phillips of Northport, Wash.; eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and four greatgreat-grandchildren.
Wayne Lightbody Spokane
Burial service for Wayne E. Lightbody, 74, will be at 9:30 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at Salem Lutheran Church. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.
A 44-year Spokane resident, Mr. Lightbody died Monday. He was born on a farm between Odessa and Ritzville, Wash., and worked for the state Department of Agriculture for more than 30 years. He was a member of Salem Lutheran Church.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Vi Lightbody; one daughter, Lynette Peterson of Lake Oswego, Ore.; one sister, Audrey Shill of Longview, Wash.; and one granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to Salem Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society.
Frederick Thomas Portland
Service for Frederick L. Thomas, 78, is planned for 2:30 p.m. today in Portland.
Mr. Thomas, who was born in Spokane, died Tuesday.
He lived in Seattle, California, Portland, Tacoma and Walla Walla, and moved back to Spokane in 1964. He returned to Oregon in 1992.
He had worked for Signal Oil Co., Standard Oil and Exxon. He also operated a restaurant equipment and remodeling company. In 1975 he codeveloped Ortega Industries, an exporting company. He retired in 1979.
His wife, Elisabeth Thomas, preceded him in death.
He is survived by one son, David Thomas of Wilsonville, Ore.; one daughter, Susan Thomas of Portland; one sister, Margaret Thomas of Boca Raton, Fla.; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Helen Perry Deer Park
Service for Helen J. Perry, 81, will be held at 10 a.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Perry, a 63-year Spokane resident, died Wednesday.
Born in Kalispell, Mont., she was bookkeeper and, with her husband, co-owner of Central Saw Works.
She was a member of Deer Park United Methodist Church, the Half Moon Prairie Grange, Deer Park Take Off Pounds Sensibly, the Deer Park Sewing and Quilting Club and the Wildrose Homemakers.
She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Harry Perry; two sons, Kenneth Perry of Spokane and Harry Perry of Coeur d’Alene; one sister, Frances Shalz of Athol, Idaho; two brothers, Vern Ritter of Oroville, Wash., and Webster Ritter of Federal Way, Wash.; nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Deer Park United Methodist Church or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Floyd Russell Longmont, Colo.
Graveside service for N. Floyd Russell, 91, will be at 1:30 p.m. today at Riverside Memorial Park in Spokane. Ahlberg Funeral Home in Longmont is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Russell, a former Spokane resident, died Friday in Colorado, where he had lived for the last eight years. He was born in Harrison, Idaho.
He attended the University of Washington and in the 1940s was general superintendent of maintenance for Alcoa Aluminum in Spokane. He also was the owner of Russell Lumber Co., in Springston, Idaho, in the 1950s and 1960s. He retired in 1964.
His wife, Fern Russell, died in 1986. Survivors include one son, the Rev. Bruce Russell of Longmont; one daughter, Carol Perkins of Golden, Colo.; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Loyd French Spokane
Service for Loyd C. French, 80, will be held at 4:30 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Tobacco Valley Cemetery in Eureka, Mont.
Mr. French, who died Tuesday, was born in Helena.
He had lived in Spokane for more than 47 years. He retired as a foreman supervisor at Kaiser Aluminum in Mead.
Mr. French was a member of the Catholic Church and Retired Kaiser Supervisors Club.
His wife, Louise French, died in 1980. He is survived by two daughters, Darlene Donoian of Spokane and Bonnie Cromer of Clayton, Calif.; one sister, Nettie Sipes of Spokane; five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Harry Sharr Grand Coulee,
Service for Harry Blaine Sharr, 73, is planned for 10 a.m. today at Strate Funeral Home in Grand Coulee. Burial will follow at Spring Canyon Cemetery in Grand Coulee. Strate Funeral Home in Grand Coulee is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Sharr, who died Wednesday, was born in Emmerson, Iowa.
He had lived in Sturgis, S.D., and Springfield, Ore., before he joined the Army Air Corps in 1942.
He and his wife, Amanda, moved in 1958 to the Grand Coulee area, where he had a small orchard and owned the Oasis Body Shop. His wife died last July.
Survivors include six sons, Terry Sharr of Spokane, and Harry, Larry, Michael, Melvin and Lucky Sharr, all of Grand Coulee; six daughters, Neoma Tannetta of Coulee Dam, Carolyn Hickam of Redmond, Wash., Echo Pound of Ephrata, Wash., Cris Bernal of Spokane, Pamela Mettling of Benton City, Wash., and Swannie Sharr of Grand Coulee; one brother, Bill Sharr; three sisters, Nadine Lemke, Betty Morgan and Evelyn Ostrander, all of Springfield, Ore.; 23 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Zeta Freeman Spokane
Service for Zeta E. Freeman, 68, is planned for 10 a.m. today at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Freeman, who died Monday, was born in Alberta and graduated from nursing school in Red Deer, Alberta. She had lived in Spokane for 33 years and worked as a certified nurse’s aide at Southcrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for 15 years, St. Luke’s Extended Care Center for one year, and at Rockwood Manor for two years. She retired in 1993 due to poor health.
She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church and was secretary for the American Lutheran Church Women. She was also a Girl Scout leader.
She is survived by her husband, William Freeman; four daughters, Billie Lewis, Verna Bagby and Lucile Keogh, all of Spokane, and Patti Durheim of Nine Mile Falls; one son, Robert Freeman of California; one sister, Rosella Carstensen of British Columbia; four brothers, William Marriott of Alberta, Charles Marriott of California, and Emdon and Roy Marriott, both of Washington; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane or the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer, P.O.Box 97100, Dallas, TX 75397.
Gunvor Thomson Spokane
Service for Gunvor Thomson, 96, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mrs. Thomson, who was born in Norway, died Monday.
A homemaker, she was active at the Sinto Senior Center and volunteered at the Veterans Affairs Hospital. She was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Her husband, Lloyd Thomson, died in 1979. Survivors include one daughter, Eileen Bakken of Spokane; one son, Paul Thomson of Kennewick; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Frank Sather Spokane
Memorial service for Frank B. Sather, 83, was held Thursday at Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene.
Mr. Sather, who was born in Aberdeen, Wash., died Monday.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Lillian M. Sather, at the home.
He worked in the fishing industry in Alaska for several years and as a dry wall finisher in construction for 20 years, retiring in 1973. He returned to Spokane from Everett that same year.
He was a member of Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene. He had served in the Army.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years; four brothers, Edwin Sather of Seattle, Norman Sather, Wesley Sather of Everett and Walter Sather of Arlington, Wash.
Edna Frazelle Spokane
No service will be held for Edna Frazelle, 88, at her request. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Mrs. Frazelle, who died Monday, was born in Montana, and had lived in California before moving to the Spokane Valley 25 years ago. She was a homemaker.
Her husband, Everette Frazelle, died in 1982. She is survived by one daughter, Beverly Jones of Pasadena, Calif.; one sister, Lee Biocini of Santa Rosa, Calif.; one grandson and one great-grandson.
Evelyn Babbitt Plummer, Idaho
Graveside service for Evelyn B. Babbitt, 89, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Woodlawn Cemetery in St. Maries. Kramer Funeral Home in Tekoa, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Babbitt died Wednesday at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane. She was born in Grand Rapids, Mich.
She moved to Plummer in 1914, with her family, and graduated from high school there.
She and her husband, Lawrence Babbitt, lived in Cheney for two years while she attended Cheney Normal School. After graduation from Cheney Normal School she returned to Plummer and taught piano for 55 years.
She had also worked as a grocery clerk for 15 years at the Plummer Mercantile.
She was a member of the Tillicum Rebekah Lodge, Idaho Chapter No. 49 of the Order of the Eastern Star, the Congregational Church in Plummer and the Idaho Retired Teachers Association. She also played piano for weddings, funerals, school chorus in Plummer and Worley, Idaho, and for the local Senior Citizens Band.
Her husband died in 1974. Survivors include two sons; Bob Babbitt of Ritzville, Wash., and Ed Babbitt of Worley; two daughters, Judy Helmke of Farmington, Wash., and Joan Taylor of Tenino, Wash.; one sister, June Hurley of Spokane; 14 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Plummer Senior Citizens in care of Ted Miller, Box 164, Plummer, ID 83851.
Morris ‘Morry” Forry Spokane
Memorial service for Morris C. “Morry” Forry, 70, is planned for 11 a.m. April 14 at Riplinger Funeral Home.
Mr. Forry died March 21 while on vacation in San Diego.
He was born in Superior, Mont.
He was named vice president of Lincoln First Federal Savings and Loan association in 1954 after managing the Ephrata, Wash., branch. In 1971 he was promoted to manager of branches and continued his duties as chief appraiser. In 1981, as a senior vice president, he became the head of the planning and investment division of Lincoln Mutual Savings Bank. He held this position until 1985.
Mr. Forry was a member of the Spokane Country Club and Empire Club.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Earlene Forry; one daughter, Molly Forry Dick of Seattle; one brother, Dewey Forry of San Rafael, Calif.; one sister, Irene Comesky of Fremont, Ohio, and two grandchildren.
Bernice Stempel Spokane
Memorial service for Bernice F. Stempel, 70, is set for 3 p.m. Saturday at Cavanaugh’s Inn at the Park, Ballroom A. Private graveside service will precede. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Stempel, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Tuesday.
She had lived in Spokane for 49 years and was a bookkeeper for real estate companies.
Her husband, Fritz Stempel, died in 1985. She is survived by three daughters, Vicky Manson and Nancy Lewis, both of Spokane, and Dixie Heyer of Cheney; one son, David Stempel of Oakland, Calif.; one sister, Helen Young of Spokane; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Glenn Wiebe Chewelah, Wash.
Service for Glenn Franklin Wiebe, 66, is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church in Colville, Wash. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Chewelah City Cemetery. Schanzenbach Funeral Home, Chewelah, is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wiebe, who was born in Oklahoma City, died Monday of cancer.
He graduated from San Diego State College and attended Multnomah School of Bible. He was an educator and had served as a high school administrator. He worked in California, Oregon, Nevada and South America.
He retired and moved to Chewelah, where he taught school and assisted with G.E.D. testing for Colville Community College. He also worked as as supplemental rural mail carrier in Colville.
He was a member and deacon at First Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Glee Wiebe; one son, Tim Wiebe of Chewelah; two brothers, Tony Wiebe of Portland and the Rev. Ron Wiebe of Charlotte, N.C.; one sister, Arnola Freeman of Oregon City, Ore.; two granddaughters and one grandson.
Richard “Swede” Miller Issaquah, Wash.
Memorial service for Richard Wayne “Swede” Miller, 61, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Winthrop (Wash.) Barn on Highway 20.
Mr. Miller, former owner of Stockland Livestock Exchange in Spokane and the Davenport Stockyards, died March 25.
He was born in Twisp, Wash., and graduated from high school there in 1952.
He was an auctioneer and rancher and had lived in Spokane for nearly 20 years.
Mr. Miller was an auctioneer at stockyards in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana. He had owned cattle operations in the Okanogan and Yakima valleys.
Most recently, he and his wife, Debby Gallie-Miller, were partners in High Country Outfitters, Red Gate Farm, and Camp Wahoo in Issaquah and Cle Elum, Wash.
Mr. Miller was a member of the Washington Outfitters and Guides Association.
He is survived by his wife; his father, George Miller of Burien, Wash.; four daughters, Mindy and Abbie Miller, both of Carlton, Wash., Becky Miller Fuller of Kennewick and Jo Miller of Seattle; three brothers, Ross Miller of Corvallis, Ore., and Carl and Claude Miller, both of Winthrop; eight grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the “Swede” Miller Memorial Scholarship Fund through the Washington Outfitters and Guides Association.
Floyd Roberts Plummer, Idaho
No service will be held for Floyd Roberts, 82, at his request. Kramer Funeral Home in Tekoa, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Roberts, a retired Kaiser Aluminum worker, died March 23.
He was born in Darrel, Mont.
He served in the Army during World War II and received a Bronze Star.
He worked as a butcher for Pierce Packing in Billings, Mont., from 1945 until 1952. He moved to Elk in 1952 and began working for Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp. in Mead. He retired in 1973.
He and his wife, Gwynne Roberts, moved to Plummer after he retired.
He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5924 and United Steel Workers Local No. 329.
Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Linda Roberts and Karen Dauble, both of Spokane, and Bobbie Roberts of Reno, Nev.; one son, Kelly Roberts; three stepsons, Daniel Mueller of Garden Grove, Calif., George Roberts of Deer Park and Robert Mueller of Spokane; one stepdaughter, Linda Mueller of Chattaroy; two brothers, William and Eugene Roberts, both of Billings, Mont.; 15 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.