Obituaries

Sister Marian Catherine McGrann Spokane

Funeral Mass for Sister Marian Catherine (Mildred) McGrann, S.N.J.M., 82, will be at 10 a.m. today at the Convent of the Holy Names Chapel. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Sister McGrann died Saturday at the Convent of the Holy Names Infirmary.

She was born in Pomeroy, Wash.

Sister McGrann received a bachelor’s degree from Marylhurst College in Oregon and her master’s degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee. She taught biology in high schools and at Marylhurst College until 1958, when she moved to Spokane and founded the biology department at Holy Names Academy. She also taught biology at Mater Cleri Seminary until 1971.

In 1971, she was selected by the National Association of Biology Teachers to write critical scientific material for The American Biology Teacher, a publication of which she ws assistant editor.

She moved to California in 1972 and taught in high schools there until she returned to Spokane in 1981.

She was awarded the Washington State Organization of Biology Teachers of America Award in 1963 and received honorary membership in the National Association of Biology Teachers in 1980.

She made her final vows 60 years ago.

Survivors include one sister, Frances Garrity, and one brother, Raphael McGrann.

Catherine Gehrke Coeur d’Alene

Graveside service for Catherine I. Gehrke, 80, will be today at Riverside Cemetery in Spokane. Yates Funeral Home of Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Gehrke, who was born in Mason, Texas, died Saturday.

She moved to Washington as a young adult and married Robert Gehrke in 1932.

She lived in Spokane and worked as an upholstery seamstress for Barkley and Brown for many years. She moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1985.

Mrs. Gehrke enjoyed raising flowers and gardening in her yard.

Her husband died in 1975.

Survivors include a son, Robert of Auburn, Wash.; two sisters, Pauline Willoughby and Jean Wood, both of Oregon; six grandsons and seven great-grandchildren.

Herbert Comm Spokane

Visitation for Herbert Comm, 72, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Service will follow at 11 a.m. at Pines Mausoleum.

Mr. Comm, who was born in Russia, died Sunday.

He moved to Spokane from Canada in 1956 and was a self-employed carpenter. He retired in 1985.

He was a member of Central Seventh-day Adventist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Lily; one daughter, Trudy Ann Schutt of Otis Orchards; two brothers, Paul Comm of North Surrey, British Columbia, and Walter Comm of Eureka, Calif.; two sisters, Hertha Comm of Portland and Agness Jicka of Eureka; five grandchildren and two foster grandchildren.

Margaret Peterson Spokane

Service for Margaret E. Peterson, 80, will be at 11 a.m. today at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Spokane. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at the Wilbur (Wash.) Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home of Wilbur is in charge of arrangements.

Born in Minneapolis, Mrs. Peterson died Saturday.

She was a former resident of Wilbur and Wallace.

She graduated from high school in Wilbur and studied prenursing at Holy Names College and nursing at Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Spokane. She received a nursing degree and served in the Army Nurses Corps in Vancouver, Wash.

Mrs. Peterson had worked as secretary for the Wallace Public Library for 10 years.

She was a member of the Shoshone County Medical Auxiliary; the Wallace Elks Glee Club; PEO Chapter X, a philanthropic and educational organization; and Bethany Lutheran Church, where she was an organist for 16 years and a Sunday school teacher.

She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Albert Peterson of Spokane; and three sisters, Barbara Alderson of Spokane, Marie Goodman of Davenport, Wash., and Leona Gyorfi of Wilbur.

Iris Clear Spokane

Service for Iris R. Clear, 85, is planned for 10 a.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Mrs. Clear, a 20-year Spokane resident, died Sunday at home.

She was born in Moravia, Iowa.

She was a licensed practical nurse and was a member of Linwood Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Her husband, Paul Clear, died in 1990.

Mrs. Clear is survived by three sons, Robert Clear of Arizona, Norman Clear of Indiana and Richard Clear of Spokane; two daughters, Carolyn Van Orman of Michigan and Shirley Kieviet of Spokane; three sisters; 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Oroville ‘Andy’ Anderson Spokane

Graveside service for Oroville Andrew “Andy” Anderson, 97, will be at 11 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Anderson, who died Sunday, was born on the family farm near Pullman.

Mr. Anderson and his wife, Inez, moved to Spokane in 1937. They operated Paramount Cleaners on Garland for 30 years.

He served in the Army during World War I and was a member of Audubon Park Masonic Lodge No. 272.

A golfer, he had shot a hole-in-one three times.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Inez (Lamb) Anderson of Spokane; one son, Robert Anderson of Seattle; one daughter, Jean Davis of Denver; one sister, Ella Stokes of Choteau, Mont.; five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

George Hudson Spokane

Service for George E. Hudson, 93, is set for 1:30 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home. Burial will be at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.

Mr. Hudson, a 50-year Spokane resident, died Saturday.

He was born in Tyler, Texas.

He worked as a porter for Burlington Northern Railroad.

Mr. Hudson was a member of the Refreshing Spring Church.

He is survived by his wife, Thelma Hudson; two stepsons, Earl Harris of Tacoma and Chester Barbain of New Orleans; four stepdaughters, Annie Martin of Spokane, Eva Crawford of Tacoma, Mary Gaffney of Lawton, Okla., and Shirley Mason of Baltimore; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Maude Chitwood Newport, Wash.

Graveside service for Maude Mary Chitwood, 89, will be at 11 a.m. today at Newport Cemetery. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Chitwood, who died Sunday, was born in Lind, Wash.

She married Charles Chitwood in Davenport, Wash., in 1930 and they lived in Newport for 40 years. Mrs. Chitwood had lived in Spokane for the last 15 years. She was a homemaker.

Her husband died in 1975.

She is survived by four sons, Gary Chitwood of Bellingham, Pat and Bob Chitwood, both of Cusick, Wash., and Glen Chitwood of Springfield, Ore.; one daughter, Eilene Dumaw of Spokane; two sisters, Thelma Ayers of Packwood, Wash., and Evelyn Seay of Santa Monica, Calif.; 16 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

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

Clara Eitreim Spokane

Graveside service for Clara E. Eitreim, 94, will be at noon today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Eitreim, who was born in Winnebago County, Iowa, died Saturday.

She was a homemaker and had lived in Spokane for 40 years, and was a member of Sons of Norway.

She is survived by one niece, Bonnie Holt of Las Vegas, Nev.; and two nephews, Marshall Arne of Rockford, Ill., and Nathan Arne of St. Louis, Mo.

Hazel Tilson Deer Park

Service for Hazel Katherine Tilson, 70, will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Wildrose Prairie Methodist Church. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at the International Order of Odd Fellows Evergreen Cemetery in Rosalia, Wash. Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Tilson, a former Rosalia resident, died Sunday.

She was born in Rosalia and graduated from high school there.

She had lived in the Wildrose Prairie area near Deer Park for 20 years.

Mrs. Tilson was a licensed practical nurse and worked at St. Luke’s Hospital in Spokane. She had also worked as a beautician.

She was a member of Wildrose Prairie Methodist Church and the Wildrose Prairie and Community Club.

Mrs. Tilson is survived by her husband of 20 years, Gordon Tilson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or Ogden Hall Shelter for Women and Children.

Rhea Welk Spokane

Funeral Mass for Rhea Margaret Welk, 59, will be at 11:30 a.m. today at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Welk, who was born in Lordsburg, N.M., died Sunday.

She had lived in Spokane for 39 years and operated a day-care center.

She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Al-Anon and Beginning Experience.

Her husband, Raymond Welk, died in 1982.

She is survived by two sons, Joseph and Robert Welk, both of Spokane; three daughters, Annette Oswald and Rosanne Welk, both of Spokane, and Laura Mooney of Fort Campbell, Ky.; three brothers, Luis, Frank and Monce Flores, all of Bayard, N.M.; two sisters, Anita Marquez and Rosemary Alvarado, both of Bayard; and seven grandchildren.

Norma Fink Spokane

Family memorial service for Norma E. Fink, 95, was Tuesday.

Mrs. Fink died Sunday.

She was born in Milwaukee and moved to Spokane in 1933.

During World War II she became “mom” to teenagers of working parents who attended the Hi Nite Club at the Odd Fellows Temple.

She is survived by one son, Eugene Fink of Spokane; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

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