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

Obituaries

Nickless Mager Wilbur, Wash.

Graveside service for Nickless “Nick” Mager, 77, is planned for 1 p.m. Thursday at Wilbur Cemetery. Strate Funeral Home in Wilbur is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Mager, who was born in Diamond, Ind., died Monday.

He worked as an equipment operator for the state Highway Department.

He was a member of Wilbur Lutheran Church and Wilbur Veterans of Foreign Wars. He served in the Navy during World War II.

His wife, Dorothy Mager, died in 1986.

Survivors include one son, Steven Mager of Stuart, Fla.; two daughters, Sheryl Houston of Wilbur and Suellen Schertenleib of Florence, Mont.; six sisters and five grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Wilbur Ambulance Fund.

John Stephenson Wilbur, Wash.

Service for John G. Stephenson, 88, was Friday at Wilbur Presbyterian Church. Burial was at Wilbur Cemetery.

Mr. Stephenson died April 28 in Olympia, where he and his wife had recently moved. He was born in Grand Coulee.

He graduated from Almira (Wash.) High School.

He owned the Texaco Oil Distributorship in Wilbur for 38 years.

Mr. Stephenson was a member of Wilbur Masonic Lodge, the El Katif Shrine and Wilbur Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Geraldine Stephenson; one daughter, Marcia Wolf of Olympia; two sons, Mike Stephenson of Livermore, Calif., and Don Stephenson of Bremerton; one sister, Lois Johnson of Wenatchee; and eight grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Wilbur Cemetery Association or the Wilbur Swimming Pool Fund.

Donald Walters Harrington, Wash.

Funeral Mass for Donald E. Walters, 61, was Saturday at St. Francis Catholic Church in Harrington, Wash. Burial was at Hillcrest Cemetery in Harrington.

Mr. Walters, who died April 28, was born in Spokane and graduated from Davenport High School.

He worked for Burlington Northern Railroad for 43 years as a signal maintainer.

He was a member of the Harrington Lions Club, St. Francis Catholic Church and the Burlington Northern Railroad Workers Union.

Mr. Walters is survived by his wife, Candy Walters; two sons, Edward and Donald Walters, both of Spokane; four daughters, Janelle Brinkley and Johnna Briscoe, both of Spokane, and Mandi and Charly Walters, both of Harrington.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Harrington Future Farmers of America or the Harrington Lions Club.

Pete Blocker Newport, Wash.

Graveside service for Pete W. Blocker, 103, will be at 1 p.m. today at Newport Cemetery. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Blocker, a 50-year Pend Oreille County resident, died May 1 at Pend Oreille Pines Nursing Home in Newport. He was born in Redwater, Texas.

He worked as a ranch hand and sheep herder.

There are no known survivors.

Harry Pettit Newport, Wash.

Visitation for Harry R. Pettit, 60, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport. Private memorial service will be held.

Mr. Pettit, who died Sunday, was born in Minnesota.

He served in the Army from 1954 to 1957.

Afterward he moved to Montana and worked for the Diamond Lumber Mill in Superior, Mont. He moved to Usk, Wash., in 1984, and to Newport in 1990.

Mr. Pettit is survived by one daughter, Irene Quick of Pennsylvania; one son, Jerry Pettit of Minnesota; six brothers, Melvin Pettit of Oregon, Albert Pettit of Priest River, Idaho, Ervin Pettit of Trout Creek, Mont., Earl Pettit of Hot Springs, Mont., and Donald and Roy Pettit, both of Priest Lake, Idaho; four sisters, Delores Ringer and Hazel McGee, both of Superior, Arlene Franck of Trout Creek and Juanita Graham of Priest River; and two grandchildren.

James Palmer Sandpoint

Memorial service for James Eugene Palmer, 40, will be held today at 1 p.m. at St. Pius Catholic Church in Coeur d’Alene. Coffelt Funeral Service in Sandpoint is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Palmer, who was born in La Grande, Ore., died Saturday from kidney cancer.

He attended Sandpoint High School and North Idaho College, later working in carpentry and welding. He worked at Brand S Lumber and then as a motorcycle mechanic at Wilson’s Honda and Jim Plunkett’s Motorcycles in Spokane.

He spent most of his life in Post Falls, Spokane and Sandpoint and was a member of the National Ski Patrol, working on Mount Spokane.

Survivors include his wife, Shambra; two children, Ben and Leslie, both of Sandpoint; his parents, Frank Palmer of Priest River, Idaho, and Carol Brooks of LaClede, Idaho; two sisters, Cathy Lamanna of Priest River and Tina White of Virginia; three brothers, Frank Palmer of Texas, Mike Palmer of Nevada and Brett Palmer of Oregon; and his grandmother, Lillian Rogers of Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

Memorials may be made to the Wishing Star Foundation, 915 W. Second, Suite 3, Spokane, WA 99204.

Myrl Lindgren Spokane

No service will be held for Myrl H. Lindgren, 73, at his request. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of cremation.

Mr. Lindgren, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Friday.

He graduated from Rogers High School and was an electrician at Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp. for 30 years.

He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Moose Lodge and was a founding member of the Kaiser Credit Union.

His wife, Odie Lindgren, died in 1989.

He is survived by three sons, Mickey Lindgren of Tacoma, Lyle Lindgren of Spokane and Gerry Lindgren of Hawaii; one sister, Evelyn Davis of Phoenix, Ariz.; five grandchildren and one great-grandson.

June Nelson Spokane

Service for June Olga Nelson, 75, will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Cremation Society of Washington.

Mrs. Nelson, a 50-year Spokane resident, died Saturday. She was born in Spokane.

She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and worked as a medical secretary.

Her husband of more than 40 years, Murrill Nelson, preceded her in death.

She is survived by one sister-in-law, Roberta Quinton of Spokane.

John Davis Spokane

Service for John O.L. Davis, 79, is set for 1 p.m. today at Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Park.

Mr. Davis, who died Sunday, was born in Delta, Utah.

He served in the Army during World War II.

He had lived in Spokane for 60 years and was an automotive service manager for Madren Brothers and North Side Dodge. He had also worked as a mechanic for Barton Oldsmobile.

Mr. Davis was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Dorothy; two sons, Mike Davis of Conrad, Mont., and Dan Young of Carnation, Wash.; one daughter, Bobbi Davis-Long of Spokane; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Bill Akerlund Spokane

A gathering in memory of Bill Akerlund, 61, will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today at his home. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Akerlund, who died Saturday, was born in Auburn, Wash.

He was a 22-year Spokane resident and retired from the Air Force in 1972.

He was a member of the U.S. Power Squadron and published its newspaper. He operated Page Break Editorial Service and was a master gardener.

Mr. Akerlund is survived by his wife of 22 years, Lin Akerlund; six sons, Steve and Mark Akerlund, both of Seattle, Scott, Kevin and Tommy Akerlund and Tom Buerke, all of Spokane; one daughter, Karen Brown of Spokane; three brothers, Fred, Tom and Jack Akerlund; four sisters, Jeannie McCluskey, Denise Mayberry, Nancy Ostlund and Maryann Coty; his mother, Mary Lynch of Seattle; and four grandchildren.

Gerald Taylor Chewelah, Wash.

Service for Gerald Lee Taylor, 75, will be at 10 a.m. today at United Church of Christ in Chewelah. Burial will follow at Chewelah City Cemetery. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Taylor, who was born in Craig, Colo., died Saturday.

He had lived in Chewelah since 1982 and worked in construction.

He was a member of Chewelah Masonic Lodge No. 135, Order of the Eastern Star No. 101 and Chewelah United Church of Christ.

He is survived by his wife, Irene Taylor; seven sons, John and Robert Taylor, both of Bend, Ore., Gerald Taylor Jr., of Springdale, Wash., Arthur Taylor of Addy, Wash., Thomas Taylor of Chewelah, George Taylor of Colville, Wash., and Vernon Taylor of Airway Heights; one daughter, Carrie Hann of Spokane; two stepsons, Robert and Zolton “Billy” Breza, both of Chewelah; 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Judy Bennett LaCrosse, Wash.

Rosary for Judy Jo Bennett, 52, is planned for 10:30 a.m. today at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of LaCrosse. Service will follow at 10:30 a.m. with burial at LaCrosse Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Bennett, who died Sunday in Colfax, was born in Yakima.

She graduated from high school in Clarkston, Wash. In 1961 she married Larry Bennett. They settled in Lincoln, Wash., for 15 years, before they moved to LaCrosse.

She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

Mrs. Bennett is survived by her husband, Larry Bennett; one daughter, Dixie Graham of Seattle; two sons, Jimmy and Randy Bennett, both of Lacrosse; her father, Walt Schweiger of LaCrosse; one sister, Jerri Standley of Kennewick; two brothers, Michael Schweiger of Germany and Patrick Schweiger of LaCrosse; and seven grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the LaCrosse Emergency Medical Technicians.

Elizabeth ‘Dolly’ Erickson Spokane

Service for Elizabeth “Dolly” (Zack) Erickson, 84, will be at 11 a.m. today at Redeemer Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at Marshall Cemetery.

Born in Hercules, Mo., Mrs. Erickson died Sunday.

She moved to Spokane from Missouri with her family in the late 1800s.

She was a 64-year Spokane resident and was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and was on the board of the Marshall Cemetery Association.

Her husband, Wilbert Erickson, preceded her in death.

She is survived by one son, David Zack; two daughters, Betty McInturff and Diane Sullivan, both of Spokane; one stepdaughter, Janis Johnson of Spokane; one sister, Dorothy Auchampach of Spokane; seven grandchildren, three stepgrandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and three stepgreat-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may made to Redeemer Lutheran Church for the Holly Caudill Trust.

Elaine Paul Spokane

Visitation for Elaine Paul, 81, is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at St. Charles Catholic Church. Burial will be at Spokane Memorial Gardens.

Mrs. Paul, who was born in Paducah, Ky., died Sunday.

She had been a Spokane resident since 1947 and worked for Columbia Lighting Inc., Ken’s Hi-Power Cafe and C.W. Hill Printing Co.

She was a member of St. Charles Parish.

Her husband, George Paul, died in 1991.

She is survived by numerous cousins.

Janet Favre Spokane

Visitation for Janet A. Favre, 86, is scheduled from noon to 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home. Burial will at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Mrs. Favre, who died Monday, was born in Omaha, Neb.

She was a 70-year Spokane resident and was a homemaker.

Her husband of 50 years, Peter Favre, died in 1989.

She is survived by two daughters, Joan Lee and Pamela Butler, and two sons, Ricky and James Favre, all of Spokane; two sisters, Evelyn Zerbst of Spokane and Germaine Standlea of Burley, Wash.; and eight grandchildren.

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