Obituaries
George Hughes Fruitland, Wash.
Funeral Mass for George L. Hughes, 78, is set for 10 a.m. today at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church on the west end of the Spokane Indian Reservation. Burial will follow at Julia Brown Cemetery in Fruitland. Strate Funeral Home in Davenport, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hughes, who was born at Fort Spokane, Wash., died Saturday.
He served in the Army during World War II.
In 1946 he married Irene Brigman and worked for Lincoln Mill, Hunters Sawmill and then logged for Lawrence Fry and Joe Chopot.
Mr. Hughes then worked as a sawyer for Boise Cascade and later worked in their office at Loon Lake. He retired in 1983.
His wife died in 1985.
He returned to logging and then retired again in 1987.
He is survived by four daughters, Fran Swiger of Ford, Mildred Lopp of Spanaway, Wash., Marlene Hughes of Fruitland and Sherry Stearns of Wellpinit, Wash.; a son, Don Hughes of Fruitland; two brothers, Dick Hughes of New Mexico, and Jerry Neff of Othello, Wash.; three sisters, Ila Muscott of Othello, Pat Sale of Arizona and Penny Powell of Port Townsend, Wash.; his stepmother, Mary Neff of Othello; 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Glen Eskue Clayton, Wash.
Service for Glen R. Eskue, 61, will be at 1 p.m. today at the Open Door Congregational Church in Deer Park. Burial will follow at the Zion Hill/Trysil Cemetery in Clayton. Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Eskue, who was born in Ferris, Okla., died Thursday.
He graduated from high school in Tracey, Calif., and served in the Army in Alaska.
In 1957 he married Cleta Lee in Reno, Nev., and they moved to the Clayton/Deer Park area in the early 1970s.
Mr. Eskue worked as a driver for Chevron Oil Corp. and retired in 1988.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Donnie Eskue of Deer Park and Greg Eskue of Cottage Grove, Ore.; his mother, Opal Eskue of Patterson, Calif.; two brothers, Gene Eskue of Valley Springs, Calif., and Bill Eskue of Patterson; and three grandsons.
Wayne Merritt Priest River, Idaho
Service for Wayne Merritt, 66, will be at 1 p.m. today at the Newport (Wash.) Assembly of God Church. Burial will follow at the Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River. Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Merritt, who was born in Lebanon, Ore., died Wednesday.
He graduated in 1949 from Sweet Home High School in Oregon and served in the Army for two years.
In 1967 Mr. Merritt moved to Priest River where he owned and operated Merritt Brothers Lumber Mill for more than 25 years.
On Dec. 22, 1997 he married Juanita Conklin in Spokane.
He was a former Priest River City Council member, a volunteer for the city’s ambulance, Emergency Medical Technicians and fire department.
Mr. Merritt was a member of the Sandpoint Airport Board of Directors.
He is survived by his wife; three daughters, Bonnie Merritt-Hill of Ridgefield, Wash., and Terry Becar and Karla Merritt both of Battleground, Wash.; a brother, Buck Merritt of Priest River; and two grandchildren.
Marie Glasgow Spokane
Service for Marie J. Glasgow, 92, is set for 1 p.m. today at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Born in Amherst, S.D., Mrs. Glasgow died Friday.
She graduated in 1923 from Amherst High School and then in 1925 from Britton Teachers College in South Dakota.
In 1926 she married Homer Glasgow in Fergus Falls, Minn., and moved to Spokane in 1940.
Mrs. Glasgow taught school and retired in 1975 from Summit View Nursing Home.
She is survived by her husband; a son, Harold Glasgow of Spokane; two daughters, Luella Cantalini and Marlys Luttrull, both of Spokane; 13 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
Aaron Culpepper Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Aaron Kirk Culpepper, 23, will be at 2 p.m. today at the Friends Church in Hayden Lake. English Funeral Chapel in Post Falls is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Culpepper, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Friday from injuries received in a Dec. 20 snowboarding accident.
He was a lifetime area resident and worked as a ranch hand at a local horse ranch.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Abbie and Leo Priddis of Spokane; his father and stepmother, James and Barbara Culpepper of Post Falls; a daughter, Kaeli Fisher of Coeur d’Alene; two brothers, Kevin Culpepper of Post Falls and Cory Culpepper of Spokane; three stepbrothers, Kyle Pryor and Seth Priddis, both of Spokane and Kevin Pryor of Otis Orchards; two stepsisters, Kim Lefler of Port Orchard, Wash., and Rachel Houk of Spokane; and his grandparents, Fran and Doug Harms of Athol, Idaho, and Adelyn Gross of Medical Lake.
Emma Hathaway Spokane
Visitation for Emma Louise Hathaway, 91, will be from 8 to 10 a.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home. Graveside funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Hathaway, who was born in Big Timber, Mont., died Saturday.
She graduated from Sweetgrass High School in Montana and earned her teaching degree from Montana Normal School in Dillon, Mont.
Mrs. Hathaway taught at the Wildrose School for several years.
She later was a homemaker.
Her husband, Orville, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Donald Hathaway of San Clemente, Calif.; a daughter, Margaret Rock of Huntington Beach, Calif.; a brother, Raymond Hoem of Big Timber; 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Theodore Roe Spokane
Funeral Mass for Theodore W. Roe, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, will be at 9:30 a.m. today at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. HennesseySmith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Roe, who was born in Anamoose, N.D., died Thursday. He was 84.
He moved to Spokane in 1922 and graduated from North Central High School.
Mr. Roe later graduated from Washington State University, where he majored in civil engineering and military science.
He was a career officer in the Army Corps of Engineers and retired in 1966 after more than 29 years of service.
During World War II he was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in the South Pacific.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Anne; two sons, William Roe of Spokane and Gerald Roe of Virginia; two daughters, Elizabeth Gannon of Alexandria, Va., and Kathleen Bennis of Schaumburg, Ill.; a sister, Antoinette Derr of Spokane; and four grandchildren.
Mildred Ott Spokane
Memorial service for Mildred E. Ott, 69, is set for 2 p.m. today at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ott, who died Saturday, was born in Missouri.
She was a Spokane resident since 1983 and was a homemaker.
Mrs. Ott was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
Survivors include her husband of 25 years, Clifford; two sons, Stephen Frankenbach of Phoenix and Jeffery Frankenbach of Goshen, Ind.; a daughter, Cynthia Frankenbach of Anchorage, Alaska; a brother, Harold Voepel of Page, Ariz.; and two grandchildren.
Faith Smith Spokane
Service for Faith E. Smith, 91, is set for 11 a.m. today at Spokane Valley Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Pines Cemetery. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Smith, who died Dec. 23, who was born in Lynden, Wash.
She worked as a clerk at a clothing store and lived in Spokane for 46 years.
Her husband, Orville, died in 1975.
Mrs. Smith is survived by a daughter, Janice Mattison of Spokane; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Ethel Yonkie Spokane
Service for Ethel L. Yonkie, 96, will be at 11 a.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Private burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Yonkie, who was born in Harrington, Wash., died Thursday.
She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and worked at Geiger Army Air Base during World War II.
Mrs. Yonkie served as president of Lincoln Heights Garden Club where she received numerous awards and honors in flower arranging.
She was involved in organizing the first Spokane Lilac Festival and was a board member of the Spokane Arboretum.
Mrs. Yonkie helped write and publish the Lincoln Heights Garden Club Yearbook which won the State Award for excellence in 1994.
Her husband, Harold, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Beryl Gallaway of Grandview, Wash.; eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Margaret Lewis Spokane
Graveside service for Margaret H. Lewis, 77, will be at 11 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Lewis, a 37-year Spokane resident, died Thursday.
She was born in Tioga, N.D., and was a homemaker.
Her husband of 47 years, C.V. Lewis, died in 1994.
Survivors include a son, John Lewis of Modesto, Calif.; a brother, Eilef Haugen of Tioga; and a sister, Olga Kelly of Albuquerque, N.M.
Hubert Gamble Spokane
Service for Hubert A. Gamble, 72, is set for 2 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mr. Gamble, a 70-year resident of Spokane, died Friday.
He was born in Deer River, Minn.
He graduated from Rogers High School and served in the Navy during World War II.
He worked as an office manager for Crawford Door Sales for 31 years.
Mr. Gambel also owned the Chatauqua Resort in Spirit Lake, Idaho.
He was a member of the Colfax (Wash.) Eagles Lodge.
Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Irene; a son, Thom Gamble of Livermore, Calif.; a daughter, Bonnie Smesrud of Spokane; two sisters, Pat Walt of Spokane and Marg Jongward of Minnesota; and three grandchildren.
Helga Quillen Othello, Wash.
Memorial service for Helga R. Quillen, 65, will be at 2 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mrs. Quillen, who was born in Berlin, Germany, died Friday.
She emigrated from Germany as a young woman and was a longtime resident of Spokane. She moved to Othello five years ago.
Mrs. Quillen worked as a surgical aide at Holy Family Hospital.
Survivors include a son, Donald Burke of Spokane; a daughter, Annamarie Wilson of Othello; her stepfather, Gunter Walkows of Spokane; a brother, Karl Hoffman of Spokane; three sisters, Vera Dietrich of Hamburg, Germany, Ursula Felice of Spokane and Barbel Lowman of Bothell, Wash.; and nine grandchildren.
Willabelle Prestley Spokane
Memorial service for Willabelle L. Prestley, 86, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Riplinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Prestley, who was born in Almira, Wash., died Saturday.
She worked as a cook at several bakeries in Spokane and was also a homemaker.
Mrs. Prestley had lived in Spokane for 72 years.
Her husband, Earl, preceded her in death.
Survivors include two daughters, Dorothy McLean of Seattle and Colleen Castles; and several grandchildren.
Genevieve Pangburn Spokane
Graveside service for Genevieve L. Pangburn, 85, will be at 11 a.m. today at Fairmount Memorial Park. Memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. at Spokane Valley Methodist Church. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Pangburn, who was born in Denver, died Friday.
She worked for Sacred Heart Medical Center as a ward secretary for many years and was a member of the Spokane Valley Methodist Church.
She is survived by three daughters, Sally Weiler and Karen Meine, both of Spokane and Joyce Eickerman of Idaho; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Joseph Draisker Spokane
Funeral Mass for Joseph O. Draisker, 82, is planned for 10 a.m. today at St. Charles Catholic Church. Entombment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Draisker, who was born in Dayton, Ohio, died Friday.
He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and received the American Defense Ribbon, Good Conduct Ribbon, European Africa Middle Eastern Ribbon, four Bronze Stars, and the Air Medal and five Oak Leaf Clusters.
Mr. Draisker moved to Spokane in 1948 and owned several service stations and towing services. He retired in 1976.
He was a member of St. Charles Parish, the Eagles Lodge No. 2, the Disabled American Veterans and the Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include his wife, Hildred; a daughter, Margo Stevenson of Seattle; a brother, William Draisker of Dayton; and two grandchildren.
James Blankenship Hayden Lake, Idaho
Memorial service for James Madison Blankenship, 88, is set for 10 a.m. today at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Coeur d’Alene. Yates Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Blankenship, who was born in Nebraska, died Saturday.
He grew up and graduated from high school in Colorado and moved to Hawaii in 1928.
Mr. Blankenship became a partner in Bergstrom Music Co. in Honolulu before moving to Spokane in 1942.
He began a real estate career as an associate with Arthur D. Jones and later owned Blankenship Land Development Co.
Mr. Blankenship developed Pacific Heights and Hillsview in Spokane and donated land to the Spokane School District for Balboa School.
He moved to his summer home in Hayden Lake in 1960.
He was a board member of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce and served on the planning commission of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce and was a director of the Washington State El Katif Shrine.
Mr. Blankenship was a member of the Board of Realtors, the Masonic Lodge, the Episcopal Church and the Hayden Lake Country Club where he served on the board of trustees.
Survivors include his wife, Ada; three daughters, Pamela Anderson and Kathleen Allasina, both of Spokane and Valerie Gonder of California; a brother, George Blankenship of Coeur d’Alene; three sisters, Jean Morgan of Oklahoma, Dorothy Minister of Nebraska, and Tanny Eastman of Colorado; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Jim Brockway Sandpoint
Memorial service for Jim Brockway, 71, was Monday at Coffelt’s Funeral Service in Sandpoint. Mr. Brockway, who was born in Montana, died Friday.
He grew up in Sagle, Idaho and attended Bonner County schools.
He served in the Navy during World War II.
Mr. Brockway returned to Bonner County after his military service and served as a Bonner County commissioner from 1964 to 1978.
He spent winters in Arizona.
Survivors include his wife, Audrey; a son, Jim Brockway of Portland; a daughter, Jackie Shelton of Coeur d’Alene; three stepsons, Barry Johnson of Sagle, Bruce Johnson of Sandpoint and Kevin Johnson of Spokane; two sisters, Jean Reidle of Osburn, Idaho and LaVerne Blohowiak of Wisconsin; and 11 grandchildren.
Larry Hickman Colfax, Wash.
Service for Larry Hickman, 61, will be at 1 p.m. today at the First Baptist Church of Colfax. Burial will follow at the Colfax Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Hickman, who was born in Colfax, died Wednesday.
He graduated in 1954 from Colfax High School and married Violet Grasser in Colfax that same year.
Mr. Hickman was involved in the cattle business and ranched his own cattle ranch.
He was part owner of the Lewiston Livestock Market, formerly called Spencer Livestock, for 31 years.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Bill and Bob Hickman, both of Colfax; a sister, Wanda Carter of Hay, Wash.; and six grandchildren.
Robert Dunn Spokane
Service for Robert R. Dunn, 73, is planned for 1 p.m. today at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Pines Cemetery.
Mr. Dunn, who was born in Kootenai, Idaho, died Wednesday.
He worked for Potlatch Corp. as a lumber grader.
He moved to Spokane in 1988 from Lewiston, Idaho.
Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Delorez; a son, Jerry Kuhn; five daughters, Karolyn Erfurth, Marolyn Heiss, Sharolyn Jerald, Dorsey Oschszner and Donalda Dunn, all of Spokane; a brother, Jim Dunn of Sandpoint; two sisters Betty Olson of Sandpoint and Clara Catalano of Daly City, Calif.; 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Doris Mills Tekoa, Wash.
Service for Doris L. Mills, 82, was Monday at the United Church of Christ in Tekoa. Burial followed at the Goldenrod Cemetery in Tekoa.
Mrs. Mills, a Tekoa resident since 1974, died Friday.
She was born in Thornton, Wash., and in 1931 married Wayne Mills in Spokane.
Mrs. Mills lived in Spokane where she worked for several years at Fairchild Air Force Base in the laundry.
In the 1960s they moved to the Santa Rosa, Calif., area and returned to Spokane in 1973. They moved to Tekoa in 1974.
Mrs. Mills was a member of the Tekoa Jaycee Club.
Her husband died in 1981.
Survivors include a sister, Avis Rainio of Coeur d’Alene; a brother, Richard Kerns of Anchorage; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Virginia Medlock Spokane
Service for Virginia M. Medlock, 69, was Monday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North. Burial followed at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Born in Ford, Wash., Mrs. Medlock died Thursday.
She worked as a mail clerk for Washington Trust Bank for 20 years.
Mrs. Medlock was a member of the Spokane Tribe of Indians and St. Anne’s Catholic Church.
She is survived by her husband, A.J.; two daughters, Carmelita Harris and Janice Medlock, both of Spokane; a son, L.C. Medlock of California; a sister, Theresa Abrahamson of Spokane; and three grandchildren.
Lucille Jacobson Fallbrook, Calif.
Service for Lucille A. Jacobson, 78, was Monday at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial followed at Fairmount Memorial Park.
Mrs. Jacobson, a former Spokane resident, died Dec. 23.
She was born in Spokane and graduated from North Central High School.
Mrs. Jacobson was a homemaker and was a member of the Lutheran church. She moved to California earlier this year.
Her husband, Roy, died in 1996.
She is survived by a daughter, Marlene Rantanen of Fallbrook, Calif.; a sister, Elaine De Arth of Spokane; and two grandsons.
, DataTimes