Obituaries
Edna Mae Aukerman Spokane
Graveside service for Edna Mae Aukerman, 87, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Aukerman, who was born in Portis, Kan., died Thursday.
She worked as a seamstress and in dry cleaning.
Mrs. Aukerman had been a 15-year Spokane resident and was a member of Northwood Presbyterian Church.
Her husband, William Aukerman, died in 1974.
Survivors include a son, John Aukerman of Mead; a daughter, Donna Johnson of Spokane; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Elaine (Dixon) Spurlock Athol, Idaho
Memorial service for Elaine (Dixon) Spurlock, 49, will be at 12:30 p.m. today at the Athol American Legion Hall. English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Spurlock, who was born in England, died Sunday.
She had lived in Spokane and worked as a clerk at Mervyn’s Department Store for seven years.
Mrs. Spurlock moved to Athol in 1994.
Survivors include her husband, Lanny; two sons, Robert Linsley of Georgia and Corey Spurlock of Seattle; a brother, Kenneth Dixon and a sister, Maurene Stephens, both of England; and one granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to The American Legion, Athol, ID 83803.
Terry Trowbridge Spokane
Memorial service for Terry L. Trowbridge, 49, is set for 9 a.m. today at St. Paschal Catholic Church. A potluck luncheon will follow at 11 a.m. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Mr. Trowbridge, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Friday.
He graduated from West Valley High school in 1966.
Mr. Trowbridge worked as the kitchen manager at O’Doherty’s Irish Grill for several years.
He was active as a coach for Spokane Youth Sports, School District 81 and the YMCA. He was also a past chairperson and cast member of “Ham on Regal.”
Survivors include his wife of 17 years, Lori; two sons, Brandon Trowbridge of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Tyler Trowbridge of Spokane; a daughter, Sarah Trowbridge of Spokane; his parents, Richard and Leona Trowbridge of Spokane; two brothers, Patrick Trowbridge of San Diego and Michael Trowbridge of Spokane; and a sister, Ginger Smith of Tacoma.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Wishing Star Foundation or the American Cancer Society.
Myrtle (Ray) Newton Rockford, Wash.
Service for Myrtle M. (Ray) Newton, 94, is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at the Kingdom Hall in Fairfield, Wash. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Newton, who was a resident of Rockford since 1959, died Thursday.
She was born in Idaho and worked in housekeeping and home cleaning.
She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Fairfield Kingdom Hall, 200 S. Fairweather, Fairfield, WA 99012.
Edith Evans Spokane
Graveside service for Edith E. Evans, 86, will be at 11 a.m. today at Riverside Memorial Park. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Evans, who died Friday, was born in Plummer, Idaho.
She was a 70-year Spokane resident and worked for Spokane Film Company, and later as a clerk for the Crescent department store and then at the Ridpath Hotel.
She was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
Her husband of 48 years, Lynn Evans, died in 1977.
Mrs. Evans is survived by two daughters, Virginia Giesa and Jo Ann Hubbard, both of Spokane; a brother, Lawrence McKee of Modesto, Calif.; three grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Henry ‘Heinie’ Michaelsen Odessa, Wash.
Memorial service for Henry E. “Heinie” Michaelsen, 84, will be at 11 a.m. today at Heritage United Church of Christ Sanctuary in Odessa. Strate Funeral Home in Odessa is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Michaelson, a lifetime resident of Odessa, died Sept. 16.
Mr. Michaelsen graduated from Odessa High school.
He owned the Corner Drug Store, Michaelson Mercantile, the Circle M Motel and the Flying Farmers Aerial Service.
In 1955 he went into farming. He served as mayor and on the city council in Odessa.
He was a member of Heritage United Church of Christ, Odessa Fire Department, Odessa Lions Club, Odessa Historical Society, Masonic Lodge No. 156, El Katif Sage Shrine, Order of the Eastern Star, Rainbow Dads and the Odessa Golf Club.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Rose; three daughters, Carol Evavold of Mukilteo, Wash., Mary Kirstein of Hersher, Ill., and Margaret Praetorius of Odessa; a son, Henry Michaelsen of Puyallup, Wash.; a brother, Howard Michaelsen of Spokane; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Odessa Historical Society, c/o May Sayrs, Route 2 Box Q, Odessa, WA 99159.
Taft Hergert Spokane
Service for Taft Hergert, 85, was Monday at Trinity Lutheran Church of Endicott (Wash.). Private family burial was at the Endicott Cemetery.
Mr. Hergert, who was born near Dusty, Wash., died Thursday.
He graduated in 1930 from Endicott High School.
In 1942 he was drafted into the Army and served as a guard at the White House under President Roosevelt until 1944. He was discharged in 1946.
After the military he moved back to Endicott. In 1948 he married Ruth Sarver in Endicott.
He worked for the Whitman County engineer’s office on the survey crew and then for Endicott Hardware. In 1961 he was appointed Endicott postmaster and served until his retirement in 1975.
He and his wife moved to Spokane in 1987.
Mr. Hergert is survived by his wife; two sons, Phillip Hergert of Olympia and John Hergert of Pasco; a daughter, Laureen King of Beaverton, Ore.; two sisters, Lucille Mossuto of Spokane and Alvina Kaiser of Richland; a stepbrother, Ted Repp of Colfax; a stepsister, Emma Bafus of Clarkston, Wash.; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church of Endicott or to Christ Lutheran Church in Spokane.
Richard Van Doren Loon Lake, Wash.
Rosary for Richard Joseph Van Doren, 62, will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Valley, Wash. Funeral Mass will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the church. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery at Jump Off Joe, Wash. Schanzenbach Funeral Home in Chewelah, Wash., is in charge of the arrangements.
Mr. Van Doren, who was born in Chewelah, died Saturday.
He graduated from Valley High School and served in the Coast Guard.
He worked as a dairy farmer in Valley until he retired in 1992.
He was a member of the Northwest Dairymen’s Association, the Dairy Herd Improvement Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Knights of Columbus and the Valley Grange.
He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Doris; a son, Christopher Van Doren at the home; a daughter, Shannon Sands of Bremerton, Wash.; four brothers, Robert Van Doren of Spokane, Edward Van Doren of Valley, Dennis Van Doren of Deer Lake, and Don Van Doren of Olivehurst, Calif.; three sisters, Marcie Combs of Kennewick, Mary Warrey of Seattle and Josephine Lauinger of Portland; and two grandchildren.
Claudia (Rigsby) Burns Moses Lake
Visitation for Claudia Kay (Rigsby) Burns, 22, will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Kaysers Chapel of Memories in Moses Lake. Private family service and burial will be at Pioneer Memorial Gardens. Memorial service will be at 3:30 p.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church of Moses Lake.
Mrs. Burns, who was born in Moses Lake, died Friday due to complications from Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
She graduated in 1993 from Moses Lake High School.
She was active in Job’s Daughters and was elected honored queen in 1989. She was a 1993 contestant in the Miss Moses Lake pageant, where she won the Miss Congeniality award.
In 1994 she married Adam Burns.
Mrs. Burns studied ballet locally and had lived in Spokane to study and teach.
She was employed by Hirz Dance Studio in Moses Lake and Ballet Arts Academy in Spokane.
Survivors include her husband; her parents, Larry and Katie Rigsby and her grandparents, Floyd and Frances Rigsby and Howard and Beth Copenhaver.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Claudia Kay Rigsby Burns Memorial Ballet Scholarship Foundation at any U.S. Bank branch.
Kenneth King Spokane
Memorial service for Kenneth E. King, 44, will be at 1 p.m. Oct. 1 at Heritage Funeral Home.
Mr. King, who was born in Spokane, died Saturday.
He graduated from Central Valley High School in 1972.
Mr. King had volunteered for a governor’s board on disabilities, with brain injury associations, the Spokane Lilac Festival, Valley Jaycees and the city and county police departments.
Survivors include his wife, Darlene; a son, Shaun King; two stepsons, Glenn and John Honeyman; a stepdaughter, Denise Gilmore; two sisters, Lynette King and Phyllis Craig; two brothers, Robert and Dan King, and six stepgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Chapter of the American Cancer Society or the Brain Injury Association of Spokane.
Vernon Bennett Spokane
No service will be held for Vernon H. Bennett, 76, at his request. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-North is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Bennett, who was born in Marcus, Wash., died Thursday.
He graduated from Wilbur High School in 1939.
Mr. Bennett served in the Navy during World War II on submarines in the Pacific near Japan.
He graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1948 with a degree in education.
He taught at several schools in District 81 including Rogers High School. He retired in 1980 after 33 years of teaching.
His memberships included the World War II United States Navy Submarine Veterans.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Francene; a son, Randy Bennett of Mead; a daughter, Melody Carrothers of Spokane; a brother, Bernard Bennett of Salem, Ore.; four grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, Washington State Chapter, 552 S. Michigan Street, Seattle, WA 98108 or to the American Heart Association of Washington, Inland Empire Chapter.
Leon ‘Bud’ Best Spokane
Service for Leon B. “Bud’ Best, 93, was Monday at Riverside Mausoleum Chapel. Private entombment followed at Riverside Mausoleum.
Mr. Best, who was born in Coeur d’Alene, died Thursday.
He was a 19-year resident of Spokane and worked for various logging companies for more than 40 years.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Blanche; three sons, Donald Best of Kennewick and Robert and Roger Best, both of Spokane; 10 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association.
Harvey Baldwin Usk, Wash.
Memorial service for Harvey G. Baldwin, 59, will be held at a later date. Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Born in Gillette, Wyo., Mr. Baldwin died Friday.
He graduated from high school in Renton, Wash., and later served in the Coast Guard.
Mr. Baldwin was a communication technician working in the telephone communications industry before retiring in 1993.
He is survived by a son, Randall Baldwin; three daughters, Kimberly Mayfield of Seattle, Tarina Mulholland of Kent, and Mi-Linda Nair of Renton; his mother, Rella Hanson of Tacoma; three sisters, Darlene Glassteter of Tacoma, Marilyn Byman of Alaska and Sharon Brown of Portland; and three grandchildren.
, DataTimes