Obituaries
James Kerns Potlatch, Idaho
Memorial service for James C. Kerns, 92, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Garfield Methodist Church in Garfield, Wash. Inurnment will be held before the service at the Garfield Cemetery. Kramer Funeral Home in Palouse, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kerns, who was born in Potlatch, died Saturday.
His family moved to Airdrie and later Acme, Alberta, when he was an infant.
He graduated in 1941 from Olds School of Agriculture in Olds, Alberta.
After graduating, he worked for the provincial Department of Agriculture as a weed inspector and supervisor in the Peace River country in Northern Alberta for three years.
In 1945 he married Gladys “Tori” Keay in Lethbridge, Alberta. They moved to Acme and farmed for the next five years.
In 1950 they moved to Garfield, Wash., where he worked as a farm laborer and mechanic for the next two years.
The family then moved to the Kerns family farm near Potlatch, and he worked part time for many years as a mechanic, then as an employee for the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service and the Statistical Reporting Service. He retired from farming in 1977.
With his wife he had operated Rolling Hills Bed and Breakfast for the past six years.
He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge, the Ladow Grange and the Idaho Senior Citizens.
Survivors include his wife; five sons, Ralph Kerns of San Carlos, Calif., Robert Kerns of Boise, James Kerns of Potlatch, David Kerns of Shelley, Idaho, and Richard Kerns of Potlatch; a daughter, Gladys Kerns of Potlatch; five brothers, Jack Kerns of Edmonton, Alberta, Robert Kerns of Huxley, Alberta, Wilson Kerns of Walla Walla, Gene Kerns of Arizona City, Ariz., and Tom Kerns of Pasco; 13 grandchildren and three stepgrandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Palouse, Gritman Home Health Services, 700 S. Main, Moscow, ID 83843.
Dwight Harris Fort Collins, Colo.
Memorial service for Dwight L. Harris, 85, will be at 4 p.m. May 15 at the Covenant United Methodist Church in Spokane.
Dr. Harris, who was born in Mead, died Feb. 28.
He graduated from Mead High School and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Washington State University. He earned his doctorate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Dr. Harris taught in the Mining Department of the University of Wisconsin, where he also did research on taconite iron ores.
He worked for eight years with the American Chrome Co. in Nye, Mont., and 18 years with Cyprus Mines and Amoco in California and Pennsylvania.
He retired to Clayton, Wash., where he lived for 10 years and managed a small farm forest.
Dr. Harris moved to Fort Collins in 1997.
He was a 60-year member of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers.
He attended several sessions of the annual Northwest Mining Convention in Spokane and sang with several church choirs and barbershop groups.
A lifelong practicer of woodsman skills, he helped build Forest Service lookouts in the 1930s, led Boy Scout camping events, hiked the backcountry of the Northwest, and drove and camped the entire Alaska Highway at the age of 80.
Dr. Harris was a member of Covenant United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Grace; two sons, Alexander Harris of Maplewood, N.J., and Rod Harris of Fort Collins; a daughter, Donna Forgie of Tucson, Ariz.; a brother, Wendell Harris of Mead; two sisters, Jean Weger of Deer Park and Ruth Boes of Cleveland; and one granddaughter.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Covenant United Methodist Church Music Ministry.
William Martin Spokane
Funeral for William F. ‘Bill’ Martin, 56, will be at 11 a.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.
Mr. Martin, who was an 18-year resident of Spokane, died Sunday.
He was born in Spokane and had previously worked as a logger and sawmill worker.
Survivors include a son, Floyd Martin of Yuba City, Calif.; a daughter, Michelle Martin of Spokane; his mother, Minnie Martin of Spokane; three sisters, Edith Davis, Ruth Waldron and Marilyn Driscoll, all of Spokane; and one grandchild.
Jean Skeffington Spokane
Vigil service for Jean C. Skeffington, 80, will be at 7 p.m. today at Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home. Funeral service and Mass will be at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Private committal will be held.
Mrs. Skeffington, who was born in Superior, Wis., died Saturday.
Her family moved to Whitefish, Mont., where she graduated from high school.
She moved to Spokane to study at Kinman Business College and began working as a clerical secretary.
In 1941, she married Tom Skeffington and in 1954 moved to California.
Her husband died in 1966, and she moved back to Spokane in 1968.
Mrs. Skeffington worked in the Gonzaga University bookstore for many years.
Survivors include three sons, Pat Skeffington of Wayne, Penn., Bill Skeffington of San Gregorio, Calif., and Sean Skeffington of Laytonville, Calif.; three daughters, Kathy Clark of Index, Wash., Peggy Gretsch of Spokane and Eileen Coffey of Red Bluff, Calif.; a sister, June Haswell of Helena; a brother, Roy Arnold of Spokane; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lyle W. Moore Endowment Scholarship Fund at Gonzaga University.
Stella Hulsizer Robar Silverton, Idaho
Memorial service for Stella Violet Hulsizer Robar, 100, will be held at a later date. Shoshone Funeral Service in Wallace is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Robar, who was born in Spokane, died Saturday.
She attended Sheridan Grade School and South Central High School in Spokane.
Mrs. Robar was a member of the Bethany Presbyterian Church, where she held many offices and directed the choir and played piano.
She was a member of the Margaret Koper Circle, Women’s Association, United Presbyterian Women, and the Veterans of World War I USA Inc. Auxiliary.
She was a longtime Spokane-area resident and had lived in Scotia, Wash., for a brief time before moving to the Silver Valley in 1984.
Mrs. Robar was preceded in death by two husbands, Archie Hulsizer in 1921 and Arthur Robar in 1983.
Survivors include a son, Archie Hulsizer of Wallace; three grandchildren, Janice, Donald and Vernon; and four great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Silver Wood Good Samaritan Center, Seventh St., Silverton, ID 83867, or Bethany Presbyterian Church, 301 S. Freya, Spokane, WA 99202.
Lucille McFerran Spokane
Memorial service for Lucille McFerran, 75, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Vera Valley Worship Center. Ball and Dodd Funeral HomeSouth is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. McFerran, who was born in Okanogan, Wash., died March 18.
She graduated from high school in Okanogan in 1940.
She was a homemaker.
In 1974 Mrs. McFerran moved to Spokane and was a pianist for the Vera Valley Worship Center. She was a member of the Eagles Lodge.
Survivors include two daughters, Colleen Titman of Airway Heights and Cheril Heavilin of Fort Rock, Ore.; a brother, Robert Key of Okanogan; and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Berneyl Kelly Post Falls
Visitation for Berneyl M. Kelly, 83, will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Friday at Hennessey Valley Funeral Home. Memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Cemetery Chapel, Trentwood.
Mrs. Kelly, who was a 34-year resident of Post Falls, died Saturday.
She was born and raised in Spokane and worked as a registered nurse at Eastern State Hospital for 23 years.
Mrs. Kelly was a member of the Eagles Club in Post Falls, the Bridge Club in Hauser Lake, Idaho, and the Eastern State Hospital Association.
Her husband, Edward Kelly, died in 1991.
Survivors include a daughter, Kathleen Meiggs of Post Falls; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hauser Lake Fire Protection District, East Hauser Lake Road, Post Falls, ID 83854.
Walter Martin Spokane
Memorial service for Walter R. Martin, 81, will be at 2 p.m. today at Riplinger Funeral Home. A private burial will precede the service at Fairmount Memorial Park Cemetery.
Mr. Martin, who was a lifetime resident of Spokane, died Tuesday.
He graduated from high school in Spokane and served in the Navy from 1935 to 1937.
Mr. Martin worked as a pump station operator for the city of Spokane for several years.
He was a member of the Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, Spokane Masonic Lodge No. 34, Scottish Rite Bodies, El Katif Shrine, El Katif Shrine Actors, North Spokane Shrine Club and El Katif Bowling League.
Mr. Martin was also a former guardian of Job’s Daughters Bethel No. 7 and a past associate grand guardian.
Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Betty; a daughter, Ellora Mae Bennett of Garfield, Wash.; a brother, Richard Martin of Spokane; and two granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children.
Harry Cunningham St. John, Wash.
Inurnment for Harry D. Cunningham, 77, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the St. John Cemetery. Memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. at the Christian Life Assembly Church in St. John. Bruning Funeral Home in Colfax, Wash., is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Cunningham, who was born in East Deep Creek, Idaho, died Sunday.
He grew up in the Oakesdale, Wash., area and married Joan Browder there in 1947.
Mr. Cunningham was a World War II veteran.
He lived in Oakesdale until 1965, moved to St. John, and retired from the Whitman County Road Department after 31 years.
Mr. Cunningham was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Daniel Cunningham of Colfax; and a daughter, Kathy Whiteside of Cheney.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Whitman Health and Rehab Special Care Unit in Colfax.
Hazel Capps San Jacinto, Calif.
Visitation for Hazel E. Capps, 88, will be from 10 a.m. to noon today at Harford Funeral Home in Hemet, Calif. Graveside service will follow at 2:15 p.m. at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, Calif.
Mrs. Capps, who was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, died Saturday of cardiorespiratory failure.
She worked as a seamstress for 10 years with American Linen Supply Co. in Spokane until her retirement in 1971.
Mrs. Capps moved to San Jacinto 21 years ago after living in Spokane for 46 years.
Survivors include her husband, Ted; two daughters, Delia Smith of Spokane and Quetta Collin of Loon Lake, Wash.; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Disabled American Veterans, 13733 East Rosecrans, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 or the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, 6350 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309.
John Perry Spokane
Funeral Mass for John B. Perry, 93, was Monday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial followed at Holy Cross cemetery. Hennessey-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Perry, who was born in San Giovanni, Italy, died Thursday.
He worked for Kaiser Aluminum Trentwood for many years and was a 74-year resident of Spokane.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Martha; two daughters, Catherine Rojan and Carol Scarcello, both of Spokane; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities or the Union Gospel Mission.
Velma Ellsworth Wildrose Prairie, Wash.
Funeral service for Velma Myrtle Ellsworth, 86, will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Lauer Funeral Home in Deer Park. Burial will follow at the Woodland Cemetery in Deer Park.
Mrs. Ellsworth, who was born in Chewelah, Wash., died Saturday.
She graduated from Newport (Wash.) High School.
In 1933 she married Fred Ellsworth Jr. in Spokane and was a homemaker.
Mrs. Ellsworth was a member of the Wildrose Ladies Guild and the Garden Club.
Survivors include her husband and a sister, Bessie Bursch of Spokane.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Humane Society.
Norma Davidson Coeur d’Alene
Memorial service for Norma E. Davidson, 71, will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene. Mrs. Davidson, who was born in Leavenworth, Wash., died Sunday.
She lived in Omak, Wash., before moving to Bonners Ferry in 1965 and to the Coeur d’Alene area in 1967.
Mrs. Davidson had worked as a medical assistant at Coeur d’Alene Eye Clinic and was active in Cancer Community Charities (3 C’s), American Cancer Society and the Duplicate Bridge Club.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Evert.
Survivors include a son, Charlie Kelson of Coeur d’Alene; a daughter, Robin Eisland of Hayden Lake, Idaho; two sisters, Janet Krogseth of Liberty Lake and Dorothy Riekena of Coeur d’Alene; three grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Memorials may be made to the 3 C’s, P.O. Box 1274, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814.
Edna Rickard Spokane
Private cremation service for Edna L. Rickard, 91, will be held. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Rickard, who was born in Oakdale, Penn., died Thursday.
She spent some years in Eugene, Ore., before moving to Spokane in the early 1940s.
Mrs. Richard began working at the Spokane Naval Depot, where she was trained as an electrician, and later transferred to Geiger. She transferred to Fairchild Air Force Base and worked there until her retirement in the mid1970s.
She made her own flies for fishing and her first pair of skis. She was one of the first women to ski Mount Spokane.
Mrs. Richard also bowled until 1994.
There are no surviving family members.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Spokane Humane Society.
Leonard Berthoud Spokane
A private memorial graveside service for Leonard Berthoud, 76, will be held in Montana at a later date. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Berthoud, who was born in Port Angeles, Wash., and raised in Montana, died Monday.
He served in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater.
In 1947 he married Margaret King in Montana.
Mr. Berthoud worked as a driver for the Greyhound Bus service for 35 years until his retirement in 1983.
He was a 21-year resident of Spokane.
Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Janelle Krum of Spokane; two sons, William and James Berthoud, both of Missoula; a brother, A.G. Berthoud of Bucoda, Wash.; a sister, Thelma Ohmie of Sumner, Wash.; and six grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Spokane.
Beulah Henderson Meridian, Idaho
Burial for Beulah Henderson, a former longtime Spokane resident, will be at Fairmount Memorial Park. There will be no Spokane service.
Mrs. Henderson, who was born in Roseburg, Ore., died March 12 at her home in Meridian. She was 98.
Mrs. Henderson, her husband, Elmo D. Henderson, and their daughter, Marleta, moved to Spokane in 1936. She moved to Boise with her daughter’s family in 1976.
In Spokane, Mrs. Henderson was a member of Park Heights Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday school for many years, and Audubon Story League.
Her husband, manager of the former Warn & Warn Shoe Store, died in 1974.
In addition to her daughter in Boise, she is survived by two grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Donald Whitney Davenport, Wash.
Memorial service for Donald Claire Whitney, 87, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church in Davenport. Strate Funeral Home in Davenport is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Whitney, who was born in Davenport, died Sunday.
He graduated in 1929 from Davenport High School and moved to Bellingham.
Mr. Whitney worked primarily as a commercial fisherman on purse seiners in Alaska and Puget Sound.
He moved back to Davenport about 20 years ago.
Survivors include a son, Donald Whitney, and two daughters, Martha Benedict and Evelyn Whitney, all of Bellingham; five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Ruth (Henry) Hickey Midvale, Utah
Funeral service for Ruth Anne (Henry) Hickey, 67, were held March 16 in Sandy, Utah.
Mrs. Hickey, who was born in Hollywood, died March 13.
She graduated from high school in California and in 1952 married John Hickey in Los Angeles.
Mrs. Hickey graduated with a degree in nursing from Eastern Washington University and worked as a nurse in psychiatric and veterans hospitals in both Spokane and Utah.
She lived in Spokane about 17 years and moved to Sandy, Utah, in the late 1980s. She most recently had lived in Midvale.
Mrs. Hickey was a member of the Mormon Church and was active in parent organizations with East Valley School District.
Survivors include her husband; five sons, Craig Hickey of Midvale, Wayne and Paul Hickey both of Seattle, Glenn Hickey of Sandy and Kent Hickey of Salt Lake City; two daughters, Jill Julum of Renton, Wash., and Lori Jacobsen of Spokane; 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Michael Amy Spokane
Visitation for Michael J. Amy, 40, will be from 2-4 p.m. today at Thornhill Valley Funeral Home. Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Christ Lutheran Church.
Mr. Amy, who was born in Pontiac, Mich., died Saturday.
He grew up in California and had worked for Cap Homes as a draftsman for several years in Spokane. He also had been a draftsman in Sacramento, Calif., and had worked for Bonanza Grocery.
Mr. Amy was a 21-year resident of Spokane.
Survivors include his companion, Cindy Roseman, at home; a daughter, Jacklyne Amy, and a son, Michael Amy, both of Spokane; his father and stepmother, Jack and Carol Amy of Spokane; his stepfather, John Hash of Spokane; and a brother, Randy Amy of Spokane.
Richard Risley Spokane
Visitation for Richard J. Risley, 90, will be from noon to 6 p.m. today at Heritage Funeral Home. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park.
Mr. Risley, who was a 56-year resident of Spokane, died Sunday.
He was born in Palouse, Wash., and served in the Navy during World War II.
Mr. Risley worked as a stockbroker in the mining industry and was a member of the First Church of the Open Bible.
Survivors include his wife of 69 years, Cleo; a daughter, Cleo Pearl of New York; two sisters, Marjorie Williams of Spokane and Pauline Hart of Yakima; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
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