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

Obituaries

Florence McGwire Tekoa, Wash.

Burial Mass for Florence C. McGwire, 95, is planned for 10 a.m. today at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Tekoa. Burial will follow at Goldenrod Cemetery in Tekoa. Kramer Funeral Home, Tekoa, is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. McGwire, a former Spokane resident, died Thursday at Tekoa Care Center.

She was born in Dell, Mont., attended business college in Salt Lake City and ranched in Dell with her first husband, William Wall. He died in 1930.

She moved to Dillon, Mont., where she worked for J.C. Penney. She later moved to Moscow, Idaho and continued to work for J.C. Penney. During World War II she moved to Spokane and attended Kinman Business University. In 1946 she went to work as a secretary for an architect in Spokane. She retired in 1969.

She was a member of the Catholic Church.

Her second husband, Thomas McGwire, died in 1991. She is survived by one half-sister, Alta Lemon of Bozeman, Mont.; four grandchildren; seven greatgrandchildren and numerous step-grand and stepgreatgrandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Tekoa Care Center.

Gwen VerHoef Spokane

Memorial service for Gwen B. VerHoef, 92, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hawthorne Manor Chapel. Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. VerHoef, who was born in Iowa, died March 8. A schoolteacher, she had lived in Spokane for 27 years.

She is survived by two sons, Branch VerHoef of Missoula, Mont.. and Niel VerHoef of Des Moines, Iowa.

Ben ‘Beni’ Oberg Spokane

No service for Ben H. “Beni” Oberg, 74, will be held at his request. Hazen and Jaeger Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Oberg, a lifetime Spokane resident, died March 27.

He graduated from Rogers High School and attended Washington State University.

He served in the Army for four years and later worked for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He retired in 1989.

His wife, Marjorie, died in 1990. He is survived by one son, James Oberg of Spokane; two sisters, Betty Broberg of Spokane, Lilly Lanphear of Rockford, Ill.; one brother, Arthur Oberg of Sacramento, Calif.; three granddaughters; one grandson and three greatgrandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association.

Mildred Woods Spokane

Graveside service for Mildred M. Woods, 83, was held Friday at Pines Cemetery. Thornhill Valley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Born in St. Maries, Mrs. Woods died Wednesday

A homemaker, she had lived in Spokane for 50 years.

Her survivors include her longtime companion, Robert Miller; one son, Leroy Woods of Spokane; one sister, Alta Rowatt of Spokane; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Meta Snodgrass Spokane

Graveside service for Meta K. Snodgrass, 86, will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Riverside Memorial Park. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Snodgrass, a lifetime Spokane resident, died Thursday.

She graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and attended business college in Spokane.

She worked as a cook at the Gourmet Castle, later known as the Castle, and later worked as a receptionist at the Elks Lodge and retired in the mid1970s. Following her retirement she volunteered in the information booth at the Spokane County Courthouse.

She was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Survivors include two sons, Stanley Snodgrass of Spokane, and Robert “Terry” Snodgrass of Sartell, Minn.; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Odgen Hall Shelter for Women and Children.

John Amsberry Spokane

At his request, no service will be held for John F. Amsberry, 85. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of cremation.

Mr. Amsberry, who was born in Rosebud, Mont., died March 24.

He attended the University of Washington and was commissioned in the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He served in the Army during World War II and served 37 years in the Army Reserves.

He worked for Union Carbide Corporation for 37 years.

He was a member of the Spokane Mushroom Club.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Jessie Amsberry; one son, James Amsberry of Fullerton, Calif.; one daughter, Christine Slaback of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; five grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5125 N. Market, Spokane, Wash., 99207 or the American Cancer Society.

Marguerite Crane Spokane

Memorial Service for Marguerite Crane, 72, will be at 1 p.m. today at the home of Jack and Judy Crane, 3424 S. Bates. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South is in charge of cremation.

Born in Arveda, Wyo., Mrs. Crane had lived in Spokane since 1950. She died Wednesday.

She graduated from Newport (Wash.) high school and was an instructor at beauty schools.

Her husband, John Crane, died in 1986. Survivors include by two stepsons, John Crane Jr. and Gregory Crane, both of Spokane; one sister, Irene Wilmott of Spokane; four grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren.

Delbert Babb Spokane

Memorial service for Delbert H. Babb, 88, was Friday at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home-South.

Mr. Babb, who died March 26, was born in Spokane.

He was a former employee of Kaiser Aluminum in Mead.

He is survived by one daughter, Delana Goodwin of Spokane; one brother, Lloyd Babb of Spokane; one stepdaughter; two granddaughters; two greatgrandsons and one step-granddaughter.

Letty Ann Myers Okanogan, Wash.

Funeral Mass for Letty Ann Myers, 73, was held Friday at Our Lady of The Valley Catholic Church. Burial was at the Okanogan City Cemetery.

Mrs. Myers died March 24 at Fifth Avenue Hospital in Seattle. She was born in Pasadena, Calif.

She attended Junior College in Pasadena and then Washington State University. She and her husband lived in Clarkston, Wash., and in Spokane before they moved to Okanogan in 1950.

Mrs. Myers worked for Washington State Brand Inspection Department for 15 years.

She was a horsewoman and participated in local and state-wide horse show events. She was active in politics and in local and state bowling organizations. She was a volunteer in the local diabetes support group and was a member of the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Dave “Bud” Myers; one daughter, Nora Sheridan of Spokane; two brothers, Eddie Loos, Jr. of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Charles Loos of Newport Beach, Calif.; one sister, Margot Down of Warner Springs, Calif.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association, Mid-Valley Hospital Auxiliary or Our Lady of The Valley Catholic Church.

Esther Schumacher Colfax

Memorial service for Esther Schumacher, 74, is planned for 11 a.m. today at Peace Lutheran Church in Colfax. Private burial will precede at Colfax Cemetery. Bruning Funeral Home, Colfax, is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Schumacher died Thursday at Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane.

She was born in Colfax and raised in Plummer, Idaho.

She worked at St. Ignatius Hospital in Colfax, and for area farmers. After she married Harold Schumacher, she worked for several years at Tick Klock Drug, and later became a dental assistant for Dr. Melvin Binder, for whom she worked for 23 years. She retired in 1982.

She was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, Colfax Eagles and North and South Palouse Grange.

Survivors include her husband of 56 years, Harold; one daughter, Marlene Carroll of Colfax; one son, Harold Schumacher of Akron, Ohio; two brothers, Wayne Gunn of Colfax, and Arnold Gunn of Worley, Idaho; two sisters, Sherlene Losell and Betty Woodworth, both of Spokane; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Whitman Hospital Foundation or the Colfax Ambulance.